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The Sustainable Development Goals in India
India is critical in determining the success of the SDGs, globally. At the UN Sustainable Development Summit in 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi noted, “Sustainable development of one-sixth of humanity will be of great consequence to the world and our beautiful planet. It will be a world of fewer challenges and greater hope; and, more confident of its success”. NITI Aayog, the Government of India’s premier think tank, has been entrusted with the task of coordinating the SDGs, mapping schemes related to the SDGs and their targets, and identifying lead and supporting ministries for each target. In addition, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has been leading discussions for developing national indicators for the SDGs. State governments are key to India’s progress on the SDGs as they are best placed to ‘put people first’ and to ensuring that ‘no one is left behind’. The UN Country Team in India supports NITI Aayog, Union ministries and state governments in their efforts to address the interconnectedness of the goals, to ensure that no one is left behind and to advocate for adequate financing to achieve the SDGs.
Story
05 January 2024
Celebrating a milestone year in the UN-India Partnership!
Dear Friends, This past year has been a truly momentous one for India – and for the UN in India. From taking the mantle as the world’s most populous country, to the successful landing of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, to hosting the Cricket World Cup, and perhaps most significantly, the G20 Presidency, all eyes were on India this year. Yet the year began under no small amount of global headwinds. Multilateralism itself has been fraying at the seams, pulled apart by a number of challenges, including the war in Ukraine, and more recently renewed conflict in the Middle East. And at the midpoint of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the UN Sustainable Development Goals Summit held in New York in September confirmed what many development practitioners had long sounded a warning on – the SDGs are dramatically off course, with only fifteen percent on track, with nearly a third ground to a halt or even in reverse gear. Against this backdrop, India demonstrated much-needed leadership at home and on the international stage, delivering development solutions at scale and helping build an inclusive consensus across divides. The UN in India was privileged to be a partner at many levels. At this critical juncture, India’s G20 Presidency refocused the G20 on taking greater responsibility for putting the 2030 Agenda’s time-bound targets back on track and the voice of the Global South on centre stage. This included bringing greater alignment between climate action and the development agenda, and raising ambitions on reform of the multilateral system, including the international financial architecture, and accelerating digital transformations. In addition, the Presidency stressed the need for a more women-led development across multiple workstreams. India’s G20 featured stronger coordination and alignment between the UN and the Presidency than perhaps any G20 to date. In response to government invitation, the UN in India was proud to play an important role in that partnership, complimenting the leadership of the DESA Under Secretary-General as overall Sherpa for the UN system and the UNDP Administrator as lead on the Finance Track. A number of UN agencies and the RCO were privileged to support different Working Groups through partnerships with leading line ministries and the G20 Secretariat. This collaboration included contributing technical inputs to issue notes and other processes, as well as helping deliver side sessions and providing specialist human resources and other support at government request. Despite extensive geopolitical challenges, India’s G20 Presidency managed to successfully advance a number of key priorities, including those highly valued by the UN system, through the consensus New Delhi Leader’s Declaration and other prior deliverables. This included the new G20 Action Plan to Accelerate Progress on the SDGs, commitments to triple global capacity in renewable energy, raising ambitions on MDB reform, very much in line with the UN Secretary General’s call for an SDG Stimulus, as well as the strongest-ever gender equality language of any G20 Leaders’ Declaration, including setting the stage for a new ministerial level G20 Working Group on Gender Equality to be taken forward by Brazil. Together with its solidarity with the Global South, exemplified by the inclusion of the African Union in the G20, the Indian G20 Presidency took critical steps towards a fairer and more effective multilateralism. Read More The year also saw the launch of the first new-generation Government of India - UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2023-27 (SDCF), strategic articulation of the overall India-UN country partnership, and the guiding instrument for UN system support to India’s SDG achievement delivered jointly through individual UN Agency country programmes. The SDCF was the product of an extensive and inclusive multi-agency and multi-ministry year-long collaborative effort. I would particularly like to thank and acknowledge NITI Aayog for their substantive leadership and coordination as overall nodal counterpart, as well as the Ministry of External Affairs, different nodal ministries, UN agencies, civil society, and other partners, for their support and collaboration. This was truly a whole-of government, whole-of-society, and whole-of-UN effort.Read More And reflecting the increasingly two-way nature of our partnership, for the first time the SDCF has included South-South Cooperation as a key engagement priority. Our UN Country Team agencies will use their extensive knowledge of the Indian development landscape to help codify Indian best practices in key areas of South-South cooperation to partner in bringing those solutions to the global stage for the benefit of other countries. As a vehicle for this support, we are launching our first-ever country-level SDG pooled fund, with South-South Cooperation as the first window. A Letter of Intent with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for initial funding was signed in New York in the presence of the External Affairs Minister on the margins on the UN General Assembly. India’s Mission LiFE, which was launched by the Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi together with UN Secretary-General António Guterres in Gujarat last year, also received coordinated support from the UN India team. Not only was LiFE incorporated into our new SDCF, but UNEP, through the One Planet Network, supported efforts to develop the High-Level Principles of LiFE, which in turn anchored the initiative to all G20 working groups across climate and energy transition themes. UN agencies, including UNEP and UNDP, helped mobilise partner networks for LiFE, and supported the shortlisting of candidates for the global call for LiFE ideas announced by PM Modi. UNDP also supported the Presidency on the priority area around Blue Economy, which led to the formulation and adoption of the Chennai High-Level Principles for a Sustainable and Resilient Blue/Ocean-based Economy. Read More Throughout the year, UN support to Intensified Mission Indradhanush 5.0 routine immunizations has helped ensure that life-saving vaccinations were delivered to the most vulnerable communities in hard-to-reach areas. Agencies including UNDP, WHO and UNICEF continued to provide comprehensive technical support for immunization supply chain strengthening. New WHO and UNICEF data shows that India has made remarkable progress in reviving routine immunization coverage in the last year, after a pandemic-induced regression.