UN chief ‘deeply saddened’ by Ethiopia plane crash which killed more than 150, including 19 UN staff

An Ethiopian  Airlines fight crashed shortly after take off from the capital Addis Ababa on Sunday, killing more than 150 people on board. The UN  Secretary-General António Guterres said in a statement that he was “deeply saddened at the tragic loss of lives” , as reports emerged that UN staff were also among the dead.

The Boeing airliner bound for the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, took off at 8:44 am local time, losing contact with air traffic control atj Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, just six minutes later, according to news reports. The plane was reportedly carrying passengers from more than 35 different countries. Continue reading →

Statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General on the Ethiopian Airlines crash

The Secretary-General was deeply saddened at the tragic loss of lives in the airplane crash today near Addis Ababa. He conveys his heartfelt sympathies and solidarity to the victims’ families and loved ones, including those of United Nations staff members, as well as sincere condolences to the Government and people of Ethiopia.

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UN Secretary-General’s message on International Women’s Day, New York, 8 March 2019

@UN Secretary-General’s video message for International Women’s Day – featuring leading women in the UN #womensday

@UN Secretary-General’s video message for International Women’s Day – featuring leading women in the UN #womensday

Posted by United Nations Information Centre South Africa on Thursday, March 7, 2019

Gender equality and women’s rights are fundamental to global progress on peace and security, human rights and sustainable development. We can only re-establish trust in institutions, rebuild global solidarity and reap the benefits of diverse perspectives by challenging historic injustices and promoting the rights and dignity of all.

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Statement: “Think Equal, Build Smart, Innovate for Change”

Statement for International Women’s Day by Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women

Date: Monday, March 4, 2019

At a time when innovation is dominant, shaping and changing the way people live in every part of the world, we have to be intentional about its use to positively impact the lives of women and girls. That means making sure they are not only consumers of innovation, but take their place as innovators. With their engagement, both design and execution of solutions can address the unique needs of women and girls, from the creation of decent work to delivery of products, services and infrastructure for women in all walks of life. This year’s theme for International Women’s Day, “Think Equal, Build Smart, Innovate for Change” puts innovation at the centre of efforts to reflect the needs and viewpoints of women and girls and to resolve barriers to public services and opportunities.

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Joint Communiqué: United Nations-African Union Joint Task Force on Peace and Security Holds Sixteenth Consultative Meeting in Addis-Ababa

Addis-Ababa, 15 February 2019 — The United Nations-African Union Joint Task Force on Peace and Security held its sixteenth consultative meeting at the African Union headquarters in Addis-Ababa on 12 February 2019.

The African Union (AU) Commission and the United Nations (UN) Secretariat were represented respectively by Commissioners Smaïl Chergui (Peace and Security), Minata Samaté-Cessouma (Political Affairs); and the Under-Secretaries-General Rosemary DiCarlo (Political and Peacebuilding Affairs), Jean-Pierre Lacroix (Peace Operations) and Hanna Tetteh (Special Representative of the Secretary General to the African Union). They were accompanied by other senior officials from the two Organizations including Under-Secretary General Bience Gawanas, Special Adviser on Africa to the United Nations Secretary-General and Ambassador Fatima Kyari Mohammed, Permanent Observer of the African Union to the United Nations. Continue reading →

Uniting Under Common Concerns Promoting Dialogue and Participation – World Radio Day

Message from Ms Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, on the occasion of World Radio Day

Uniting Under Common Concerns
Promoting Dialogue and Participation

For this World Radio Day, we celebrate the unique, far-reaching power of radio to broaden our horizons and build more harmonious societies. Radio stations from major international networks to community broadcasters today remember the importance of radio in stimulating public debate, increasing civic engagement and inspiring mutual understanding, under the theme “Dialogue, Tolerance and Peace”.

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There is no food security without food safety

OPED by José Graziano da Silva, Director-General, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Food security for all is a cornerstone of the United Nations 2030 Agenda, which recognizes that global sustainable development can only be achieved if hunger and all forms of malnutrition are eradicated (Sustainable Development Goal number 2). Nevertheless, the international community must be aware that food security does not only mean that enough food is produced and that all people have access to it. It is also fundamental that all food is safe for consumption. That is: there is no food security without food safety. Continue reading →

PRESS RELEASE: South Africa hosts first-ever Africa Continental Play-based Learning Conference

Pretoria, South Africa, 11 February 2019

Ensuring that the children of Africa are adequately prepared for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century, as defined by its fast-paced social, economic and technological change, requires the re-thinking and re-imagining of traditional approaches to learning. An education system that supports the development of skills such as problem solving, critical thinking and creativity will be crucial for success.

A growing body of research is pointing to play-based learning as a key means of improving children’s academic performance and personal development. From infancy, children have a natural ability to learn about the world through play. Play-based learning creates a space in which children are free to experiment, explore, analyse, tackle and solve problems using their inherent capabilities such as curiosity and imagination.

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