Category: Pacific

Mohammad Alam is one of  800,000 Rohingya refugees who have fled unrest in neighbouring Myanmar over the past several years and who are now sheltering in Cox’s Bazar. He told UN News about losing all his possessions in the fire and how he and others are trying to rebuild for the future. “I never thought I was going to face… Read More

UN Resident Coordinator Gianluca Rampolla believes that the public health communications and system strengthening, undertaken during the outbreak of the virus in PNG, will help to put the “local health system on a better platform to combat future pandemics.” Ahead of World Immunization Week which begins on 24 April, he explains why. “On Friday, I received my first dose of… Read More

The operation will focus on poor townships in Myanmar’s main cities “and other areas where population displacement has recently taken place” since the 1 February coup, WFP said in a statement.   Within the next six months, the UN agency warned that an additional 3.4 million people will go hungry, particularly in urban centres, over and above the 2.8 million… Read More

Speaking during a Security Council meeting on cooperation between the UN and regional and sub-regional organizations, he highlighted the relationship with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), underlining the bloc’s important role in diplomacy, conflict prevention and peacebuilding.  Crucial role in urgent crisis  “Today, ASEAN’s role is more crucial than ever as the region faces an urgent crisis in… Read More

UN News: There have been a lot of calls by the people of Myanmar for the responsibility to protect, what is your opinion regarding these calls … is R2P a possibility that should be explored under the current circumstances? Or is it too drastic or unrealistic?  Special Rapporteur: No, I think It is very reasonable. First of all, responsibility to… Read More

UN News Tom Andrews, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar. UN News: It must be increasingly difficult to get information from Myanmar, but as far as you know, what is the situation on the ground? Special Rapporteur: You are right. There have been great efforts by the junta to block information from getting out to the… Read More

“The release of one million tonnes of contaminated water into the marine environment imposes considerable risks to the full enjoyment of human rights of concerned populations in and beyond the borders of Japan”, said Marcos Orellana, Special Rapporteur on toxics and human rights, Michael Fakhri,  Special Rapporteur on Right to Food, and David Boyd, Special Rapporteur on human rights and… Read More

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said that Japan’s solution was both “technically feasible and in line with international practice” – and that the agency was also ready “to provide technical support in monitoring and reviewing the plan’s safe and transparent implementation”. ‘Unique and complex case’ Controlled water discharges into the sea are routine practice for operating nuclear power plants in the… Read More

The talks are due to run through 4 May, known officially as the Istanbul Conference on the Afghan Peace Process, and the co-conveners said they were committed to supporting a “sovereign, independent and unified Afghanistan”. ‘Accelerate’ peace efforts The “overriding objective” is to “accelerate the ongoing intra-Afghan negotiations” which have been taking place since early this year in the Qatari… Read More

The new law, promulgated on 11 March, could subject violators to prison for up to 20 years and fine them up to 20 million riels ($5,000). It also grants the Government power to ban or restrict any gathering or demonstration, according to a news release issued by the rights experts. “We are concerned that the administrative and penal measures, including excessive… Read More