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------We continued to support the strengthening of Reproductive, Maternal, New-born, Child, and Adolescent Health (RMNCHA) services. Constant advocacy, implementation support, and regular mentoring from UNICEF, UNFPA and WHO has contributed to the improvement of India’s institutional delivery rate, which is now at over 90 percent. UN agencies, led by UNICEF, also provided technical assistance, wide-ranging capacity building, and promotion of safe practices to improve Water and Sanitation (WASH) services, including support to the flagship Jal Jeevan and Swachh Bharat missions and improving facilities in refugee settlements. UN advocacy, policy support and evidence generation continued to support the Government’s leadership push for better nutrition outcomes in 2023, including through support to Nutrition Rehabilitation Centres (NRCs) for children with Severe Acute Malnutrition, Iron folic acid (IFA) supplementation, and the mainstreaming of fortified rice. Read more Through the year, we supported government efforts to ensure that all children gain strong foundations in basic skills like reading and maths, as well as strong support to the Ayushman Bharat School Health and Wellness Programme by UNESCO, UNFPA, and UNICEF. Recognizing the critical link between education and fighting climate change, UNESCO’s flagship State of the Education Report 2023 focused on the role Indian teachers can play in fostering environmental education.Read more This year we also celebrated the inscribing of two new Indian sites to the UNESCO World Heritage List, with the historic West Bengal town of Santiniketan and the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas, a series of 12th- and 13th-century temples in Karnataka. This now brings the number of World Heritage Sites in India to 42, among the highest in the world. The Garba of Gujarat, a ritualistic and devotional dance performed on the occasion of the Hindu festival of Navaratri and dedicated to the worship of the feminine energy or ‘Shakti’, was also inscribed in 2023.Read more UN agencies also continued to advocate for economic growth and decent work for all women and men. Led by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the UN’s specialized agency promoting decent work, together with UN Women, UNDP, UNIDO and UNHCR, the agencies worked with MSMEs to develop innovation and technology ecosystems, safe, orderly, and regular migration, social protection systems, and linkages to green jobs. Our agencies also took steps towards improving institutional responses for survivors of gender-based violence (GBV), including continued support to One Stop Centres which provide support to women affected by violence. India’s hosting of the first Regional Asia-Pacific Conference on Access to Legal Aid in November, part of the global push to implement the UN Principles and Guidelines on Access to Legal Aid, was an important step in guaranteeing legal aid for the most vulnerable. And we continued supporting India’s just green transition and resilience to climate change, working to ensure the collection and processing of plastic waste, adoption of renewable energy solutions, green economic growth, the conservation and management of biodiversity and much more. The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), has brought together five agencies and eight line ministries is supporting India’s green economic transformations across diverse sectors from sustainable public procurement to green manufacturing and eco-labelling. This year also saw many high-level visits with India at the centre. To start the year, the then President of the General Assembly Csaba Kőrösi made India his first bilateral visit since assuming office, with a focus on G20 priorities and sustainable water use. The UNDP Administrator visited India twice as part of the G20. UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell also met with senior government officials and frontline health workers, UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen joined the G20 Environment and Climate Ministers’ Meeting, while Mr Jean Todt, the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Road Safety, visited India to advocate for road safety and the UN Road Safety Convention. The UN Secretary-General took part in the G20 Leaders’ Summit, reaffirming his belief in the centrality of India to achieving the SDGs globally. From the UN House in New Delhi, the Secretary-General delivered an urgent message to G20 leaders to come together to keep the 1.5 degree goal alive and ensure the SDGs are achieved on schedule. He also called on G20 leaders to ensure solidarity with the Global South, from financial support for the green transition to reforming the dysfunctional global financial architecture. The Secretary-General welcomed the consensus, SDG-focused New Delhi Declaration. Deputy Secretary-General (DSG) Amina Mohammed also paid an official visit to India for the first time in her second term. During her visit, the DSG met with the External Affairs Minister, Finance Minister, Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, and many other leading officials. The DSG also visited Bengaluru where she interacted with experts in premiere technology research institutions to learn how digital technology can drive development in the Global South. Among a number of celebrity advocates and Goodwill Ambassadors, football legend and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador David Beckham thrilled fans with a trip to India, joining hands with cricketer Sachin Tendulkar to celebrate UNICEF’s partnership with the International Cricket Council (ICC) to empower girls and women through cricket.Read more In the last year, we have also continued to implement the UN’s new systems-wide strategy to combat sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA). We have adopted new measures and strengthened existing ones, including the appointment of PSEA focal points in all agencies, to better prevent, detect, report and take action against personnel who commit abuse. We have also continued to walk the walk by making our own operations more sustainable – earlier in the year, the UN compound was awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Platinum Certification, marking it as exemplary in energy efficiency, health, and sustainability. I would like to thank the longstanding commitment of our operations team to making the UN House greener and more accessible. With this in mind, it was a great honour for the UN House to host the fifth Circular Design Challenge by R|Elan™ at Lakmé Fashion Week. The sustainable fashion show, a celebration of creativity and colour, as well as circular solutions, was an unforgettable night for all involved, and remains one of the highlights of our year. I also had the opportunity to help strengthen the partnership with the Indian Army Peacekeeping leadership and the Centre for UN Peacekeeping on several important occasions. One of the highlights was accepting nearly 150 Made-in-India armoured vehicles, an excellent example of‘ Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, on behalf of the UN for the UN peacekeeping operation in South Sudan. I was also privileged to participate in the 75th anniversary of UN Peacekeeping celebration, recognizing India’s role having contributed more personnel to UN Peacekeeping since the beginning than any other country, and joining the Indian Army in paying homage to fallen heroes at the National War Memorial. The UN in India was also honoured to partner with the International Indian Film Academy Awards held in Abu Dhabi. We are always looking for new platforms to get our message across, and the award show was an opportunity for the UN to amplify the message on climate action and sustainability to an entirely new audience, leveraging the power of India’s cultural ‘soft power’ for good. Our own UN family was also strengthened by the opening of the new International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Regional Centre in Delhi in March 2023, with the goal of promoting advanced technologies within the region and beyond. We look forward to India’s hosting of the ITU World Assembly in 2024.
