UN News stories

43 stories found over the past 45 days
UN emergency fund provides $9.8 million to assist Syrian refugees in Jordan

22 May 2013 – The United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has provided $9.8 million to support the establishment of a new camp for Syrian refugees in Jordan and to help meet the growing needs of those fleeing the ongoing conflict.

Number of Syrians in need of humanitarian aid rises to over 8 million – UN

21 May 2013 – A senior United Nations humanitarian official reported today that the total number of people in need of assistance as a result of the ongoing conflict in Syria is now 8.3 million, representing about 38 per cent of the country’s population.

Greater efforts, resources needed to improve health of Palestinian refugees – UN report

21 May 2013 – Health programmes carried out by the United Nations agency tasked with assisting Palestinian refugees has helped to improve their lives, but greater efforts and more resources are needed to effectively tackle health challenges, particularly during times of conflict, says a new report.

UN Security Council condemns temporary detention of peacekeepers, looting in Golan

17 May 2013 – Members of the Security Council have ‘strongly condemned’ the looting of a UN observation post in the Golan Heights and the temporary detention of three peacekeepers, the third such incident in the past two months.

Number of Syrian refugees tops 1.5 million mark, says UN agency

17 May 2013 – The United Nations refugee agency announced today that the number of Syrian civilians who have fled their country to escape conflict has passed the 1.5 million mark, while warning that the widening gap between the needs and resources available is becoming a huge challenge.

Syria conference should be held ‘as soon as possible,’ Ban says during visit to Russia

17 May 2013 – Stressing that a political solution is the only way to end the Syria crisis, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today that an international conference proposed by Russia and the United States should be held as soon as possible so as not to lose momentum.

Consensus forming on ‘golden thread of development,’ says co-chair of UN panel on post-2015 agenda

15 May 2013 – A United Nations high-level panel on a post-2015 global development agenda wrapped up today with consensus emerging on how to make a more equitable world, said British Prime Minister David Cameron in his role as co-chair of the body.

‘Outraged’ by rising death toll in Syria, General Assembly demands halt to all violence

15 May 2013 – Expressing grave concern at the continuing escalation of violence in Syria, the United Nations General Assembly today adopted a resolution reiterating its call for rapid progress on a political transition, “which represents the best opportunity to resolve the situation […] peacefully.”

UN human rights chief urges Syrian rebels to end abuses after gruesome video hits Internet

14 May 2013 – The mutilation of a Syrian soldier purportedly shown in an internet video is a “truly atrocious act” which should be investigated as a potential war crime, the United Nations human rights chief said today, urging the armed opposition to stop such gross crimes.

UN finds critical shortages of food, other supplies on visit to Syrian village of Houla

14 May 2013 – A United Nations inter-agency mission that recently visited the Syrian village of Houla – the site of a massacre of over 100 people in May 2012 – found a critical shortage of food, water, medical supplies and fuel, the world body said today.