Latest news on the Asia-Pacific region from the United Nations
- A United Nations human rights expert today called on the Pakistani authorities to make it a top priority to locate, protect and return home four disappeared human rights and social media campaigners.
- The United Nations has condemned yesterday's terrorist attacks near the Parliament in Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, and the residence of the Provincial Governor of Kandahar, calling for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.
- Despite attempts to increase food aid in Afghanistan, children bear the brunt of the country’s nutritional crisis, the United Nations humanitarian arm today reported, warning that the ongoing fighting has also led to record number of children at risk of abuse and exploitation.
- More migrants were killed crossing the Mediterranean Sea to Europe in 2016 than ever before, according to the United Nations migration agency in the region.
- An independent United Nations expert will assess the human rights situation in Myanmar starting next week, it was announced, following increasing concerns about civilians in Kachin State and the escalating violence in Rakhine State.
- Condemning the murder of Filipino journalist Larry Que on 19 December, the head of the United Nations agency tasked with defending press freedom has called on authorities to investigate his death.
- Stressing that the killing of “about three” people, which the President of the Philippines admitted to personally committing while serving as the Mayor of the city of Davao clearly constituted murder, the United Nations human rights chief called on the judicial authorities in the country to uphold the rule of law and investigate the self-professed crimes.
- The United Nations envoy for Afghanistan today called on the Taliban to participate in peace talks with the national Government, stressing that the conflict in the country has no military solution and the only path to a meaningful peace is through intra-Afghan dialogue.
- The United Nations Special Rapporteur on summary executions urged the Government of the Philippines to lift a series of preconditions it has imposed on her planned visit to investigate the alleged extra-judicial killings of suspected drug dealers, since President Rodrigo Duterte took office.
- Myanmar's handling of northern Rakhine lesson in how to make 'bad situation worse' – UN rights chiefExpressing concern over the situation in Myanmar's northern Rakhine, the top United Nations human rights official warned that the Government's “short-sighted, counterproductive, even callous” approach to the handling of the crisis could have grave long-term repercussions for the country and the region.
- UN agency urges investing in agriculture science and technology to achieve 2030 ‘zero hunger’ targetThe United Nations announced today at a meeting of the world’s top agricultural scientists, that in order to achieve world’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of defeating hunger and poverty by 2030, governments and the private sector must increase commitment to agricultural science and technology research.
- Citing human rights violations in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), senior United Nations officials today highlighted the need for the Security Council to pay attention to the situation “of great concern.”
- The Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Myanmar, Vijay Nambiar, said today that the UN is “seriously concerned” by the developing situation in Northern Rakhine state and has called on the security forces to act in accordance with the “rule of law and accepted international norms,” and to exercise caution in avoiding disproportionate responses that could cause violence to civilians.