“Seventy-six years ago, the United Nations was created as a vehicle of hope for a world emerging from the shadow of catastrophic conflict. Today, the women and men of the UN carry this hope forward around the globe. COVID-19, conflicts, hunger, poverty and the climate emergency remind us that our world is far from perfect. But they also make clear that solidarity is the only way forward. “We need to come together to tackle great challenges and advance the Sustainable Developme...
“My dear colleagues, the strength of our United Nations is YOU – our committed and dedicated personnel. Events have moved at alarming speed over the past two weeks. This crisis is unprecedented. And I’m proud of how – together – you are adapting so quickly. I understand the enormous stress that measures to contain the virus are putting on you and your families. Many of you, like me, are working away from loved ones and worrying deeply about them, and working from home can feel isolat...
“We should… recognize the United Nations for what it is – an admittedly imperfect but indispensable instrument of nations working for a peaceful evolution towards a more just and secure world order.” These words, written over half a century ago by Former UN Secretary-General, Dag Hammarskjöld, remain as true today – on UN Day 2016 – as they were back in 1957. On 24 October we celebrate ‘UN Day’ which commemorates that fateful day in 1945 when the UN Charter entered into force. For the last 71 ye...
After months of campaigning the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has elected Mr António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres of Portugal to serve as the ninth UN Secretary-General. Much has been made of his personal qualities and professional qualifications — but what can be said of the election itself? Was the open process a game changer or little more than window dressing? In this election there were many voices, including Ban-ki Moon, calling for the next UN Chief to be a woman. There has ...
Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed of Mauritania was appointed UN Special Envoy for Yemen on 25 April 2015. He holds an Advanced Certificate in Economics and Social Policy Analysis from the Maastricht Graduate School of Governance — a course run by Dr. Franziska Gassmann. In a statement, a UN spokesperson said that Mr. Ould Cheikh Ahmed will work closely with the members of the UN Security Council, the Gulf Cooperation Council, governments in the region and other partners, as well as the UN Country ...
UNU is delighted to be supporting the Climate Summit 2014 hosted by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on 23 September in New York. UNU will be hosting a thematic session on “The Economic Case for Climate Action” with global leaders and world renowned experts from China, India, Mexico, and the United States. UNU’s session will take place 17:15 – 18:30 (EDT) on 23 September and can be followed on livestream via: http://webtv.un.org/ Extreme weather events and rising sea levels will increasing...