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Story
24 January 2024
'A gift to India and to the world’
The President of the General Assembly has witnessed first-hand the transformative power of technology during a visit to a prosthetic limb centre in Jaipur, Rajasthan, on the second day of his official visit to India.
Dennis Francis met some of the staff at the Jaipur Foot NGO as well as young recipients of prosthetic limbs from the centre, which for decades has been providing high-quality prosthetic limbs at low cost.
"It’s a gift to India and to the world," he later posted on social media, describing the limb technology as a testament to Indian ingenuity and an innovative pinnacle that restores hope and dignity to recipients.
Touring the city of Jaipur, a World Heritage Site, he also explored multiple historic landmarks, including Jantar Mantar, Amber Fort, and City Palace.
The President also met Princess Diya Kumari, the Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan state. He explored a traditional crafts store of the Princess Diya Kumari Foundation, which helps local women artisans gain financial independence by providing a platform to market and sell their work.
The day-long visit to Jaipur is part of a five-day trip he is undertaking in India. Today, he is in Delhi, where he will meet with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, before traveling to Mumbai for the final leg of his trip.
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Publication
29 September 2023
United Nations in India Annual Report 2022
The UN India Annual Report 2022 covers the final year of the UN - Government of India Sustainable Development Framework (UNSDF) 2018-2022, which continued to guide our support to India’s development priorities, even as we repurposed a significant part of our planned activities and budget towards the COVID-19 response.
The UN pulled together as a system with remarkable response support efforts during the darkest days of COVID-19, and we
continued to support the Government of India’s response to the health and socioeconomic impact of the fast-spreading
Omicron variant in the early months of the year.
Yet, just as a fragile recovery took root, new shocks emerged from a senseless conflict in Ukraine, driving increasing scarcity of life’s basic necessities such as food and fuel, and wiping out years of progress in the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Read the full report.
continued to support the Government of India’s response to the health and socioeconomic impact of the fast-spreading
Omicron variant in the early months of the year.
Yet, just as a fragile recovery took root, new shocks emerged from a senseless conflict in Ukraine, driving increasing scarcity of life’s basic necessities such as food and fuel, and wiping out years of progress in the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Read the full report.
