#United Nations Secretary-General (UNSG)

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Alun Michael's Letter of Support for Somaliland to UN General Secretary Boutros Boutros Ghali: A Call for Action

Read the historic letter of support from #Cardiff Central MP @alunmichael to @UN SG Boutros Boutros Ghali, calling for recognition & assistance for #Somaliland in 1992. In his heartfelt letter, he encapsulates the essence of the struggles faced by SL

Continue reading Alun Michael’s Letter of Support for Somaliland to UN General Secretary Boutros Boutros Ghali: A Call for Action

[kyreniacommentator]

President Tatar meets with Holguin

President Ersin Tatar received the Personal Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General (UNSG), Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar, today.(Monday, March 11) Continue reading President Tatar meets with Holguin

[victorysp]

On 18-19 January, Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands will travel to Davos for the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2023, held under the theme “Cooperation in a Fragmented World”. She will participate in her capacity as the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development (UNSGSA).

[somalilandcurrentnews]

Somaliland: President receives UNSG’s special rep Ambassador James Swan

The President of the Republic of Somaliland H.E. Musa Bihi Abdi, on Saturday received at the Presidency the Special Representative to the region from the Secretary General of the United Nations, SR-SGUN Ambassador James Swan. They had a meeting that focused on the general situation in the Horn of Africa region, the upcoming elections in the country scheduled to be held on the 13th of November…

[dayoftheseafarer]

Your top tips for safety at sea.

On the International Day of the Seafarer, IMO Secretary-General Mr. Arsenio Dominguez pays tribute to the 2 million seafarers who keep global markets functioning and supply chains going.

In a video message to seafarers, Mr. Dominguez said: “Seafarers have been sorely tested in recent years – facing hostile acts from piracy or in conflict zones. I humbly acknowledge seafarers’ resilience and sacrifice in the name of work.”  

Without seafarers there would be no shipping. And shipping is a lifeline for global trade. 

United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres marked the day, saying: “Seafarers are vital in ensuring a seamless flow of essential goods that eventually make it into markets, homes, and onto our tables... But their own lives have been put on the line in the face of grave threats. Let us together salute them for their essential work and support their safety.” (Read UNSG’s full statement)

[nedsecondline]

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Calls for Urgent Humanitarian Ceasefire at Rafah Crossing

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at Rafah Crossing. Photo credit: UN Egypt/Mohamed Elkoossy. UN Secretary-General (UNSG) Antonio …UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Calls for Urgent Humanitarian Ceasefire at Rafah Crossing

[ambitiousbaba]

United Nations Secretary General on India’s visit

United Nations Secretary General on India’s visit

United Nations Secretary General on India’s visit United Nations chief, called secretary General Antonio Guterres is on official visit to India with clean environment and South-South cooperation as main agenda. Antonio Guterres, secretary-general of the United Nations (UNSG) begins his visit to India from Tuesday (i.e. 18th October) as it is the first to the country since the start of his second…

[squarwell-breakingnews]

UN Chief Antonio Guterres To Begin 3-Day Trip To India From Tomorrow

UN Chief Antonio Guterres To Begin 3-Day Trip To India From Tomorrow

This will be UN Secretary-General’s (UNSG) first visit to India in his scond term. (File) New Delhi: United Nations chief Antonio Guterres is set to visit India on an official trip starting Tuesday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Tuesday. This will be UN Secretary-General’s (UNSG) first visit to India, since he commenced his second term in office in January 2022. “Antonio…

[znewstech]

UN Chief Antonio Guterres To Begin 3-Day Trip To India From Tomorrow

UN Chief Antonio Guterres To Begin 3-Day Trip To India From Tomorrow

This will be UN Secretary-General’s (UNSG) first visit to India in his scond term. (File) New Delhi: United Nations chief Antonio Guterres is set to visit India on an official trip starting Tuesday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Tuesday. This will be UN Secretary-General’s (UNSG) first visit to India, since he commenced his second term in office in January 2022. “Antonio…

[constructionmiral]

Total commander vs double commander

#Total commander vs double commander free

Zelenskiy told Guterres that this “deliberate and cynical terror on the part of the aggressor could have catastrophic consequences for Ukraine and the whole world”, according to a statement released by the office of the president.

