News

Our news page provides you with a round up of UN news related to economic development, humanitarian aid, climate change, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). You will find the summary of news articles together with a link to the news source.

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Climate crisis and economic shocks leave millions food insecure across Central America

23 Feb 2021

Reporting that hunger has increased almost fourfold in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua in the past two years, the World Food Programme (WFP) on Tuesday warned that 1.7 million people are in the ‘emergency’ category of food insecurity, calling for $47.3 million now, to provide urgent food assistance.

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World risks ‘collapse of everything’ without strong climate action, Attenborough warns Security Council

23 Feb 2021

More collective action is needed to address the risks climate change poses to global peace and security, the UN Secretary-General told a high-level Security Council debate on Tuesday, as renowned natural historian David Attenborough warned ambassadors that the planet faces total ‘collapse’. 

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ILO urges better policies to protect workers, businesses, as digital platforms proliferate

23 Feb 2021

The UN International Labour Organization (ILO) on Tuesday highlighted the need for enhanced international policy cooperation to provide decent work opportunities and foster sustainable business growth in the digital economy.

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FROM THE FIELD: Poor and vulnerable bear brunt of climate change

23 Feb 2021

People living in low-income countries are at least four times more likely to be displaced by extreme weather compared to people in rich countries, despite being the least responsible for climate change, that’s according to the UN’s humanitarian office, OCHA.

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2021: Critical year to ‘reset our relationship with nature’ – UN chief 

22 Feb 2021

During this time of “crisis and fragility”, the UN chief told the United Nations Environment Assembly on Monday that human well-being and prosperity can be vastly improved by prioritizing nature-based solutions. 

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‘No place’ for coups in today’s world, UN chief tells Myanmar military 

22 Feb 2021

On the opening day of a new UN Human Rights Council session on Monday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres reiterated his “full support to the people of Myanmar”, three weeks after the military takeover that has brought thousands out onto the streets in protest. 

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FROM THE FIELD: The Indian women weaving a digital web

21 Feb 2021

Hundreds of thousands of Indian women are learning to market themselves and sell products online, with the support of a digital literacy project managed by the World Bank.

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Lifeline for vulnerable Cambodians as poverty doubles during COVID-19 pandemic

21 Feb 2021

In Cambodia, the shrinking economy, hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, has affected all population groups, but particularly the most vulnerable. A first-of-its-kind government scheme, managed with digital tools supplied by the UN Development Programme (UNDP), is ensuring that the poorest receive a level of social protection.

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First Person: The Colombian youth fighting for digital education for all

20 Feb 2021

Tania Rosas, a Colombian education advocate from an afro-indigenous background, is hoping to improve learning outcomes for disadvantaged communities in her country, with a digital application tailored to their specific needs.

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FROM THE FIELD: The goats helping Zambians to reach economic independence

20 Feb 2021

In Zambia, where the climate crisis is making it increasingly difficult to earn a living, goat-rearing is being seen as a possible route to a better livelihood, and economic resilience.

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UN chief lauds ‘day of hope’ as US officially rejoins Paris Agreement on Climate Change

19 Feb 2021

The official return of the United States to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change represents good news for the country and the world, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Friday during a virtual event to mark the occasion. 

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UN chief to security meeting: ‘2021 must be the year to get back on track’

19 Feb 2021

By exposing deep fissures and fragilities, “COVID-19 has x-rayed the world”, the UN chief told the Munich Security Conference on Friday, while acknowledging that today’s vulnerabilities go “well beyond” pandemics and public health. 

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DR Congo: Lives and futures of 3 million children at risk, UNICEF warns

19 Feb 2021

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), on Friday, highlighted the dire situation of some 3 million displaced children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), facing brutal militia violence and extreme hunger. 

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Five million Yemenis ‘one step away from famine’– UN relief coordinator tells Security Council

18 Feb 2021

Malnutrition rates in Yemen are at “record highs” as the country is “speeding towards the worst famine the world has seen in decades”, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator told the Security Council on Thursday, citing newly released data. 

