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Tag: Antonio Guterres

  • Youths are Africa’s greatest asset – UN Chief

    The United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres has described young people as the greatest asset on the African continent. Guterres made this known on Wednesday while delivering a remark at a side event titled; “A call to invest: investing in jobs for young people in Africa”, held at the UN headquarters in New York.

    “Africa has the fastest growing youth population in the world.They are the continent’s greatest asset — a vast source of energy, innovation, ideas and solutions.Indeed, at a time when the rest of the world will be ageing, Africa’s youth are also an asset for the global labour force”, Guterres remarked.

    Furthering, the U.N chief described unemployment as a tragedy for young people on the continent, saying it can undermine development and generate frustration that can be a catalyst for social unrest, unsafe migration and threat to global peace and security.

    “Today, one third of African youth are unemployed and discouraged; another third are vulnerably employed or in low-value jobs in the informal sector.  This reinforces poverty and inequality.

    Read Also: APC chieftain defects to PDP in Edo

    “Young African women are even worse off.  It is estimated that gender gaps in the labour force cost Africa US$105 billion in 2014 alone,” Guterres lamented.

    Praising the African Continental Free Trade Area as an important step in creating job opportunities; he called for investment in health, education, science, technology and industrialization whilst harping on the need to empower young people with skills that match the needs of present and future labour market.

    In a related development, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) hosted a high-level panel on migration and economic transformation in Africa, calling for awareness in maximizing the economic and development impact of migration on the continent.

    The debate took place ahead of the signing of the global compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration slated for Marrakesh, Morocco.

    UNCTAD Secretary General, Mr Mukhisa Kituyi who anchored the event remarked that contrary to media projections, the largest movement of migrants is within Africa.

    He added that migrants also make a very clear contribution to the economy of the country they move into.

  • UN remembers Kofi Annan

    The Secretary-General of the UN, Antonio Guterres and staff members, remembered former Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Wednesday, describing him as a leader who put people at the centre of the UN work.

    During a wreath-laying ceremony in New York, Guterres led staff members in paying respects to Annan, whom they described as the embodiment of the intergovernmental organisation that worked to improve the lives of men and women worldwide.

    Kofi Annan died on Saturday at the age of 80 in Switzerland.

    Annan, a mild-mannered diplomat from Ghana, rose through the UN system to become its seventh leader in January 1997, serving two consecutive five-year terms till December 2006.

    “Kofi Annan’s years in office were an exciting time. He put forward new ideas. He brought new people into the United Nations family. He spoke passionately about our mission and role.

    “He created a renewed sense of possibility both inside and outside our organisation about what the UN could do and be for the world’s people.

    “His most defining features were his humanity and solidarity with those in need.

    “He put people at the centre of the work of the United Nations, and was able to turn compassion into action across the UN system,’’ Guterres said.

    He listed some of the actions Annan took to include uniting world leaders to agree global targets on poverty and child mortality – linchpins of the landmark Millennium Development Goals.

    “The former UN chief also joined with civil society and the healthcare injury to save lives from HIV and AIDS.

    “As his successor noted, Annan also did not shy away from addressing challenging issues.

    “Annan faced up to the grave errors made by the United Nations in the 1990s – in its response to the Rwanda genocide and the Srebrenica killings – by shining a light inside the UN.

    “The reports he commissioned aimed to make sure such terrible mistakes are never repeated, and set the international community on a new course in its response to mass atrocities,” Guterres said.

    Guterres stated that the passing of his predecessor was “a personal loss’’ for many who worked in the UN system.

    While the UN flag outside headquarters was flown at half-mast for three days following the announcement of Annan’s death, staff members have been filling a book of condolences with expressions of sympathy to his wife, Nane, and family.

    Many UN personnel also have been sharing their memories of a man who they described as “wise yet humble, courteous and charming’’.