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Story
03 August 2022
UN News Hindi
Visit the UN News Hindi site for news, stories, opinions, interviews, videos and audio stories from across the UN system in Hindi: https://news.un.org/hi/
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Story
07 May 2024
Inspiring India's Youth for a Just Tomorrow
In Guwahati's Sarla Birla Gyan Jyoti school, over 1200 students unite daily to pledge for peace and justice. Khyati Baruah a 15 year old, credits UNODC's RiseUp4Peace initiative for enhancing her leadership skills and fostering enthusiasm for SDG16."Being a part of the RiseUp4Peace project has enhanced my leadership skills to a new level," says Khyati. "As a student leader in my school, I have been collaborating with students from different classes and feel a new spark of excitement in the students for SDG16."RiseUp4Peace, led by UNODC in collaboration with Kamla Nehru Public School, engages over 1,000 educators and youth. It focuses on fostering integrity and promoting SDG16 values.“With RiseUp4Peace, I am able to spread awareness about the impact we as students can make to build a just and peaceful world. This project has also helped me to develop my leadership and communication skills,” says Lekisha Jain, aged 14."Working for this cause has enabled me to harness digital tools for meaningful social impact," says Srishti Sen, aged 15, a student of the Funlish online education platform. 5th Monthly RiseUp4Peace capacity-boosting dialogue in April, facilitated by UNODC's youth mainstreaming specialist Paloma Munne, involved over 150 educators, promoting youth mainstreaming. Educators from around the world shared practical ways to strengthen SDG 16 education, highlighting the importance of a “collaborative spirit.""With this network, the idea is to foster cross-fertilization of expertise and ideas between educators and educational institutions," says Ms. Paramjit Dhillon, Principal (Admin and Innovation), KNPS Phagwara.Through direct knowledge support, 316 educators, 5,100 young people, and 12 educational institutions were empowered on SDG 16-related themes and youth mainstreaming on the rule of law. This led to over 14,000 young people engaged and empowered in various initiatives. These include the 'Run4Peace' campaign by Little Kingdom School (Madhya Pradesh), virtual student assemblies at Funlish Language School, and setting up a 'peace tree' at Sri Seshaas International Public School Salem (Tamil Nadu), among others,"In today's interconnected world, the significance of SDG16 education cannot be overstated," asserts Samarth Pathak, UNODC Communications Officer for South Asia."I have always wanted to make a difference in society," shares Anubhab Siddhanta, aged 13. "Engaging with UNODC has made me realize that small acts too can have a big impact.”With RiseUp4Peace paving the way, young people are not just dreaming of a better tomorrow—they're actively working towards it, one pledge and one action at a time. Join the RiseUp4Peace initiative: t.ly/lh9T7This activity contributes to SDG 4, SDG 16 and SDG 17: https://sdg-tracker.org/
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Story
06 May 2024
Bridging Cultures Through Jazz
Jazz cuts across languages, cultures and continents, weaving together art and the message of unity with its innovative notes and sophisticated melodies. Since 2012, International Jazz Day, celebrated annually on 30 April, has highlighted the power of this musical art form as a force for freedom and creativity, promoting intercultural dialogue through respect and understanding and uniting people from all corners of the globe.
This year, the UNESCO South Asia Regional Office in New Delhi, in collaboration with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Alliance Française de Delhi, the Polish Institute, and the Embassy of the Czech Republic, came together to organize an International Jazz Concert at the Stein Auditorium, India Habitat Centre.
From Dutch, French, and Polish musicians to Indian ensembles, the concert featured a diverse lineup of talented performers, offering a dynamic exploration of jazz's rich cultural and musical heritage from around the globe.The evening featured a performance by 'Soundscapes,' a fusion ensemble comprising Frank Bilsen from the Netherlands, Julien Perez from France, and Karan Chitra Deshmukh and Debasmita Bhattacharya from India, showcasing their fusion of Indian and Western music.
Drummer Tarun Balani and guitarist Siddharth Gautam mesmerized with Indian jazz, while Kuba Wójcik and Piotr Damasiewicz brought innovative Polish jazz to the stage.“Our goal is to transcend the musical and mental boundaries by drawing inspiration from the variety of cultures and environments” said the guitarist, Kuba Wójcik.The evening wrapped up with a collaborative jam session led by Dhruv Sangari, joined by Sahil Vasudeva, Makrand Sanon, Suhel Saeed Khan, Siraj, and Arina, blending Indian musical heritage with jazz improvisation and innovation. “It is evident from the event that young Indian musicians are willing to experiment and take risks. If more support and systems can be set up to support this, it has a lot of potential given the incredible talent and history of music India possesses,” said Sahil Vasudeva, on the growing jazz movement in India. The event also featured a preview of the exhibition ‘From New Orleans to Bombay: The Journey of Jazz in India’, curated by the American Institute of Indian Studies, in collaboration with UNESCO and the India International Centre. This exhibition is open to the public from 1 to 10 May between 11 AM and 7 PM at the India International Centre Annexe in New Delhi. Contributed by Shraddha Chauhan (UNIC Intern)
This year, the UNESCO South Asia Regional Office in New Delhi, in collaboration with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Alliance Française de Delhi, the Polish Institute, and the Embassy of the Czech Republic, came together to organize an International Jazz Concert at the Stein Auditorium, India Habitat Centre.
From Dutch, French, and Polish musicians to Indian ensembles, the concert featured a diverse lineup of talented performers, offering a dynamic exploration of jazz's rich cultural and musical heritage from around the globe.The evening featured a performance by 'Soundscapes,' a fusion ensemble comprising Frank Bilsen from the Netherlands, Julien Perez from France, and Karan Chitra Deshmukh and Debasmita Bhattacharya from India, showcasing their fusion of Indian and Western music.
