Stories written by Thalif Deen
Thalif Deen, Senior Editor & Director, UN Bureau, Inter Press Service (IPS) news agency has been covering the United Nations since the late 1970s. Beginning with the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, he has covered virtually every major U.N. conference: on population, human rights, the environment, sustainable development, food security, humanitarian aid, arms control and nuclear disarmament.   As the former UN Bureau Chief for IPS, he was cited twice for excellence in U.N. reporting at the annual awards presentation of the U.N. Correspondents' Association (UNCA). In November 2012, he was on the IPS team which won the prestigious gold medal for reporting on the global environment-- and in 2013, he shared the gold, this time with the UN Bureau Chief of Reuters news agency, for his reporting on the humanitarian and development work of the United Nations.   A former information officer at the U.N. Secretariat, he served twice as a member of the Sri Lanka delegation to the UN General Assembly sessions. His track record includes a stint as deputy news editor of the Sri Lanka Daily News and senior editorial writer on the Hong Kong Standard. As military analyst, he was also Director, Foreign Military Markets at Defense Marketing Services; Senior Defense Analyst at Forecast International; and military editor Middle East/Africa at Jane’s Information Group. He was a longstanding columnist for the Sri Lanka Sunday Times, U.N. correspondent for Asiaweek, Hong Kong and Jane's Defence Weekly, London. A Fulbright scholar with a Master’s Degree (MSc) in Journalism from Columbia University, New York, he is co-author of the 1981 book on “How to Survive a Nuclear Disaster” and author of the 2021 book on the United Nations titled “No Comment – and Don’t Quote me on That”— and subtitled ‘from the Sublime to the Hilarious’, both of which are available on Amazon

POLITICS: U.N. Plans Relief Effort, Warns of Afghanistan War Risks

By Thalif Deen
The United Nations has launched a 548 million dollar emergency programme to help some 7.5 million Afghans caught up in the unfolding military crisis in their country.

POLITICS: U.N. Finding a Place in War Against Terrorism

By Thalif Deen
China, Egypt, Iran and Pakistan are calling for a U.N.-sponsored coalition against terrorism. The move offers the world body a chance to reassert itself but Washington has some reservations.

/REPEAT/POLITICS: Afghan Anti-Mine Efforts in Peril

By Thalif Deen
Efforts to rid Afghanistan of millions of landmines are being disrupted and risk being reversed as the country girds for U.S. military attacks.

POLITICS: Afghan Anti-Mine Efforts in Peril

By Thalif Deen
Efforts to rid Afghanistan of millions of landmines are being disrupted and risk being reversed as the country girds for U.S. military attacks.

POLITICS: U.N. Seeks Support for Treaty Curbing Terrorist Funds

By Thalif Deen
Only four of the 189 U.N. member states have ratified an international treaty aimed at cutting off funds for terrorism, a senior official complained Friday.

POLITICS: U.N. Gears Up on Anti-Terrorism Treaties

By Thalif Deen
Last week's deadly attacks on New York and the Pentagon are spurring U.N. activity on anti-terrorism treaties.

POLITICS: U.N. General Debate Off, Child Soldier Discussion On

By Thalif Deen
Security concerns forced the United Nations Tuesday to postpone its annual General Assembly debate, traditionally a magnet for heads of state.

POLITICS: U.N. Paints Gloomy Picture of Afghanistan War Threat

By Thalif Deen
The United Nations says the humanitarian situation is dire in Afghanistan, already war-ravaged and facing possible military attacks by the United States.

POLITICS: U.N. Paints Gloomy Picture of Afghanistan War Threat

By Thalif Deen
The United Nations says the humanitarian situation is dire in Afghanistan, already war-ravaged and facing possible military attacks by the United States.

POLITICS: U.N. Paints Gloomy Picture of Afghanistan War Threat

By Thalif Deen
The United Nations says the humanitarian situation is dire in Afghanistan, already war-ravaged and facing possible military attacks by the United States.

POLITICS: Analysts See Sustained U.S. Anti-Terrorism Spending Rise

By Thalif Deen
The deadly terrorist attacks on the United States Tuesday is expected to bolster U.S. defence spending over the next few years, say military analysts.

RIGHTS: World Leaders Blamed for Plight of Suffering Children

By Thalif Deen
The U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) blamed world leaders Thursday for the plight of millions of children dying of diseases and malnutrition, forced to work in sweat shops, and pressed into military service.

POLITICS: U.S. Shies Away from U.N. Treaties Against Terrorism

By Thalif Deen
Less than 24 hours before the United States came under a wave of terrorist attacks, the United Nations was rejoicing over the fact that 83 of its 189 member states had ratified some 12 existing U.N. conventions against international terrorism.

POLITICS: U.S. Shies Away from U.N. Treaties Against Terrorism

By Thalif Deen
Less than 24 hours before the United States came under a wave of terrorist attacks, the United Nations was rejoicing over the fact that 83 of its 189 member states had ratified some 12 existing U.N. conventions against international terrorism.

DEVELOPMENT: Watchdog Urges U.N. to Reaffirm Children’s Rights

By Thalif Deen
A leading human rights organisation is urging U.N. member states to make firm commitments next month to implement their landmark Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted in 1989.

POLITICS: U.N. Head Confident of Riot-Free Food Summit in Rome

By Thalif Deen
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan is confident that the upcoming World Food Summit, planned for Rome, is unlikely to spark street riots or unruly demonstrations.

RIGHTS: U.N. Plans Database to Monitor Racism

By Thalif Deen
The United Nations plans to establish a database to monitor acts of racism and xenophobia worldwide.

DEVELOPMENT: Information Revolution Bypasses Africa – U.N.

By Thalif Deen
Revolutionary changes in information and communication technologies have largely bypassed economically troubled Africa, according to a new U.N. report.

RIGHTS: U.N. Head Seeks Common Ground on Divisive Racism Meet

By Thalif Deen
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan says he is hopeful that, current deep divisions notwithstanding, delegates to the World Conference Against Racism will be able to finalise a declaration acceptable to the world body's 189 member states.

RIGHTS: Caste, Drugs, AIDS Have Racism Links, Say U.S.Groups

By Thalif Deen
A coalition of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) Thursday criticised the United Nations for playing down the links between racism, drug addiction, caste systems, and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

POLITICS: U.N. Admits Failure to Prod Taliban on Fugitive

By Thalif Deen
The United Nations says it has failed to convince the ostracised Taliban regime in Afghanistan to either surrender exiled Saudi businessman Osama bin Laden or close down his terrorist camps in the war-ravaged country.
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