    NAN

  • World Humanitarian Day: Obaseki urges action against attacks on aid workers

    …lauds sacrifice of humanitarian workers

     

    The Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has called for global action to halt attacks on humanitarian workers delivering aids to victims of conflicts across the world.

    Obaseki who gave the charge in Benin City, in commemoration of the World Humanitarian Day, marked on August 19 each year, decried the growing disregard for international conventions and rules of engagements that protect women, children, civilians and aid workers by parties to conflicts.

    “The scale of attacks on humanitarian workers is disheartening. Leaders across the world and development actors must rise to the occasion to defend individuals and groups who volunteer their skills, expertise and other resources to support vulnerable groups in the theatres of war and conflicts,” the governor said.

    He averred that “new thoughts and attitudes are needed by all stakeholders towards commitments to globally agree upon rules on the use of force, its degree, on whom, in what circumstance, amongst other considerations, as encapsulated in the Rule of Engagement card.”

    Obaseki saluted aid workers’ contributions to the good of society and declared that “to protect those who are protecting others, is the least we can all do, as leaders.”

    The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, notes that “Around the world, conflict is forcing record numbers of people from their homes, with over 65 million people now displaced. Children are recruited by armed groups and used to fight. Women are abused and humiliated. As humanitarian workers deliver aid and medical workers provide for those in needs, they are all too often targeted or treated as threats.”

    Read Also: We will not share Edo people’s money – Obaseki

    The 2018 celebration is being driven with a #NotATarget campaign; to bring attention to the millions of civilians affected by armed conflict every day and demand world leaders to do everything in their power to protect civilians in conflict.

    According to the UN, “People in cities and towns struggle to find food, water, and safe shelter, while fighting drives millions from their homes. Children are recruited and used to fight, and their schools are destroyed. Women are abused and humiliated. As humanitarian workers deliver aid, and medical workers treat the wounded and sick, they are directly targeted, treated as threats, and prevented from bringing relief and care to those in desperate need.”

    World Humanitarian Day (WHD) is held every year on 19 August to pay tribute to aid workers who risk their lives in humanitarian service, and to rally support for people affected by crises around the world, the global body said.

  • António Guterres: ‘Our responsibility is to invest in people’

    For the 2018 edition of Impact Journalism Day, the UN Secretary-General examines the path towards global achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Identifying and sharing positive initiatives led by citizens, social entrepreneurs, governments and international organizations, gives us hope, and can help us overcome challenges and reach our global objectives together.

    Three years ago, world leaders unanimously adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Negotiating this framework for a better future and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals spanned three years and involved hundreds of meetings, thousands of documents and millions of people. That was the easy part. The harder work is now under way: bringing the blueprint to life.

    The Goals were adopted with justifiable enthusiasm. Covering everything from energy to education, infrastructure to institutions, urbanization to innovation, they offer a holistic roadmap for addressing the world’s ills. They apply to all countries, reflect the priorities of all countries and were embraced by all countries, with presidents and prime ministers putting their weight behind the Goals’ core promise: to leave no one behind.

    In this third year of implementation, momentum is still with us. Many countries are aligning their policies and budgets behind the Goals. More and more businesses are recognizing the opportunities to invest in new technologies, open up new markets and build the sustainable and inclusive economy of the 21st-century. Civil society organizations are using these global Goals to drive local change.

    At the same time, progress is too slow to meet the targets by the deadline of 2030. Armed conflicts and humanitarian crises are also throwing us off course. Action in three areas is especially urgent.

    First is climate change. The nine warmest years on record have all occurred since 2005. Last year, the economic toll of climate-related disasters hit a new high: $320 billion. People’s lives are being shattered. We need greater ambition, including a 25 per cent cut in emissions by 2020. These are the facts. Fortunately, there is another, more hopeful reality: Clean energy is more affordable and competitive than ever. The International Labour Organization reported recently that common sense green economy policies could create 24 million decent jobs globally by 2030. Climate change is still moving faster than we are; our challenge is to usher in a race to the top.

    Second, like global temperatures, inequality keeps rising. Globalization has brought remarkable benefits — increased wealth, a growing global middle class and major inroads against poverty. But more than over 800 million people continue to live in extreme poverty. And many people, sectors and regions feel they are being left behind, unable to participate in this visible prosperity. This, in turn, undermines social cohesion and heightens the appeal of populists and xenophobes. Our responsibility is to invest in people and build a fair globalization that works for all.

    Third, we will neither conquer inequality, nor halt climate change, nor indeed achieve any of our shared goals, without empowering the world’s women and girls. Yet gender-based discrimination remains entrenched. Representation in political life and the business world is growing, but slowly. Within their own households, women’s voices are frequently stifled. And violence and harassment are pervasive, most often with impunity. The imperative is clear: change power dynamics as a matter of basic rights, but also because women’s participation makes economies more dynamic, societies more resilient and peace agreements more durable.

    Sustainable development also depends on upholding human rights and ensuring peace and security. After all, leaving no-one behind means reaching the furthest behind first: those facing armed conflict, governance failures and political repression and instability. This is why the framework includes a dedicated goal on inclusive societies, access to justice and accountable institutions. Sustainable development is an end in itself, but it is also the best way to prevent crisis and build a safer world.

    The Sustainable Development Goals take us to the year 2030. But even today we must look to the farther horizon of frontier issues. Technological innovation continues to provide answers for many pressing challenges. Yet developments involving artificial intelligence, genetic engineering and cyberspace also have dark sides and will lead to upheavals in labour markets, global security and society in general. We must work across sectors to move forward in ways that ensure the benefits of the Fourth Industrial Revolution are enjoyed by all.

    The Sustainable Development Goals are our pathway toward a fairer, more peaceful and prosperous world on a healthy planet. They are also a summons to inter-generational solidarity. We have no greater duty than to invest in the well-being of young people so that they can realize their potential. I am determined to ensure that an effective, reformed United Nations is up to the task in enabling people everywhere, today and tomorrow, meet their needs and realize their aspirations.

    António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations.

  • UN to honour three Nigerian peacekeepers

    Three Nigerians are among those to be honored by the United Nations, in commemoration of the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, celebrated annually on 29th May.

    The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who will preside over the observance of the Day at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on Friday, 1st June 2018, will also lay a wreath to honour more than 3,700 peacekeepers that lost their lives while in the service of peace.

    The Nigerians to be honoured are Lt. Col.  Ali Suleiman who served with the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO); Warrant Officer Remmy Amakwe who was deployed with the African Union – United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID); and Mr. Kolawole Shogaolu who served in a civilian capacity in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).

    According to Guterres, The UN honours those that saved lives, with some doing so, laying down their own lives.   “We express our gratitude to the more than one million men and women who have served under the UN flag, saving countless lives.  We honour the more than 3,700 blue helmets that have paid the ultimate price over the past seven decades. And we pay tribute to the 14 peacekeeping missions working around the clock to protect people and advance the cause of peace.”

    Read Also: United Nations pays tribute to 140 fallen staff members

    Speaking ahead of the ceremony, the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, said “We owe a debt of gratitude to the brave men and women who risk their lives every day in service to others, and we grieve with the families and nations of our fallen colleagues. But beyond gratitude, we owe our peacekeepers all the support we can muster to ensure they are well-equipped, well-trained and well-prepared to complete their missions successfully.”

    According to a press release by the United Nations, Nigeria is the 41st largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN peacekeeping.  It currently contributes more than 500 military and police personnel to the UN peace operations in Abyei, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Lebanon, Mali, Sudan, South Sudan and the Western Sahara.

    The International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers was established in 2002 to pay tribute to all men and women serving in peacekeeping, and to honour the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace.  The Assembly designated 29 May as the Day because it was the date in 1948 when the first UN peacekeeping mission – the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization – began operations in the Middle East.