#Total commander vs double commander free

President & SG agreed upon parameters of #IAEA mission 2 ZNPP- to be carried out accor to law thru territory free from occupiers /79qLr1mkW7- Ukrainian Mission to OSCE & UN in Vienna August 18, 2022 #Zelenskyy info'ed UNSG a/ 🇷🇺☢️ blackmail at #Zaporizhzhia NPP&stressed:UN must ensure NPP security, demil' &liberation from🇷🇺. Based on social media confirmation by relatives, reports in local media, and statements by the local authorities, Mediazona was able to confirm 5,185 deaths and found that the disproportionate majority of Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine came from poor and minority regions of Russia.Ī Russian attack killed one person and injured two in Mykolaiv, a city in southern Ukraine, said the Mykolaiv mayor, Oleksandr Sienkevych. Meanwhile, Mediazona, an independent news organisation in Russia, has delved into the background of some of these deaths. Ukraine’s foreign ministry updated the number of Russian casualties to at least 44,300. The Russian military announced today that it has deployed warplanes armed with state-of-the-art hypersonic missiles to the country’s Kaliningrad region, a move that has been broadly interpreted as a response to the West arming Ukraine. Dozens more were injured.Įstonia has been hit by extensive cyber-attacks after removing a Soviet-era tank monument from a region whose population is predominantly ethnic Russian, its government has said. Russian missiles that struck a residential area Wednesday night killed 12 while a strike early this morning killed three. Russia has warned it may shut down the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant – the largest nuclear reactor in Europe – if Ukraine continues to shell the facility – a claim Kyiv has denied.Īuthorities updated the death toll in the Kharkiv attacks that took place last night and this morning, bringing the total number of people killed to 15. Entry to all other employees will be closed,” defence intelligence of Ukraine tweeted. On 19 August, only operative personnel will be at the ZNPP. “The occupiers announced an unexpected ‘day off’ at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station. Ukraine’s military intelligence believes that Russia is planning a “provocation” at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant tomorrow. Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the United Nations must ensure the security of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant occupied by Russian forces after meeting the UN secretary general, Antònio Guterres and the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Lviv.

[hemakesallthingsbeautiful]

Advancing Tangible Hope in the Global Order

The United Nations (UN) was birthed out of the aftermath of the two tragic world wars. Prior to the establishment of the UN, was the short-lived League of Nations which was proposed after the First World War in an effort to achieve and maintain peace and security in the global order. Its failure to prevent the Second World War led to yet another attempt at creating an international alliance and global commitment towards preventing the devastation of war, with 26 nations uniting to fight against the axis powers in 1942. Eventually, global delegates from 50 countries convened to prepare the Charter of the UN, which was finally signed on 26 June 1945 (Basic Facts about the United Nations, 4).

The role and purpose of the UN is to maintain a peaceful, just and stable global order. As stated in its charter, it exists to “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom”; and ultimately for these ends: “to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbors, and to unite strength to maintain international peace and security”. It aims to solve international economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems and promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, by being a centre for “harmonizing the actions of nations in attaining these common ends” (Basic Facts about the United Nations, 5).

In many ways, the United Nations is a symbol of tangible hope; hope for all that’s possible and that can be achieved should nations have the courage and humility to acknowledge our common humanity, and accept the responsibility and sacrifice it requires of us to realize it. Its tangibility lies in the UN’s pragmatic and preventative agenda, a forum where sovereign nations assemble together to prevent anarchy in the global order and the dangers that come from freely pursuing self-interests and unregulated power and growth. Still, in another sense, it’s hopeful and imaginative. It envisions a global order that is capable of affirming our common humanity- each individual and nation equally dignified, honored and free. The United Nations does not simply seek to protect individuals and nations freedom from war, violence and poverty, but enables freedom towards human flourishing, a necessary means of true development as proposed by Amartya Sen (Lanoszka, 36). Furthermore, this cannot be done through the co-existence of sovereign actors but rather, willing collaboration. The UN is the forum where the first global collective effort towards addressing poverty was pursued as a shared social issue with measurable targets towards progress that were integrated for accountability and impact (Myers, 101). This global vision towards collective change continues to evolve, with the latest edition of the UN’s collective efforts creating a framework for addressing the globe’s most pressing issues materialized through the 2015 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which lays out the possibility for international, multi-sector, institutional and grassroots social change to be pursued cooperatively and in unity.

