United Nations

UN Strikes Deal with Israel on Refugee Resettlement

May 11, 2018

The Times of Israel reports that, under pressure from the UN human rights apparatus and activists over its planned deportation of African asylum seekers, the Israeli government recently entered into a deal with the UN High Commission for Refugees through which half the asylum seekers will be settled elsewhere and half will be granted temporary residence status in Israel.
Mexican Official Explains Use of Geospatial Data for Development

May 10, 2018

Paloma Merodio of the Mexican National Institute of Statistics and Geography examines how UN bodies and national governments can use "geospatial data" gathered by satellites and other technologies to help fulfill targets related to issues ranging from deforestation to gender equality contained in the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
UN Chief Calls for Independent Scrutiny of Palestinian Deaths

May 10, 2018

The Guardian reports that UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for an "independent and transparent" investigation into the deaths of Palestinians in Gaza at the hands of Israeli forces that were part of what Israeli officials assert were terror attacks organized under the cover of peaceful protests.
UN Body Seeks to Prevent Arms Race in Space

May 10, 2018

The UN Disarmament Commission has announced that it will focus on preventing an arms race in outer space among its near-term objectives, as the body aims to "preserve outer space as a realm free of conflict."
UN Chief: World Must Limit Ongoing "Climate Chaos"

May 10, 2018

Pointing to extreme weather events in 2017 as proof of ongoing catastrophic effects of climate change across the globe, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called on governments and other actors to adopt accelerated measures confronting global warming, which he identified as the greatest threat to mankind.
Haley Says US Will Oppose Global Environment Pact

May 09, 2018

Fox News reports that US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley has stated the US will not support a Global Pact for the Environment set for a vote later this week at the UN that would "codify" all international environmental law, calling the pact a "vague environmental commitment" that is not in the interest of the US.
UNESCO Body Leads UN Coordination on Ocean Efforts

May 09, 2018

In March, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO hosted its latest UN-Oceans meeting to discuss how the 24 UN bodies working on ocean-related issues can coordinate their efforts to help achieve the UN's "sustainable development" agenda.
US Legislation Permits Funding Reduction for UN Bodies

May 08, 2018

Al-Monitor reports that a March spending bill signed into law by US President Donald Trump includes a provision permitting the US government to reduce by five percent funding to a UN agency or entity it determines has acted against the interest of the US or of any of its allies, including Israel.
UN Official Seeks Global Partnerships to Manage Migration

May 08, 2018

At a recent UN forum leading up to negotiations of a Global Compact on Migration, Director General of the International Organization for Migration William Lacy Swing has called for partnerships among international organizations, national governments, and nongovernmental organizations to properly manage migration across the globe.
UN Hosts Global Festival for SDG Action

May 07, 2018

In March, the UN hosted in Bonn, Germany, a three-day Global Festival of Action for Sustainable Development to facilitate discussions on the fulfillment of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and issue awards for SDG Action to individuals and organizations helping to achieve the comprehensive social and environmental agenda.