Drummer Tarun Balani and guitarist Siddharth Gautam mesmerized with Indian jazz, while Kuba Wójcik and Piotr Damasiewicz brought innovative Polish jazz to the stage.“Our goal is to transcend the musical and mental boundaries by drawing inspiration from the variety of cultures and environments” said the guitarist, Kuba Wójcik.The evening wrapped up with a collaborative jam session led by Dhruv Sangari, joined by Sahil Vasudeva, Makrand Sanon, Suhel Saeed Khan, Siraj, and Arina, blending Indian musical heritage with jazz improvisation and innovation. “It is evident from the event that young Indian musicians are willing to experiment and take risks. If more support and systems can be set up to support this, it has a lot of potential given the incredible talent and history of music India possesses,” said Sahil Vasudeva, on the growing jazz movement in India. The event also featured a preview of the exhibition ‘From New Orleans to Bombay: The Journey of Jazz in India’, curated by the American Institute of Indian Studies, in collaboration with UNESCO and the India International Centre. This exhibition is open to the public from 1 to 10 May between 11 AM and 7 PM at the India International Centre Annexe in New Delhi. Contributed by Shraddha Chauhan (UNIC Intern)
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Story
02 May 2024
Investing for a resilient tomorrow for all
Asia was the world’s most disaster-hit region in 2023, with floods and storms claiming the highest number of casualties. Recent satellite reports from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) show that glacial lakes in the Himalayas are expanding at a rapid scale, threatening lives of downstream communities. And just last month, parts of India recorded heatwave conditions, with day temperatures exceeding 40 degrees in several places. Rising climate-related uncertainty has accelerated calls to invest in financial and human resources to boost disaster resilient infrastructure. “Communities that contributed the least to climate change are paying the highest price,” United Nations in India Resident Coordinator Shombi Sharp told the International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, which was hosted by the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) in New Delhi.Weather extremes have greatly reduced the productivity of the vulnerable, journalist Jayashree Nandi said, as she moderated a high-level discussion on the theme ‘Investing today for a more resilient tomorrow’ at the conference, which brought together representatives from government bodies, the private sector and civil society. The most important infrastructure for climate change adaptation is infrastructure that has not been built yet, GeoHazards International Chief Operating Officer Dr. Janise Rodgers said during a panel discussion that also featured European Commission DG-INTPA Green Deal and the Digital Agenda Director Carla Montesi, Asian Development Bank Country Director for India Mio Oka and Miyamoto International CEO Dr. Kit Miyamoto. “When countries are forced to choose between the right to development and climate mitigation, they will choose development. We must together ensure the two go hand in hand, with resilience and climate justice for all through ample access to finance and technology,” Mr. Sharp said. CDRI Director General Amit Prothi lauded UN Women for highlighting the potential role that women play in their communities in responding to disaster, saying: “Adaptation is very local and often affects women a lot more. They may have a better understanding of how to come up with solutions on the ground and we need to look into building capacity”.Mr. Sharp stressed that the Summit of the Future, to be held at UN Headquarters in New York in September, will be an opportunity for Member States, communities and civil society to come together and contribute inputs about the reforms we need to strengthen multilateralism and partnerships.
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Story
29 April 2024
Lights out on fossil fuels, lights on for sustainable green energy
The rising frequency of climate-related disasters has intensified global calls for a rapid shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. The United Nations has established a new panel to ensure that the transition is equitable and transparent. India is among the 38 government, intergovernment and non-state members of the Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals, which has been tasked with protecting the human, environmental, and financial rights of resource-rich developing countries.Critical energy transition minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements are key components of clean energy technologies spanning solar panels to electric vehicle batteries. For developing countries with large reserves, the critical minerals boom presents an opportunity to create jobs and boost revenues. However, soaring demand has heightened fears of potential fallouts, ranging from adverse impacts on human rights and the environment to geopolitical tensions and market volatility.“The race to net zero cannot trample over the poor. The renewables revolution is happening – but we must guide it towards justice,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said at the launch of the panel. Besides eyeing a 30% Electric Vehicles share of all car sales by 2030, India has been actively working to engage with resource-rich countries for access to critical minerals as pathway to achieving the target of global net zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050.
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Story
18 April 2024
New report flags terror, Internet links to drug trade in South Asia
The illegal drug trade is rising in India and across South Asia, according to a new report that also warns that the trade is being used to fund terrorism. The annual report of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) 2023 shows that 39% of the world’s opiate users reside in South Asia. The report also highlights India's prominence as the primary market for opiates, noting an increased number of incidences of trafficking and the illicit opium cultivation in the country’s northeastern region. It also cautions about the influx of heroin from South-West Asia, particularly Afghanistan. Presenting key findings from the report at a special event this week at UN House in New Delhi, Jagjit Pavadia, INCB member and Chair of the Committee on Finance and Administration, stressed the importance of evidence-based treatments for drug users, especially those from vulnerable demographics. Ms. Pavadia also highlighted the environmental hazards linked to the drug trade, such as the detrimental impact of spraying illicit substances on crops and the carbon footprint associated with drug production. The report outlines a worrying trend: more drugs are being sold online, making them easier to get. Cyber-enabled drug trafficking is on the rise, which means illegal drugs are being sold on the dark web and crypto-markets. There are also more illegal online pharmacies selling drugs without needing a prescription. Senior Indian Government officials from the Department of Revenue, the Narcotics Control Bureau, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and the All India Institute Of Medical Science (AIIMS) participated in the report launch. The discussions disclosed how profits from drug trafficking are increasingly being funneled into funding terrorism and supporting armed groups. On rising incidents of narco-terrorism, the Deputy Director General of India’s Narcotics