Inevitably, as with all large institutions, the UN can be plagued by politics and bureaucracy. The power imbalance between nations with power and economic prowess and those without are palpable. Who gets a seat at the table at the Security Council? Who has veto power? Who has resources to use diplomatic efforts to set agendas and influence decision-making? We must be mindful of recognizing the inevitable power dynamics that exist within the UN Structures, and attentive to whose voices we need to amplify in order to ensure their needs are not ignored, dismissed or drowned out by those with permanent megaphones. Furthermore, the bureaucratic nature of the UN is also something that has been often criticized. In moments of urgent need to respond to humanitarian conflict, there is no time for delayed action, and in times of necessary collective responses to issues such as climate change and the global refugee crisis, patience is not a virtue. But still, we often return to this unshakeable reality: the UN does not have formal judicial or institutional power to regulate or penalize the action or inaction of sovereign nations. The limits of the UN’s power as an institution can be frustrating, but perhaps even in its absence to coerce or mandate necessary action, it can continue to be a voice of our global conscience. It can continue to advocate with perseverance, amplify the voices of the powerless and the vulnerable, and mediate as the peacekeeper who has faith in the inherent good of mankind, (particularly for those who govern) and for their propensity towards choosing good and not evil, to take action rather than be bystanders amidst the need and suffering and injustice faced by our fellow man and woman. The UN in all its potential and its imperfections reminds me of the common grace that God has blessed humanity with that allows for secular institutions such as the UN to pursue justice and neighborly love in global contexts and with such fervor and conviction.

In my graduating year of University, Former UN Secretary General (UNSG) Mr. Ban Ki Moon gave a keynote address to a lecture hall filled with wide-eyed students with hearts set on dedicating their lives to global social change. He quoted another former UNSG Dag Hammarskjold on maintaining the balance between realism and idealism. “Realists are tempted by the illusion of cynicism, and idealists are tempted by the illusion of utopia” and reminded us: “Keep your head above the clouds and your feet firmly planted on the ground."

Five years since that speech, I’m still more caught up in keeping my head above the clouds than having my feet firmly planted on the ground. Maybe because the vision of the Kingdom of God surpasses any worldly utopia, and comes with a hope that sustains far beyond what idealistic optimism could; and empowers us to pursue justice and meaningful social change not with cynical pragmatism, but a vision towards the promised new creation . And perhaps such is the invitation, that even as we sojourn in this temporary home of ours, to seek the welfare and flourishing of this world and all those in it, for in it we will find ours.

References

Basic Facts about the United Nations. United Nations Publications, 42nd Edition. 2017. ISBN: 978-9211013504.

Lanoszka, Anna. International Development: Socio-Economic Theories, Legacies, and Strategies. New York: Routledge, 2018

Myers, Bryant. Engaging Globalization: The Poor, Christian Mission, and Our Hyper-Connected World. Baker Academic, 2017.

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Farmajo Turns Deaf Ear On Security Council Call To End Political Impasse

[theeurasianpost]

Bilawal, Blinken vow to boost Pak-US ties

Bilawal, Blinken vow to boost Pak-US ties

FM Bilawal meets Secretary Blinken in New York on May 18, 2022. Photo: Twitter/SecBlinken WASHINGTON: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and United Nations Secretary General (UNSG) Antonio Guterres separately in New York on Wednesday and discussed issues of mutual interest. The US secretary of state and Pakistan’s foreign minister focused on…

[ubongeh]

Standards Needed to Achievement Net-Zero, Said UNSG at COP26

Standards Needed to Achievement Net-Zero, Said UNSG at COP26

The world’s leading developers of International Standards — the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) — have signaled their strong interest in working with the United Nations to combat climate change. They were responding to a decision by António Guterres, United Nations Secretary General, to establish a group of experts to…

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Nigeria: Borno Governor Receives UNSG’s Envoys to West, Central Africa

Nigeria: Borno Governor Receives UNSG’s Envoys to West, Central Africa

By Joseph Edegbo : Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum on Friday received the United Nation Secretary General’s Special Representatives to the West Africa and Sahel (UNOWAS), Mr. Mahamat Saleh Annadif and his counterpart of the Central Africa (UNOCA) Mr. Francois Lounceny Fall in Maiduguri. The meeting held at the council chamber of the Government House.   The two envoys were in Maiduguri…

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Mali: UN Calls for Release of President and PM

Mali: UN Calls for Release of President and PM

BAMAKO, 25 May 2021 – The United Nations has demanded the immediate release of President Bah Ndaw and the prime minister with the two detained by soldiers at a military base. The call for unconditional release came from the United Nations resident mission in the Malian capital, Bamako. Mali – Source CGTN Africa UNSG Antonio Guterres – Photo Maseru Metro News UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres…