Twenty years on: Indonesia ‘better prepared’ following tsunami
The lyrics include references to an earthquake, a massive wave, land submerged under water and locating to higher ground. “When there is an earthquake and a tsunami, you are in panic, you cannot be expected to think. This is why…
Farmers cultivate an opium-free future for Lao PDR
“I get up at 4 am in harvesting season to pick the red berries which are taken to the processing plant,” 22-year-old Phuperp told the United Nations. Phuperp comes from a family of farmers which grows corn, rice, and legumes and…
Myanmar is spiralling, warns UN chief in peace call to regional bloc ASEAN
The UN chief’s appeal comes as aid agencies warn that millions of people remain in acute need across Myanmar – particularly in the north, southeast and Rakhine state. Their plight has been made even worse by torrential rainfall and catastrophic flooding,…
Waiting for the ‘big one’ – natural hazards in the Philippines: A UN Resident Coordinator blog
The Southeast Asian country is the most prone to natural hazards in the world, and these hazards are becoming more intense due to climate change. The UN has been working alongside the authorities in the Philippines to prepare for a…
UN rights council examines nuclear legacy consequences in Marshall Islands
Research conducted by the UN human rights office, OHCHR, revealed that 67 nuclear tests performed between 1946 and 1958 by the United States Government in the Marshall Islands left communities displaced and contributed to radioactive land and sea pollution. “The…
First Person: Swapping guns for ballpens in the Philippines
A former combatant fighting for the rights of her people on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines has been talking about how she has swapped her combat fatigues for jilbabs [outer garment]and her life in the jungle for a…
Nepal: Hundreds killed as ‘unprecedented’ flash floods strike capital Kathmandu
Many of the deaths have occurred in the capital, Kathmandu, which witnessed the most intense rains in over half a century. Hundreds of houses along with schools and hospitals have been damaged and the southern portion of the city remains…
Indian minister says ‘we can change the world for the better’
“Conversations have become difficult, agreements even more so,” he said. “This is surely not what the founders of the UN would have wanted for us. Reforming multilateralism is, therefore, an imperative.” The General Assembly must ask itself “how has this…
China is committed to dialogue, ‘not throwing gas on the fire’, Foreign Minister Wang says
To that end, China, jointly with Brazil and other countries of the Global South, launched a Group of Friends for Peace, he said in his address the UN General Assembly. “Its very purpose is to uphold the purposes and principles…
From vulnerability to action: Asia-Pacific leaders urge global responsibility
Prime Ministers of Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Tuvalu and Tonga underlined the UN’s role as a platform for driving unified, decisive action to mitigate this threat. Indeed, the theme of collective action echoed strongly through…