Control Bureau, Ms. Monika Ashish Batra, said: “Investigations indicate that proceeds of drug trafficking are increasingly being used to fund terrorism, and to support armed groups.”The UN Office on Drugs and Crime’s (UNODC) Regional Representative for South Asia, Marco Teixeira, noted that the UN has been providing local officers with hands-on training sessions on interdictions, investigations, seizures and prosecutions. “The collaboration between the Government of India, INCB and UNODC South Asia has allowed us to stay ahead of the curve by enriching officers' expertise with capacity building and training,” said Mr. Sunil Kumar Sinha, Principal Additional Director General, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence. Professor Yatan Pal Singh Balhara of the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre at AIIMS New Delhi emphasized a balanced approach, identifying effective prevention, treatment, and harm reduction as key to addressing the drug problem. Shombi Sharp, UN Resident Coordinator for India, underlined how the efforts to combat drugs are inter-connected to broader initiatives aimed at enhancing public health, reinforcing the rule of law, and fostering peace and security. UNODC works to educate people throughout the world about the dangers of drug abuse and to strengthen international action against illicit drug production and trafficking and drug-related crime. ***
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Press Release
09 May 2024
Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals
I am delighted to join you to launch our Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals. And I thank you all for your involvement – particularly our co-chairs – Your Excellency Nozipho Joyce Mxakato-Diseko of South Africa, and Your Excellency Ditte Juul Jørgensen of the European Commission. One principle shines from the heart of this initiative – justice: Justice for the communities where critical minerals are found; justice for developing countries in production and trade; and justice in the global energy revolution. That revolution is in full swing. New wind power was up sixty percent last year, compared to 2022; and new solar soared by eighty-five percent – according to the International Energy Agency. There’s no question: the lights are going out on the fossil fuel era. Delaying tactics from the fossil fuel industry can’t change that. Misinformation, distortion, and spin can’t change that – no matter how many billions of dollars are thrown at them. But to keep the worst of climate chaos at bay – by limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius – we must supercharge both the roll-out of renewables, and the phaseout of fossil-fuels. We need to flip the script. Between now and the end of this decade the share of electricity generated by fossil fuels must fall from sixty to thirty percent. And the share generated by renewables must rise from thirty to sixty percent – according to the IEA. Critical minerals are at the core of this shift. A world powered by renewables is a world hungry for copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt and rare earth metals: Electric cars need six times more of these minerals than cars powered by fossil fuels. Offshore wind farms need thirteen times more than similar gas power plants. In a world heading to net zero by 2050, the IEA projects demand for critical minerals multiplying three and a half times over this decade. For developing countries with large reserves, critical minerals are a critical opportunity: To create jobs, diversify economies, and dramatically boost revenues. Critical minerals could be a golden ticket to sustainable development. But only if they are managed properly. Too often, production of these minerals leaves a toxic cloud in its wake: pollution; wounded communities, childhoods lost to labour. And developing countries and communities have not reaped the benefits of their production and trade. This must change. As we reshape how we power our societies and economies, we cannot replace one dirty, exploitative, extractive industry with another. The race to net zero cannot trample over the poor. Developing countries cannot be shackled to the bottom of the clean energy value chain – relegated to suppliers of basic raw materials. Little wonder that resource-rich developing countries are calling for urgent action to ensure that they, and their communities, benefit from the production and trade of critical minerals; and that people and nature are protected. This Panel is an important part of the United Nations’ response. You – our panel members – from across government, industry, civil society and more – are evidence that there is a real desire to do things differently. Every voice must be heard. And I welcome your engagement. Your task is to develop a set of voluntary global principles to guide governments, industry and others involved in critical minerals value chains. These should address fairness, transparency, investment, sustainability and human rights. And they should draw from existing standards and initiatives – strengthening and consolidating them. I have asked for initial recommendations ahead of the UN General Assembly in September. The whole United Nations system is behind you. This work is complex – but the world cannot wait. The renewables revolution is happening – but we must guide it towards justice. Your vital work to help make that a reality starts today. Thank you. ***
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Press Release
09 May 2024
UN Secretary-General’s Press Encounter
As Passover ends, I once again express my solidarity with the victims of the unconscionable Hamas terror attacks of 7 October, with the hostages, and with their families and friends.Passover reminds us that the persecution of the Jews is as old as history itself. We all have a duty to speak out against all forms of antisemitism, in communities, in the media, and online.Nearly seven months after 7 October, the situation for people in Gaza is worsening by the day.I have called consistently for a humanitarian ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, and a massive surge in humanitarian aid.Unfortunately, that has not happened – yet.But negotiations are once again underway.For the sake of the people of Gaza, for the sake of the hostages and their families in Israel, and for the sake of the region and the wider world, I strongly encourage the government of Israel and the Hamas leadership to reach now an agreement.Without that, I fear the war, with all its consequences both in Gaza and across the region, will worsen exponentially.Recent weeks have seen airstrikes on the Rafah area.A military assault on Rafah would be an unbearable escalation, killing thousands more civilians and forcing hundreds of thousands to flee.It would have a devastating impact on Palestinians in Gaza, with serious repercussions on the occupied West Bank, and across the wider region.All members of the Security Council, and many other governments, have clearly expressed their opposition to such an operation. I appeal for all those with influence over Israel to do everything in their power to prevent it.More than 1.2 million people are now seeking shelter in Rafah governorate, most of them fleeing the Israeli bombardment that has reportedly killed over 34,000 people. They have very little to eat, hardly any access to medical care, little shelter, and nowhere safe to go.In northern Gaza, the most vulnerable – from sick children to people with disabilities – are already dying of hunger and disease.We must do everything possible to