  • Trump’s gambit Iran: World awaits decision on nuclear deal

    “Insane,” “ridiculous,” “worst deal ever” are some of the descriptions used by US President Donald Trump for the Iran nuclear agreement, which he has bitterly opposed since early in his campaign for the White House.

    The world will soon find out whether Trump’s rants about the 2015 deal will produce a concrete shift in US diplomacy, regarding one of the most important foreign policy issues of his presidency.

    Trump officially has until Saturday to decide whether to reintroduce US sanctions on Iran, which among other things could spell an end to the accord.

    But he has said he will announce his decision at 2.00 p.m. ( 1800 GMT ) on Tuesday.

    In January, Trump renewed waivers for US sanctions on Iran but warned that it was the last time he would do so unless several “disastrous flaws” in the agreement were addressed.

    His ultimatum triggered a 120-day period that ends this weekend.

    There is a growing consensus in the United States that his decision will effectively pull the US out of the deal, and that prospect has been accompanied by a range of speculation over what comes next.

    French President, Emmanuel Macron, said he didn’t know what Trump would decide.

    But after several meetings with the president over a three-day state visit recently he said: “My view is that he will get rid of this deal on his own for domestic reasons’’.

    “The president campaigned on getting out of the deal and I think that he’s going to do so,’’ Lieut.-Gen. William G Boykin said on Thursday on Fox News.

    Iranian leaders already have pledged to abandon the deal if the US withdraws.

    But it could remain in the deal with Britain, France and Germany, along with China and Russia, which have expressed their continued support.

    Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has warned that if Trump withdraws, it could risk war.

    Since Trump issued the ultimatum in January, U.S. and European negotiators have met a number of times to address US concerns within and beyond the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action ( JCPOA ), as the deal is formally known.

    The U.S. side has raised four main issues: Iran’s ballistic missile programme, its involvement in regional conflicts, inspection of Iranian nuclear sites and so-called sunset clauses.

    The sunset clauses, which let some restrictions on Iran’s nuclear programme expire, have proved the most difficult of these.

    The U.S. claims that the clauses provide Iran with a pathway to building nuclear weapons over time.

    Trump has pushed the European partners to search for possible compromises.

    Determined to stay in the deal, the bloc has argued that abandoning it would not help address the ballistic weapons issue or Iran’s role in the region.

    “The JCPOA is a non-proliferation agreement.

    “Other issues of concern are addressed separately,’’ a senior EU official said on condition of anonymity.

    “If the deal falls apart, you would not be in any better position to tackle these issues.’’

    Furthermore, the deal is doing what it is supposed to do, by curbing Iran’s nuclear activities, the official noted.

    If the agreement falls apart and there’s no substitute, he said, it would “probably trigger a nuclear arms race in the region.’’

    The dramatic developments on the Korean Peninsula may also influence Trump’s thinking on the nuclear deal.

    Pulling out of the JCPOA could erode the trust he’s tried to build in the effort to denuclearise the Korean Peninsula, ahead of a planned meeting with the North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un; or it could send a strong message to Pyongyang that Trump is prepared to deliver on his threats.

    Domestic politics could likewise have a role to play, as Trump could be thinking about fulfilling a campaign promise ahead of the November mid-term elections to boost his Republican Party’s chances of maintaining its majority in Congress.

    In recent weeks, Trump has manoeuvred aggressively.

    Read Also: U.S. Ambassador to UN disapproves of Trump’s “communication style”

    He has changed his secretary of state, switching the moderate Rex Tillerson for the more hawkish Mike Pompeo, a fierce critic of the Iran deal.

    He has also brought in John Bolton, a foreign policy hawk, as his national security adviser.

    Pompeo met Israeli President, Benjamin Netanyahu, on his first foreign trip after taking office, stressing that if the Iran nuclear deal cannot be fixed, Trump will withdraw.

