UN Archives - Defence Monitor

19 Aug

UN marks 20th anniversary of Baghdad HQ bombing

United Nations, Aug 19, The UN has commemorated the 20th anniversary of the 2003 suicide bombing of its headquarters in Baghdad which killed 22 personnel of the world body, including the UN Special Representative in Iraq Sergio Vieira de Mello. At a brief ceremony at the UN headquarters in New York on Friday, Atul Khare, the UN Undersecretary-General for the Department of Operational Support, laid a wreath in front of a plaque for the 2003 bombing, reports Xinhua news agency. The bombing took place on August 19, 2003, in the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, which was used by the UN…

01 Aug

UN counter-terror official decries roadblocks to global terrorism pact India proposed

United Nations, Aug 1 (IANS) A UN counter-terrorism official has decried the failure of the General Assembly to agree on a global agreement to fight terrorism proposed by India. Raffi Gregorian, the Director of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), told the Security Council on Monday, "Unfortunately, there has not yet been consensus at the General Assembly on the draft Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism, including in relation to how the definition of terrorism would precisely apply in situations of armed conflict." Neither does the Assembly give the UNOCT "the mandate to investigate or ascertain the conduct of states and…

13 Jul

UN rights body condemns any manifestation of religious hatred

Geneva, July 13, The UNHRC has adopted a resolution in which it condemned and strongly rejected any advocacy and manifestation of religious hatred. This is also in response to the recent public and premeditated acts of desecration of the Holy Quran, Xinhua news agency reported on Wednesday. The resolution underscores the need for holding those responsible to account in a manner consistent with obligations of states arising from international human rights law, and calls upon states to adopt national laws, policies and law enforcement frameworks that address, prevent and prosecute acts and advocacy of religious hatred that constitute incitement to…

11 Jul

Security Council renews mandate of UN Hodeidah mission

United Nations, July 11, The UN Security Council has unanimously adopted a resolution to extend the mandate of the UN Mission to Support the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA) for another year, till July 14, 2024. By adopting Resolution 2691, the Security Council on Monday reaffirmed its endorsement of the agreement reached in Sweden by the government of Yemen and the Houthis on the city of Hodeidah and the ports of Hodeidah, Salif and Ras Issa, while reiterating its call on the parties to work cooperatively to implement all its provisions. The resolution also recalled ongoing Houthi hindrances to UNMHA freedom of…

01 Jul

Unesco approves US proposal to rejoin organisation

Paris, July 1, The Unesco's 193 member states have approved a proposal submitted by the US to rejoin the organisation. During an Extraordinary Session of the General Conference on Friday, 132 member states voted in favour, while Russia, North Korea, Palestine, Belarus, China, Eritrea, Indonesia, Iran, Nicaragua, Syria voted against the return of the US to the organisation, reports Xinhua news agency. Friday's vote came after two days of discussions. The US had pulled out of the Unesco twice, in 1984 and 2017, causing a negative impact on the Paris-based UN body's work. Last month, the US sent a letter…

20 Jun

UN chief calls for renewed efforts to combat hate speech

United Nations, June 20, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for renewed efforts to counter the "toxic and destructive phenomenon" of hate speech, in a message to mark the second anniversary of the International Day for Countering Hate Speech. "Hate speech is used to stoke fear and division, often for political gain, and at immense cost to communities and societies," he said on Monday. Guterres added that hate speech incites violence, exacerbates tensions, and impedes efforts to foster mediation and dialogue. It is one of the warning signs of genocide and other atrocity crimes, he said. The UN chief's message was…

17 Jun

Norway to provide $161mn support to Syria, region

Oslo, June 17 (IANS) Norway will provide $161 million in support to assist those affected by the multiple crises, earthquakes and the steep rise in food prices in Syria and its neighbouring countries, Minister of Foreign Affairs Anniken Huitfeldt announced. "More than 15 million Syrians were in urgent need of humanitarian assistance already before the earthquake hit in February. Now, as a result of the earthquake, that number has risen still higher," Xinhua news agency. Huitfeldt emphasized Norway's commitment to shifting its assistance focus toward an early recovery approach, recognising its importance in strengthening critical services and facilities necessary for the…

16 Jun

Modi to lead yoga session at UN HQ in New York to mark Int’l Yoga Day

New Delhi, June 16 (IANS) Prime minister Narendra Modi will lead a yoga session at the UN headquarters in New York on June 21 to mark the 9th International Day of Yoga. An advisory issued by the UN said: "The Permanent Mission of India to the UN invites you to a celebration of the 9th annual International Yoga Day on June 21, 2023, from 8-9 a.m. EST at the North Lawn of UN Headquarters in New York." The headline of the advisory said that the session will be led by Modi. The International Yoga Day is coinciding with the Prime Minister's…

18 May

Russia confirms 2-month extension of Black Sea grain deal

Moscow, May 18 (IANS) Russia confirmed that the grain export deal, formally known as the Black Sea Grain Initiative, has been extended for two months, a day before it expires. "Thus, there is a chance, not in words but in deeds, to help ensure global food security," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told a weekly briefing on Wednesday. "Our fundamental assessment of the 2022 Istanbul agreement has not changed and the discrepancies in its implementation must be corrected as quickly as possible," she said. In July 2022, Russia and Ukraine separately signed a document in Istanbul with Turkey and the…

06 Apr

UN in touch with India for food supplies to Afghanistan: Official

United Nations, April 6 (IANS) UN officials are in touch with India about food supplies to Afghanistan where 30 million people face hunger, according to Ramiz Alakbarov, who coordinates humanitarian relief efforts in the war-torn nation. "We definitely are in touch with the authorities there and we've benefited from donations in 2022 and definitely the people of Afghanistan will continue to benefit from this donation," Alakbarov, who is the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Afghanistan, said on Wednesday in a video conference from Kabul. Last year, India had agreed to send 50,000 tonnes of wheat by road through Pakistan after…