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UN chief calls for ‘new social contract’ as part of post-pandemic recovery

18 Feb 2021

With the COVID-19 pandemic exposing social and economic inequalities rooted in racism, discrimination and xenophobia, recovery must lead to more inclusive societies, the UN Secretary-General told Member States on Thursday. 

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First Person: ‘The world is in your hands and begins at your door’.

18 Feb 2021

British celebrity gardener Monty Don, a UN advocate for plant health, is raising awareness of the links between human health, plant health and the well-being of the planet.

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Food insecurity in Syria reaches record levels: WFP

17 Feb 2021

The number of Syrians who lack access to sufficient food has reached a record 12.4 million, or nearly 60 per cent of the population, the World Food Programme (WFP) reported on Wednesday, citing “alarming” new national data. 

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‘Triple threat’ adds to long-standing crises menacing food security in Somalia – FAO

17 Feb 2021

Poor rainfall, flooding and desert locusts are contributing to extreme food insecurity in Somalia, threating 2.6 million people, the UN agriculture agency said in a new analysis released on Wednesday.  

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New guidelines put youth at the forefront of humanitarian response

16 Feb 2021

New guidelines published on Tuesday by the UN and partners aim to put young people at the forefront of humanitarian action. 

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Burundi: UN refugee agency appeals for over $220 million in ‘crucial’ support

16 Feb 2021

An urgent appeal for $222.6 million was made on Tuesday by the UN refugee agency and partners to assist more than 315K Burundian refugees this year. 

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We had to run for our lives’, the pregnant women fleeing Tigray

16 Feb 2021

Pregnant women are amongst the tens of thousands of people in need of assistance in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, where fighting between the Government and regional forces of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) have been ongoing since November 2020. Hiwot* is one of them.

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Yemen: ‘Toxic mix’ imperils lives of under-fives with acute malnutrition 

12 Feb 2021

Since the escalation of conflict in 2015, severe acute malnutrition is among its highest levels in Yemen, threating the lives of half of the country’s children under the age of five, four UN agencies warned on Friday.

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Ethiopia: ‘Incomplete but troubling picture’ reveals impact of Tigray crisis on children

12 Feb 2021

Humanitarians are learning more about the dire situation of children in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, where fighting continues between Government troops and regional forces of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). 

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UN talks ‘honestly’ about the environment and avoids ‘scaremongering’

10 Feb 2021

The challenge of tackling climate change is one that the UN needs to talk about “honestly, without scaremongering” and by focusing on scientific fact, according to Inger Andersen, the Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). 

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East Asian countries led economic recovery in last quarter of 2020, says UN report

10 Feb 2021

Without the resilience of the economies of East Asia and the Pacific, there would have been no global trade recovery at the end of last year, UN analysts said on Wednesday.

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UN highlights importance of pulses for diets and food security, marking World Day

10 Feb 2021

The United Nations is marking World Pulses Day on Wednesday, highlighting the importance of the legumes not only as a vital source of nutrition but also for improving soil fertility and warding off crop pests. 

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FROM THE FIELD: Teaching Chad’s scientists of the future

09 Feb 2021

The study of science could have a “transformational” impact on young people living in different conflict areas across the world according to the UN’s Education Cannot Wait programme.

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Without ‘constructive international diplomacy’ Syria’s peace process will not move forward

09 Feb 2021

 The UN Special Envoy for Syria said there had to be “constructive international diplomacy” if the peace process is to move forward in any way, appearing before the Security Council behind closed doors on Tuesday.  

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Cooling La Niña is on the wane, but temperatures set to rise: UN weather agency

09 Feb 2021

Temperatures in almost all parts of the world will likely rise between now and April despite the cooling influence of the latest La Niña weather phenomenon, which has passed its peak, UN climate experts said on Tuesday. “Impacts on temperatures, precipitation and storm patterns continue”, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said in a statement.

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Ethiopia: Government approves ‘first step’ towards Tigray emergency assistance 

08 Feb 2021

UN agencies have received approval from the Ethiopian Government for 25 international staff to provide humanitarian assistance inside the country’s conflict-torn Tigray region, the UN Spokesperson said on Monday.