Latest news on the Asia-Pacific region from the United Nations
- The challenge posed by the deadly floods in Pakistan require the international community's continued commitment to relief, recovery and reconstruction in the coming months, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed today.
- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon commended the courage and determination of the men and women of Afghanistan for voting in today's parliamentary elections.
- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has held his first meeting with the panel of experts set up to advise him on accountability issues relating to alleged violations of international humanitarian and human rights law during the final stages last year of the conflict in Sri Lanka.
- The United Nations will select two international experts to serve in Afghanistan’s election complaints commission ahead of legislative polls scheduled in September, the newly-appointed head of the UN mission in the country said today.
- The United Nations is working with Iraqi officials to make State-owned businesses more market-oriented and less reliant on the Government.
- For the first time since it adopted the 1951 Refugee Convention almost two decades ago, the Republic of Korea (ROK) has granted a recognized refugee citizenship, in a move hailed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) today.
- A top United Nations envoy has encouraged Nepalese parties to work productively to advance the country’s fragile peace process and create the conditions to permit the world body to wind up its work there.
- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will take part in next week’s international conference aimed at helping Afghanistan to chart its way forward in the wake of last year’s presidential elections and build a more secure and prosperous country, it was announced today.
- The Security Council voted today to extend the United Nations political mission in Nepal (UNMIN) by nearly four months amid heightened tensions in the Asian country ahead of the issuing of a new constitution.
- The United Nations human rights chief today joined the call made by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and others for the immediate and unconditional release of Myanmar pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, whose house arrest has been extended for another 18 months.
- The United Nations is calling on donors to fund the nearly $8 million appeal launched by Tajikistan today to help thousands of people uprooted and affected by floods and resulting mudflows in the Central Asian nation.
- An estimated 50 million women in Asia, who are either married or in long-term relationships with men who engage in high-risk sexual behaviours, are at risk of becoming infected with HIV from their partners, according to a new report published by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).
- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today expressed his regret that the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) has, against strong international appeals, proceeded with its planned rocket launch, urging the resumption of diplomatic talks.