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Tuesday, October 20, 2026
News and Views from the Global South
U.N. to Focus on Poorest of the World’s Poor
The United Nations, which is planning to hold a major international conference on Least Developed Countries (LDCs) next year, has been put on notice: if the mounting social and economic problems of poorer nations are not resolved, "There will be no peace and stability in the world."Emerging Powers to Challenge Elite Security Council
When the 15-member Security Council meets next January, the United Nations will celebrate a rare political landmark: the 10 rotating non-permanent members will include some of the world's rising new players on the global stage, including India, South Africa, Germany, Brazil and Nigeria - all sitting under one roof and negotiating around the legendary horseshoe table.Water, Sanitation Gain Traction as Basic Human Rights
When the 47-member Human Rights Council (HRC) affirmed last week that the right to water and sanitation was a basic human right, the consensus resolution was described as a "historic first" for the U.N.’s premier human rights body based in Geneva.U.N. Admits Congo Crisis Beyond Its Limited Capacity
Amid accusations that most U.N. peacekeepers turned a blind eye to the recent "mass rape" of more than 300 civilians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon admitted that the mounting problems in the sprawling, crisis-stricken country are virtually beyond the capacity of the world body.G20 Summit Cracks Open Door to Five Non-Members
The G20, a group of powerful political and economic decision- makers criticised for its exclusivity, has invited five non- members to its next summit meeting in South Korea in November.UNICEF Leads Campaign for 69 Million Out-of-School Children
The U.N. children's agency UNICEF is taking the lead in an intense global campaign to provide schooling to some 69 million children who are unable to go to school - or don't have any schools to go to.
U.N. Faces Threat of Irrelevancy Amid Big Power Politics
The 192-member General Assembly began its 65th session under a perceived new threat: that the United Nations is being overshadowed by a more powerful body, the G20.
$40 Billion for Women and Children, Millions of Lives at Stake
As a three-day anti-poverty talkfest drew to a close Wednesday, the United Nations shifted its focus from the poor and the hungry to two of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in society: women and children.
DEVELOPMENT: U.N. Chief Looks Beyond 2015 Deadline
As more than 140 world leaders began a three-day anti-poverty summit meeting Monday, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon looked far beyond the 2015 deadline for sustainable development the world is desperately in need of.Brazil Brings Scarce Good News to Anti-Poverty Summit
When Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva addresses a meeting of world leaders next week, he is expected to proudly claim that his country has already met – and exceeded - one of the key U.N. development goals: reduce by half the proportion of people living in extreme poverty and hunger.Summit Failure on Water, Sanitation Would Be Recipe for Disaster
A weeklong international conference here has transmitted a strong political message to next week's U.N. summit meeting of world leaders: what good is the fight against poverty, hunger, maternal mortality and child deaths if water and sanitation are not given the high priority they deserve?Africa’s Water Security Hinges on Better Infrastructure
As Africa continues its seemingly endless struggle for water security, why is the beleaguered continent lagging behind Asia and Latin America - despite commitments and declarations by political leaders?Scarce Water Diverted by Greased Palms
The battle to resolve the global water crisis is being grossly undermined by bad governance: bribery, extortion, embezzlement and high-level corruption.
Fighting Dirty Water Is World’s New Ecological Battle
A primary topic of discussion at a weeklong international water conference here can best be summed up in two words: "dirty water".
Time Running Out Faster Than Water, Experts Warn
A major weeklong international water conference opened in the Swedish capital Monday with an ominous warning: time is running out faster than fresh water.U.N. Lagging on Water and Sanitation Development Goals
The United Nations stands accused of marginalising water and sanitation in its much-touted Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) aimed at improving the lives of billions of people in the developing world.Embattled U.N. Chief on Charm Offensive, Says Press Corps
When an Asian ambassador hosted a sumptuous lunch for more than a dozen U.N. correspondents in his swanky New York apartment many moons ago, he confessed he had a hidden agenda.Sudan’s President and Criminal Court in Cat-and-Mouse Game
Sudan's elusive President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir and the unrelenting Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Luis Moreno-Ocampo are playing a political cat- and-mouse game.
Brazil Aims for World’s “Most Perfect” Population Census
Come Dec. 31, about 68 countries are expected to complete the arduous task of taking an accurate head count of the number of people living within their geographical borders.
Beleaguered U.N. Chief Under Political Microscope
In South Korea, Ban Ki-moon is a prestigious brand name - like Samsung, Kia, LG and Hyundai.U.N. Chief May Be Heading for Showdown with Israel
When the Israeli government gave its blessings to a U.N. panel of inquiry probing the military attack on a flotilla of ships carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza last May, there was widespread speculation that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon may have struck a backdoor deal over its mandate.« Previous Page — Next Page »
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