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António Guterres, standing alongside top officials in New York underscored the essential need to bolster the UN agency assisting Palestine refugees

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Category: World Hot News

Published: Saturday, 13 July 2024 13:11

Written by Gentry

Secretary-General António Guterres, standing alongside top officials in New York today (12 Jul), underscored the essential need to bolster the UN agency assisting Palestine refugees (UNRWA) across the Middle East amid continued attacks on its mandate, staff, premises and operations.

Speaking at a pledging conference for the agency, the UN chief outlined the countless challenges facing Palestinian civilians in Gaza. He said, “in impossible conditions and in the midst of their own grief, the women and men of UNRWA have bravely continued their work in whatever way they can. They are the backbone of humanitarian operations in Gaza. And can you imagine what it must be like to be in this situation? Can you imagine? Our colleagues wake up day after they in a living nightmare and still deliver for Palestinians in desperate need. Because I cannot.”

Guterres said UNRWA staff, “are doctors, nurses, counsellors, engineers, drivers and so many others, all demonstrating incredible courage and solidarity. And they are continuing to deliver UNRWA’s mandate in desperate circumstances in Gaza, while UNRWA also strives to deliver in an increasingly challenging situation in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, championing human development and human rights.”

“Hopelessness is the greatest ally of instability,” he warned, stressing that through its work, “UNRWA is one of the greatest factors providing hope and stability across a troubled region.”

The UN Chief said, “without the necessary support and financing to UNWRA, Palestine, refugees will lose a critical lifeline and the last ray of hope for a better future. To those of you who have already pledged support, I thank you. And my appeal to everyone is this; protect UNRWA, protect UNRWA's staff. And protect UNRWA's mandate, including through funding.”

The agency has been supporting critical services including education, health and social services to some 5.9 million Palestine refugees, including vulnerable groups such as women, children, and persons with disabilities.

It also administers 58 refugee camps, addressing the dire humanitarian needs of over 1.6 million people across Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the Gaza Strip, and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said, “for decades, the agency has been a force for stability across the region. It is a driver of human development for Palestinian refugees providing public-like services such as education and healthcare. Today, however, UN one is staggering. Under the weight of relentless attacks.”

Lazzarini said, “in more than 30 years of humanitarian work, I have never encountered such blatant disregard for the protected statue of humanitarian workers, facilities and operations under international law. Turning a blind eye to these attacks sets a dangerous precedent, undermining respect for the rules based international order in other conflicts.”

In the Gaza Strip, more than 38,000 Palestinians are reported to have been killed, a further 88,000 injured and about 90 percent of population

UN deputy chief demands bold policies, innovative solutions for SDGs

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Category: World Hot News

Published: Monday, 08 July 2024 20:56

Written by Gentry

UN Photo/Loey Felipe UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed addresses the opening of the High-level Political Forum 2024.

The international community must urgently summon the commitment and investments needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the 2030 deadline, the UN Deputy Secretary-General stressed on Monday.

Addressing the opening of the 2024 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), Amina Mohammed called for transformative actions and bold policies to address pressing global challenges such as poverty, food insecurity and climate change.

“Although the greatest challenges before us are daunting, together we can overcome them, achieve the peaceful, prosperous and sustainable future that all people not only need but deserve,” she told delegates assembled at the UN Headquarters, in New York.

2024 Forum

Under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the theme this year focuses on eradicating poverty through sustainable, resilient, and innovative solutions amid a host of crises.

Running through 17 July, the Forum will review progress towards Goal 1 on ending poverty, Goal 2 on zero hunger, Goal 13 on climate action, Goal 16 on peaceful and inclusive societies, and Goal 17 on strengthening means of implementation.

On the calendar are Voluntary National Review (VNR) Labs, where countries voluntarily report on their progress towards achieving the SDGs, the challenges they face and their plans to overcome them. Several side events and exhibitions are also organized on the HLPF’s margins.

UN Photo/Loey Felipe

Economc and Social Council President Paula Narváez (on screen and at podium) addresses the High-level Political Forum.

Focused discussions

Also addressing the Forum, Paula Narváez, President of ECOSOC, highlighted the challenges faced by developing countries, particularly conflict-affected areas, stressing the need for peace and stability.  

She emphasized that the agenda includes local and regional actions, insights from regional forums, key intergovernmental discussions and 37 countries presenting their VNRs. The Forum’s general debate will bridge last year’s SDG Summit to this September’s Summit of the Future.

“It will be a space to present transformative actions and initiatives related to monitoring the Summit on Sustainable Development Goals in 2023, while also sharing priorities and expectations” for the upcoming summit, Ms. Narváez said.

She also stressed the importance of inclusive participation, particularly of youth and marginalized groups, and the cross-cutting nature of gender perspective for achieving sustainable development.

Moment to reflect...

Ms. Mohammed highlighted the importance of reflecting on how to make progress towards the 2030 Agenda, in the context to the eagerly awaited Summit of the Future.

