Haiti: UN-backed road construction aids impoverished residents
22 December 2009 – A cracked, flood-prone and sewage-infested stretch of road in a quarter of Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital, has been transformed into a resurfaced, smooth and clean highway for cars and pedestrians, improving both the health and image of the area, thanks to a United Nations-backed works programme.
Assembly President hopes next year’s Mexico meeting will forge climate pact
22 December 2009 – While most countries are not happy with the outcome of this month’s summit on climate change in Copenhagen, “really good progress” was made towards a binding agreement “to save the world,” with the United Nations leading the way to possible adoption at next year’s meeting in Mexico, General Assembly President Ali Treki said today.
UN to launch labour rights contest for Cambodian garment workers
22 December 2009 – Garment workers in Cambodia will have to know their rights to compete in a radio contest being launched by the UN labour organization, with the winners to be announced on International Labour Day in May next year.
Forcible return of Uighurs from Cambodia sparks UN experts’ concern
22 December 2009 – Two United Nations human rights experts have expressed their concern over the forcible return from Cambodia to China of 20 ethnic Uighur asylum-seekers who had fled violence in their home country.
Poor weather drives tea prices to record high in 2009 – UN
22 December 2009 – Tea prices reached a record high in 2009, but should ease next year as weather improves in the main tea-producing regions in Asia and Africa, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported today.
Ban calls on leaders to attend Millennium Development Goals summit next September
21 December 2009 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called on world leaders to attend a summit next September to boost efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which seek to slash a host of social ills, ranging from extreme poverty and hunger to maternal and infant mortality to lack of access to education and health care, all by 2015.
Secretary-General calls for greater international cooperation and solidarity
21 December 2009 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for greater collective action as he marked International Solidarity Day during a year when the global financial and economic crisis may have pushed as many as 100 million people into poverty, and as the world faces challenges stemming from climate change to food insecurity.
Leaders quicken pace at UN-backed reunification talks for Cyprus
21 December 2009 – The Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders are intensifying their United Nations-backed talks aimed at reunifying the Mediterranean island, scheduling two three-day series of discussions next month after a senior UN official said they had made good progress over the past year.
Darfur peace process has reached ‘critical’ juncture, Ban says
21 December 2009 – The peace process in the war-wracked Darfur region of Sudan has reached a “critical point,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, calling on both the Government and rebel groups to accelerate efforts to reach a compromise.
Philippines: UN helps local officials prepare for imminent eruption of volcano
21 December 2009 – United Nations humanitarian officials are working with authorities in the Philippines to prepare for what scientists believe to be the imminent eruption of Mount Mayon, an active volcano within close reach of tens of thousands of people.
