Myanmar’s farmers battle climate and health uncertainty

For farmers in Myanmar, the COVID-19 pandemic is adding to growing unpredictability, in a sector already struggling to cope with the effects of climate change. The UN is working closely with the country’s government to help them to adapt and thrive.

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UN expert urges Myanmar not to undermine ‘very lifeblood of democracy’ ahead of polls

An independent UN human rights expert has called on the Government and military of Myanmar to stop persecuting opposition supporters, including journalists and student protesters, ahead of next week’s general elections. 

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First Person: supporting migrants on the COVID-19 frontline in Myanmar

One of the far-reaching effects of the global lockdown brought on the COVID-19 pandemic has been the return of migrant workers to their home countries.  The UN gender agency, UN Women has been supporting the authorities in Myanmar, under the EU–UN funded Spotlight Initiative, to provide for the needs of women.

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Afghanistan: UN Mission voices ‘deep revulsion’ over deadly bomb attack on Kabul college

The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has expressed “deep revulsion” at the killing on Saturday night of at least 24 people, according to latest reports, and injuring of dozens of others in a suicide attack outside an education centre.

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‘Biocups’, electric motorcycle taxis and recycling 500 billion bottles for a sustainable Thailand: a UN Resident Coordinator blog

The private sector in Thailand has a key role to play in helping the south-east Asian country to reach poverty reduction and sustainable development goals agreed by the international community. In this blog, Gita Sabharwal, the UN Resident Coordinator in Thailand and the Chairperson of the UN Global Compact Network Thailand, Suphachai Chearavanont, explain how, despite the global COVID-19 pandemic, progress is being made towards the goals.

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UN in Myanmar comes together to protect people from COVID-19

More than 20 UN agencies in Myanmar have come together to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, and staff are putting their lives on their line to support the Organization’s efforts to protect lives and boost livelihoods. 

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Learning lessons from COVID-19 in Myanmar

School closures in Myanmar resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic have affected millions of students. The UN is working with the country’s authorities to ensure that the education system is made more resilient, and children’s schooling is protected as much as possible.

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UN condemns deadly suicide attack in eastern Afghanistan

The United Nations has strongly condemned Saturday’s suicide attack on a government building in Nangarhar province, eastern Afghanistan, and underlined that the perpetrators must be brought to justice. 

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Greening of India's railway network on track

An ambitious plan to make one of the world’s largest and most complex railway networks a net zero carbon emitter by 2030 is moving full steam ahead, although without the steam, thanks, in part, to support from the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).

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Japan to ‘proactively lead’ on COVID-19 response efforts

Japan has signaled its intention to take a leading role in global response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftershocks, with new Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga highlighting the links between recovery, health and economic development. 

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Viet Nam is ‘duty-bound’ to help strengthen the UN, world’s largest multilateral organization

Against the backdrop of the “extraordinary” circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, “global and regional multilateral mechanisms must be strengthened”, the President of Viet Nam told the high-level debate of UN General Assembly on Thursday.

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Through solidarity, humanity will overcome COVID-19 pandemic: Timor-Leste President

The COVID-19 pandemic provides an opportunity to focus on the importance of achieving a sustainable future for all people and the planet, the President of Timor-Leste said in his speech to the 75th session of the UN General Assembly on Thursday. 

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Sri Lankan President calls on WHO to facilitate ‘universal access’ to COVID vaccine

The President of Sri Lanka has highlighted the success of his country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, underscoring the importance of a well-coordinated approach, underpinned by robust local health care system, to contain the disease. 

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The UN is not a building in New York city, it is our commitment to future generations, Indonesian President tells world leaders

Amidst the coronavirus pandemic, the United Nations needs to prove “multilateralism delivers”, the President of Indonesia has said, telling world leaders, gathered virtually “all of us bear the responsibility” to further strengthen the global Organization. 

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Fighting drug trafficking in the Golden Triangle: a UN Resident Coordinator blog

Drug trafficking has long been a problem in the Golden Triangle, the region where Thailand’s Chiang Rai province meets Myanmar and Laos. In this blog, Gita Sabharwal, UN Resident Coordinator in Thailand, and Jeremy Douglas, who represents the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, explain how the United Nations and the Thai government are working together to tackle the issue.

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UN denounces Kabul attack targeting Afghan Vice President

The United Nations has strongly condemned the attack, on Wednesday, in Kabul, targeting the official convoy of Afghanistan’s First Vice President Amrullah Saleh. 

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Inaction has been fatal, says UNHCR, as dozens of Rohingya refugees perish at sea

Dozens of Rohingya refugees are believed to have died in the Andaman sea after spending more than 200 days afloat, owing to a “collective unwillingness” of countries to take them in, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said. 

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Leveraging innovation, partnership to shore up food security in Asia and the Pacific

Transforming food systems in Asia and the Pacific to make them more sustainable, resilient and productive, is vital to enable countries rebound from the impact of COVID-19 and address chronic undernourishment, a UN regional forum on food security has heard. 

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End secret detention of rights defender, independent experts urge Pakistani authorities

Independent UN rights experts have called on the Government of Pakistan to end the secret detention of a human rights defender, who has not been heard from in more than nine months. 

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The key to Viet Nam’s successful COVID-19 response : a UN Resident Coordinator blog

Whilst no country can claim to have beaten COVID-19, some countries have been noticeably more effective in curbing the spread of the disease. Kamal Malhotra, the UN Resident Coordinator in Viet Nam, explains why the country’s response to the pandemic has been so successful.

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