“The Summit is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to mend eroded trust and demonstrate that international cooperation – human solidarity in the face of opportunity but also threats – can carry us forward,” she said.

In that context, she noted the special event on SDG Acceleration, next Monday, which will dive deeper into specific investments needed and showcase country-level examples of action.

Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed addressing the High-level Political Forum.

...and find solutions

Further in her remarks, the Deputy Secretary-General highlighted the multifaceted challenges facing the global community, from poverty to climate change – from war to gender-based violence.  

The deeply sobering fact that less than one fifth of the SDGs are on track should be unacceptable for all of us, she stressed.

“But it is also fixable…this is what this Forum is about – finding the solutions and the political will to turn our words into actions in the lives of people in the billions,” she said, telling delegates:

“Your presence, energy and ambition tell me that, although the greatest challenges before us are daunting, together we can overcome them, achieve the peaceful, prosperous and sustainable future that all people not only need but deserve.”

UN chief calls for ‘dramatic shift’ to transform education worldwide

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Category: World Hot News

Published: Thursday, 11 July 2024 19:52

Written by Gentry

© UNICEF Chad/Annadjib Ramadane Young women study at a centre in Bol in Chad.

The global crisis in education needs a “dramatic shift” to shape a more peaceful, sustainable and just world, the UN Secretary-General said on Thursday.

António Guterres was taking part in a Special Event on Transforming Education – part of the on-going High Level Political Forum (HLPF) and looking ahead of the upcoming Summit of the Future in September.

The event was a call to action, with the UN chief calling on all countries to make a concerted effort to establish genuine learning environments that will provide learning opportunities from childhood to adult stages.

“Given the stakes, the world cannot afford to short-change education,” Mr. Guterres said. “But by nearly every measure, that is exactly what we are doing.”

Global challenges

The UN chief said that around 84 million children are set to remain out of school by 2030 - unless action is taken to transform education worldwide.

That means that Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) which aims to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” is unlikely to be reached.

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Currently, only a sixth of countries are on courses to achieve the SDG4 target of universal access to quality education.

Mr. Guterres also noted that completion rates at a secondary level are rising far too slowly, learners are not equipped with the skills they need to succeed in a changing world, and early childhood and adult learning are often seen as optional.

“It’s truly shocking that some 70 per cent of children in sub-Saharan Africa are unable to read a basic text by age 10,” he said.

Financial roadblocks

The Secretary-General said that financing to provide quality education is also insufficient to meet the challenge.

In 2023, the UN Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) estimated that developing nations would need to invest $100 billion annually to achieve SDG4. This amount increases by about 50 per cent when costs for the digital transformation of education are considered.

Further, Mr. Guterres said that four of every 10 people globally live in nations where governments spend more on debt servicing than on education or health.

He said that over 140 countries committed to turning this crisis around at the Transforming Education Summit in 2022.

But “progress is far too slow and uneven. Something has to change.”

Poverty and gender

President of the General Assembly, Dennis Francis, echoed the Secretary-General’s statements on the need for transformation.

He recalled recent visits to South Sudan where he said he learned about the “dire poverty of education evident from the fact that at least 70 per cent of eligible children are out of school.”

He also noted that the denial of a girl’s right to education in Afghanistan and the inability to access education in Ukraine and Gaza due to constant attacks are clear indicators of an intractable crisis.

“Beyond access, we must ensure quality education for all fostering inclusive, equitable and lifelong learning opportunities that empower every individual to thrive in a rapidly changing world,” Mr Francis said. “We must combine our political will, with clear targeted actions to decisively address these urgent needs.”

‘Let’s start walking the talk’

Secretary-General Guterres has a four-point plan at the special event on education to end the global education crisis and build momentum towards achieving SDG4 by 2030.

This includes closing the financing and access gap nationwide, supporting teachers on the frontlines of education and and revolutionising education systems, the UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said.

“Education has got to be in the mix to shape that,” Ms. Mohammed said.

“The message today is clear: Education is intrinsic to the achievement of our common goals in sustainable development, peace and human rights,” she concluded, adding that education speaks to the very fabric of our societies and it has an essential contribution to make.

Mr. Guterres said, “Education is the single-most important investment any country can make. In its people. And in its future,” in his closing remarks.

“So, let’s start walking the talk. Let’s come together to end the global crisis in education.”

Celebrity Media Video Archive Material: International Renowned Economist,Director of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, Dr. Jeffrey Sachs in Conversation with UNSG Ban Ki-moon

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Category: World Hot News

Published: Saturday, 06 July 2024 10:59

Written by Gentry

Celebrity Media Editor's Note: We are releasing this precious video material (historical record) because yesterday, we received an email from the renowned economist Professor Jeffrey Sachs containing an article he wrote, which we are specially reprinting. While reprinting this article, we have organized and edited our video archive material to share with the international community. This is because we maintain regular contact with Professor Jeffrey Sachs  and this segment involves former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's speech upon his impending departure, which may not even be available in the United Nations archives.

Former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon filled with trust and anticipation, said in the conversation: "As I prepare to retire from this job and hand over one of the world's most challenging roles to my successor, António {{to be replace}}, I believe you will give him strong support and collaborate even more closely with my successor and the United Nations than you did with me. Thank you very much."

Our AI Network Technology Department has also specially arranged for the conversation to be translated into Chinese by a dialogue robot, hoping that the international community will work together to follow the United Nations Charter and contribute to the maintenance of world peace.

The following is the text  of the conversation:

Professor Jeffrey Sachs：We had a wonderful friend in this process, one of the great leaders of our time together with the Secretary General who was a partner in all of this, and that is Pope Francis. Pope Francis and the Secretary General worked very closely in the last few years so that one could arrive at this kind of global understanding. You'll recall that last year Pope Francis issued a remarkable document, his encyclical, which is so remarkable you can assign it in a graduate class in Earth Sciences, or in theology, or in philosophy, or in global economy, and you'll be getting the clearest possible thinking in all of those dimensions.

One of the privileges that I had of watching the unfolding events was to watch Pope Francis and the Secretary General work together in the past year. It's no coincidence when they met in the Vatican and then when Pope Francis came the morning of September 25th, 2015, and opened that day with an address that led all of the world leaders to stand up and by acclamation adopt the sustainable development goals. Now in that context, our ethics and action program was born because in the work of the United Nations together with the Vatican and with religious leaders and scientific leaders that the Vatican brought from all fields and all over the world and all different religions, so this is across the board, across all religions and non-religious people, and scientists and artists, we found a wonderful wonderful deep relationship with the leadership of the church and especially with a unique organization called The Pontifical Academy of Sciences which has as its chair Chancellor Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Suro. Now that's a special organization, it was founded in 16003 and one of the founders was Galileo Galilee.

One of the inspirations for the church was the combination of faith and reason to solve our global problems, and in that context of the work in the leadup to the sustainable development goals and Pope Francis's inspiration, we had several meetings together with leadership of major religions and our friend William Venley, the executive Secretary General of religions for peace who brings together world religious leaders for peacemaking, gave the opportunity for us to deepen the notion of putting ethics like the universal Declaration of Human Rights that an mentioned and that is so wonderful that it's right in the entryway of this building, it's the perfect document as you walk in the building to put this into action and so ethics in action was born and had its first meeting at the Vatican last month and in that context we decided that ethics and action belongs in all parts of the world but where else but our home city and our beloved city of New York City. So tonight is also the first meeting of ethics and action for New York City.

I'm going to say a bit more about that in a moment but I've kept the Secretary General standing for a long time to explain that we are given our first ever Award of ethics and action conferred on Secretary General Bon Kimon for his unique and manifold contributions to the cause of sustainable development, peace, and human dignity and it's given on behalf of ethics and action for sustainable and integral development by Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Suro and I'm lucky to have my name on the document also Secretary.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon：General, for the past decade, I have sought to strengthen the ethical dimensions of our work. This is especially important at this time of divisiveness when extremist groups and even many political leaders seem intent on pushing people into camps of "us and them" or "you and me." I have been urging leaders of the world, and you have seen what has been happening in Europe. Then please, do not erect wars. Let us build bridges between and among the people rather than erecting wars. This is not what political leaders should do. The 2030 agenda is not only our shared manifesto but also a platform for cooperation. The same is true of the Paris agreement. Together we can improve pro-lives and strengthen the ethical and other bonds tending all societies in a profoundly interdependent world. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you again for this recognition, and I am very much honored. As I prepare to retire from this job and hand over all this—one of the most impossible jobs—to my successor, Antonio, I trust you will give him strong support and will work with my successor even more closely as you have been doing with me and the United Nations. I thank you very much and even though I may soon be joining your group like Civil Society, the peace and security, human rights, and all sustainable development have already been embedded in my body, in my DNA, so I will work with you to make this world better, healthier, more prosperous, and more peaceful for everybody in the world. I thank you very much.

Thank you. I have been asking the Security Council all the time why I do not challenge about veto power; that's a charter provision, so I cannot change it unless you amend the charter of the United Nations. But whatever may happen, very seriously tragic things happen when the Security Council issues a statement. There are presidential statements, PR statements; all 15 member states have to agree without the exception of any country, so one country can block this decision, and then the Security Council is paralyzed. While many people have been killed in Syria and elsewhere, sometimes they cannot even condemn. It has been me as a Secretary General; I have always been ready to condemn. I have no such constraints when I decide; I can issue a statement; I can speak out. But when the General Assembly or Security Council has to make a consensus decision, it takes time. For example, when North Korea detonated nuclear weapons, then still, sometimes they cannot say anything. It takes sometimes one month or two months to say something. Then one cannot have a problem. We then—that's what I have been urging as a Secretary General—you have to, we have to change this decision-making process. Of course, you know I should not be too critical about the organization in which I have been working, and I have been really trying to change this. I have changed a lot, but still, the decision-making process should be changed. That's one thing, as an outgoing Secretary General, I have become a little bit more vocal. Now that's one thing which I can tell you. Thank you very much.