    The “full array of threats,’’ including Iran’s missile systems and support for militant groups in Syria, Lebanon and Yemen must be addressed as part of a revised agreement, he said.

    Pompeo also said documents that Netanyahu revealed April 30 show that Iran had a secret nuclear weapons programme for years and lied about it.

    “What this means is the deal was not constructed on a foundation of good faith or transparency,’’ Pompeo said.

    NAN

  • United Nations pays tribute to 140 fallen staff members

    The United Nations has held a memorial service to remember 140 personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty between July 1, 2016 and Dec. 31, 2017.

    “I wish we never had to mourn the loss of colleagues,’’ Secretary-General António Guterres said at the ceremony held at UN Headquarters in New York.

    “But the sad fact is that people do lose their lives while serving the United Nations and it is our duty to honour their service and sacrifice,’’ Guterres said.

    Of the 140 killed, 123 were military personnel; three police; and 14 civilians and they came from 42 nations.

    “Were it not for the sacrifices of United Nations peacekeepers, humanitarians and other personnel, the people who needed urgent support in the most difficult and dangerous environments would have experienced greater suffering.’’

    The UN chief invited the bereaved families and others in attendance to join him in observing a moment of silence.

    Guterres noted that over the past years, respect for those wearing UN symbols had diminished, making them a target of those who oppose to peace “despite all our efforts to ensure the safety and security of our personnel.’’

    He recalled that between 2005 and 2015 when he was UN High Commissioner for Refugees, symbols like the Red Cross, Red Crescent and UN used to be respected even by militant groups.

    He regretted that this respect was progressively being lost and in the end, he was starting to see situations in which UN staff were targeted exactly because they were UN staff.

    Guterres, however, stressed that all around the world, the blue UN flag represented the hopes of some of the world’s most vulnerable people for peace, security and an opportunity for a better future.

    Since 2011, the UN Secretariat has held an annual memorial service to honour fallen colleagues.

    Guterres said that the UN faced “a terrible dilemma” about sending staff to the most difficult areas at the most dangerous moments.

    “If they don’t go, the people we care for will suffer, even more, facing more dangerous situations and circumstances,’’ he said.

    NAN

  • Lions, tigers, leopards going into extinction – UN

    Lions, tigers, leopards going into extinction – UN

    The United Nations, UN, has called for the protection of big cats species such as lions, tigers and leopards, warning that they are fast going into extinction.

    The UN spoke against the backdrop of the 2018 World Wildlife Day, celebrated every March 3, with the theme: “Big cats: predators under threat’’.

    According to the UN, the big cats are under increasing threat, mostly caused by human activities.

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres in his message said “this year, the spotlight falls on the world’s big cats. These charismatic creatures are universally revered for their grace and power, yet they are increasingly in danger of extinction”.

    Guterres said just more than a century ago, some 100,000 wild tigers roamed Asia, while fewer than 4,000 remained today.

    According to him, all the big cats are collectively under threat from habitat loss, climate change, poaching, illicit trafficking, and human-wildlife conflict.

    “We are the cause of their decline, so we can also be their salvation. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) include specific targets to end the poaching and illegal trafficking of protected species of wild fauna and flora.

    “Ultimately, the solution to saving big cats and other threatened and endangered species is conservation policy based on sound science and the rule of law,” he noted.

    Guterres pointed out that by protecting big cats we also protect the landscapes they inhabit and the life they harbour, adding “it is a gateway to protecting entire ecosystems that are crucial to our planet’s health.

    “Wildlife conservation is a shared responsibility,” he said, calling on people around the world to “help raise awareness and to take personal action to help ensure the survival of the world’s big cats and all its precious and fragile biological diversity.”

    In his message, Yury Fedotov, Executive Director, UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), said that while “the cheetah is the world’s fastest land animal, like other big cat species, it cannot outrun the threat of extinction.”

    According to Fedetov, across the world, lions, tigers, leopards and jaguars, as well as many other big cat species, are under pressure due to poaching, lost habitats and disappearing prey.

    “UNODC is working to help countries criminalise wildlife poaching and trafficking as a means of protecting animals, including big cat species, and halting their tragic disappearance into history.

    “Our collective roar of defiance must be aimed at the poachers, traffickers and all those who would destroy our natural heritage. We must not let them succeed,” he urged.

    The Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed also lamented that “biodiversity is disappearing at a thousand times the natural rate’’, saying that the varied causes could be linked to the 17 SDGs of the 2030 Agenda.

    “Protecting ecosystems and ensuring access to ecosystem services by poor and vulnerable groups are therefore essential to eradicating extreme poverty and hunger,” she said.

    Mohammed said conservation, restoration and sustainable use of biological diversity was “an effective anti-poverty strategy,” and emphasised the need to better maintain the natural resources on which billions of people depend, especially the world’s rural poor.

    “They say cats have nine lives. Our big cats are on at least number eight,” she said, observing, however, that in many cases, poverty, hunger and biodiversity loss are intrinsically connected.

    NAN

  • UN says 4 peacekeepers killed in Mali were from Bangladesh

    UN says 4 peacekeepers killed in Mali were from Bangladesh

    The UN says four of its peacekeepers killed by a roadside bomb in central Mali on Wednesday were from Bangladesh.

    The UN said four peacekeepers seriously wounded in the blast which occurred in the central Mopti region, where attacks by Islamist militants have surged in recent months.

    UN officials did not however say who was responsible for the blast.

    Six Malian soldiers were killed nearby a day earlier when their vehicle struck a landmine.

    Read Also: UN envoy sees difficult talks on Syria ceasefire deal

    “The Secretary-General conveys his condolences to the Governments of Bangladesh and Mali and his profound sympathies to the families and loved ones of the victims,” a spokesman for Antonio Guterres said in a statement.

    Bangladesh is the world’s second-biggest contributor to UN peacekeeping operations with some 7,000 uniformed personnel deployed to missions around the world.

    NAN

  • UN moves to make migration work for all nations

    UN moves to make migration work for all nations

    The Secretary-General of the United Nations ( UN ), Mr Antonio Guterres, has announced the international organisation’s plan to negotiate a Global Compact on Migration in 2018.

    Guterres said in an article entitled: “Toward a New Global Compact on Migration,’’ that managing migration had become one of the most profound challenges for international cooperation.

    “This year, governments will negotiate a Global Compact on Migration through the United Nations.

    “This will be the first overarching international agreement of its kind.  It will not be a formal treaty. Nor will it place any binding obligations on states.

    “This is an urgent task. We have seen what happens when large-scale migration takes place without effective mechanisms to manage it.

    The world was shocked by recent videos of migrants being sold as slaves,’’ he said.

    Guterres said the compact would recognise and reinforce the benefits of migration and strengthen the rule of law underpinning how states manage and protect migrants.

    Read also: UN chief to raise $1bn donor contributions for Nigeria, others

    He added that the compact would also address the need for greater international cooperation to protect vulnerable migrants and refugees, in line with international law.

    According to him, migration powers economic growth, reduces inequalities and connects diverse societies.

    Guterres said migration was also a source of political tensions and human tragedies, adding that majority of migrants live and work legally.

    The UN scribe, however, noted that minority of migrants were putting their lives at risk when trying to enter countries where they often face suspicion and abuse.

    “There are nearly six million migrants trapped in forced labour today, often in developed economies.

    “How can we end these injustices and prevent them recurring in future?

    “We must aim for a world in which we can celebrate migration’s contributions to prosperity, development and international unity.

    “It is in our collective power to achieve this goal.  This year’s global compact can be a milestone on the road to making migration truly work for all,’’ he added.

    Migration is the movement of people from one place to another. It happens for a range of reasons, which may be economic, social, political or environmental.

    Push and pull factors also drive migration, which can be permanent, temporary, voluntary or forced.

    NAN