avert an entirely preventable, human-made famine.We have seen incremental progress recently, but much more is urgently needed -- including the promised opening of two crossing points between Israel and northern Gaza, so that aid can be brought into Gaza from Ashdod port and Jordan.Under international humanitarian law, civilians must be protected – and they must be able to receive the essentials they need to survive, including food, shelter, and health care.A major obstacle to distributing aid across Gaza is the lack of security for humanitarians and the people we serve. Humanitarian convoys, facilities and personnel, and people in need, must not be targets.We welcome aid delivery by air and sea, but there is no alternative to the massive use of land routes.I again call on the Israeli authorities to allow and facilitate safe, rapid and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid and humanitarian workers, including UNRWA, throughout Gaza.The health system in Gaza has been decimated by the war. Two-thirds of hospitals and health centres are out of action; many of those that remain are seriously damaged.Some hospitals now resemble cemeteries.I am deeply alarmed by reports that mass graves have been discovered in several locations in Gaza, including Al Shifa Medical Complex and Nasser Medical Complex.In Nasser alone, over 390 bodies have reportedly been exhumed.There are competing narratives around several of these mass graves, including serious allegations that some of those buried were unlawfully killed.It is imperative that independent international investigators, with forensic expertise, are allowed immediate access to the sites of these mass graves, to establish the precise circumstances under which hundreds of Palestinians lost their lives and were buried, or reburied.The families of the dead and missing have a right to know what happened. And the world has a right to accountability for any violations of international law that may have taken place.Hospitals, health workers, patients and all civilians must be protected. The human rights of all must be respected.I would like to conclude with a few words about UNRWA.We recognize the irreplaceable and indispensable work of UNRWA to support millions of people in Gaza, the occupied West Bank including East Jerusalem, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.Following the report by Ms. Catherine Colonna on mechanisms and procedures to ensure UNRWA’s adherence to the humanitarian principle of neutrality, an action plan is being put in place to implement the recommendations of the report.I appeal to donors, host countries and staff to cooperate with this effort.Most countries had suspended contributions to UNRWA, but many of them have resumed them. We are optimistic that others will join. And some Member States are giving to UNRWA for the first time. The generosity of private donors around the world is also heartening and unprecedented. But we still have a funding gap.I call on Member States, both traditional and new donors, to pledge funds generously to ensure the continuity of the agency’s operations.UNRWA’s presence across the region is a source of hope and stability. Its education, healthcare and other services provide a sense of normality, safety and stability to desperate communities.This is the moment to reaffirm our hope for, and contributions to, a two-state solution -- the only sustainable path to peace and security for Israelis, Palestinians, and the wider region.The United Nations is totally committed to supporting a pathway to peace, based on an end to the occupation and the establishment of a fully independent, democratic, viable, contiguous, and sovereign Palestinian State, with Gaza as an integral part.Thank you.[END]Questions and Answers: Question: Thank you, Secretary-General, Michelle Nichols from Reuters. You've mentioned, you've called a lot on countries with influence over Israel to prevent a Rafah assault, to help increase aid access. What leverage do you think the United States should use now to do that? Secretary-General: I think it is very important to put all possible pressure in order to avoid what would be an absolutely devastating tragedy. Question: Thank you, Ibtisam Azem, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed Newspaper. I have first a question regarding… today, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, issued a statement, and he said he was troubled by the series of heavy-handed steps taken to dismantle protest actions at universities and campuses in the United States. Do you have comments on that? And then the second part of the question is regarding settlements and settler violence. And what do you want… would like to see countries doing in order to stop the next explosion that is probably around the corner there? Thank you. Secretary-General: Well, first of all, I think it is essential in all circumstances to guarantee the freedom of expression and the freedom of peaceful demonstration. And at the same time, it is obvious that hate speech is unacceptable. Based on my experience in government, I believe it is up to the university authorities to have the wisdom to properly manage situations like the ones we have witnessed.The second question: Settlements are illegal in themselves. Settlements are an obstacle to peace. Settlements are an obstacle to the two-state solution. And not only settlements are illegal, but the violence of settlers has been one of the most serious aggravating factors of the very dramatic situation that we have now in the West Bank. And obviously, this should also be a matter that would deserve full accountability.Thank you.***
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Press Release
09 May 2024
UN-convened Panel to address equity, sustainability and human rights across the value chains of critical energy transition minerals
New York, 26 April 2024 -- With ever-growing needs for minerals that are critical for renewable energy technologies, Secretary-General António Guterres is leveraging the United Nations’ convening power to bring together a diverse group of governments and other stakeholders across the entire minerals value chain to develop a set of global common and voluntary principles to safeguard environmental and social standards and embed justice, in the energy transition.A newly established Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals -- co-chaired by Ambassador Nozipho Joyce Mxakato-Diseko of South Africa and Director-General for Energy Ditte Juul Jørgensen of the European Commission -- will address issues relating to equity, transparency, investment, sustainability and human rights. “A world powered by renewables is a world hungry for critical minerals,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said at the launch of the Panel. “For developing countries, critical minerals are a critical opportunity -- to create jobs, diversify economies, and dramatically boost revenues. But only if they are managed properly. The race to net zero cannot trample over the poor. The renewables revolution is happening – but we must guide it towards justice.” “In establishing the Panel, the UN Secretary-General is commendably responding to a normative gap identified by many countries, especially developing countries, related to critical minerals and rare earths required for sustainable development and just transitions,” Ambassador Mxakato Diseko said. “The objective of the Panel, aligned to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the United Nations Framework Agreement on Climate Change and its Paris Agreement, is to build trust and certainty towards harnessing the potential of these minerals to be utilized to unlock shared prosperity, leaving no one and no place behind”. Director-General for Energy Ditte Juul Jørgensen said, “the global energy goals we all agreed at COP28 require a rapid scale-up in the manufacturing and deployment of renewables globally and critical energy transition minerals. I am honored to have been asked by the UN Secretary-General to co-chair this panel and help develop principles to ensure a fair and transparent approach globally and for local communities in the entire value chain, – upholding the highest sustainability and human development standards.” Limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, to avert the worst impacts of climate change, will depend on the sufficient, reliable and affordable supply of critical energy transition minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements, which are essential components of clean energy technologies – from wind turbines and solar panels to electric vehicles and battery storage. At COP28, governments agreed to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030. There is no pathway to achieving this goal without a significant increase of supply of critical energy transition minerals. According to the International Energy Agency, mineral demand for clean energy applications is set to grow by three and a half times by 2030 on the pathway to reaching global net zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. Developing countries with large reserves of critical energy transition minerals have an opportunity to transform and diversify their economies, create green jobs, and foster sustainable local development. However, mineral resource development has not always met this promise. Increased demand for these minerals and their geographical concentration risk perpetuating commodity dependence, exacerbating geopolitical tensions and pose environmental and social challenges with adverse impacts on sustainable development including on livelihoods, the environment, health, human security and human rights. Responding to calls from developing countries for globally agreed guidance to ensure responsible, fair and just value chains, the UN-convened Panel brings together governments, intergovernmental and international organizations, industry, and civil society to build trust, guide the just transition and accelerate the race to renewables. The panel builds on existing UN initiatives, particularly the Working Group on Transforming the Extractive Industries for Sustainable Development and its flagship initiative on ‘Harnessing Critical Energy Transition Minerals for Sustainable Development’ and will draw from existing standards and initiatives to strengthen and consolidate existing efforts. List of panel members: Government and intergovernmental actors 1. African Union 2. Australia 3. Botswana 4. Brazil 5. Chile 6. China 7. Colombia 8. Democratic Republic of the Congo 9. Egypt 10. European Union 11. India 12. Indonesia 13. Japan 14. Kazakhstan 15. Namibia 16. South Africa17. United Arab Emirates 18. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 19. United States of America 20. Viet Nam 21. Zambia 22. Zimbabwe
Non-State Actors23. Climate Action Network International 24. Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative 25. Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance 26. International Council on Mining and Metals 27. International Energy Agency 28. Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development29. IndustriALL Global Union 30. International Renewable Energy Agency 31. Natural Resource Governance Institute 32. Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development 33. Principles for Responsible Investment 34. United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues 35. United Nations Secretary-General’s Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change 36. World Bank For more information visit: https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/critical-minerals
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Non-State Actors23. Climate Action Network International 24. Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative 25. Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance 26. International Council on Mining and Metals 27. International Energy Agency 28. Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development29. IndustriALL Global Union 30. International Renewable Energy Agency 31. Natural Resource Governance Institute 32. Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development 33. Principles for Responsible Investment 34. United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues 35. United Nations Secretary-General’s Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change 36. World Bank For more information visit: https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/critical-minerals
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Press Release
09 May 2024
Launch of the 2024 Global Report on Food Crises
The latest Global Report on Food Crises is a roll call of human failings. In a world of plenty, children are starving to death. Last year, almost three hundred million people faced food crisis. The number of people on the cusp of famine doubled – to over 700,000. Gaza has the highest number of people facing catastrophic hunger ever recorded by the Global Report on Food Crises. And conflict in Sudan has created the world’s largest internal displacement crisis. That means hunger and malnutrition for millions, particularly women and children.The global food crisis requires an urgent global response. We must transform food systems. And the data in this report plays a vital role. So does finance. Governments must boost funding for ending hunger: By putting our proposals for an SDG Stimulus into action in support of developing countries, and fully funding humanitarian operations. And they must follow-up on the Call to Action on Food Systems transformation. With commitment and concerted action, we can create a world where hunger has no home. Let’s get going – today.[END]VIDEO MESSAGEhttps://s3.amazonaws.com/downloads2.unmultimedia.org/public/video/evergreen/MSG+SG+/SG+12+Apr+24/3196459_MSG+SG+GLOBAL+REPORT+FOOD+CRISIS+12+APR+24.mp4
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Press Release
24 April 2024
International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace
The International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace highlights a fundamental truth: no country can solve today’s challenges alone.Dialogue, diplomacy and multilateral solutions provide the surest path to a peaceful and just world. These eternal ideals form the foundation of the United Nations Charter and drive global efforts to safeguard human rights and forge hope, prosperity and peace for all people.But around the world, conflicts, climate catastrophe, poverty and inequalities create enormous obstacles to diplomacy and multilateral solutions. Collaboration is consumed by competition; dialogue is overtaken by relentless division.Diplomacy and the multilateral system itself were created precisely for moments like this. We need to resurrect a new spirit of global cooperation to rebuild trust, heal divisions, and place humanity on the path to peace.The Summit of the Future this September will be a critical opportunity for countries to share solutions. A New Agenda for Peace that takes a holistic approach to the drivers of conflict can help to restore faith in the multilateral system and what we can accomplish by working as one.On this important day, I call on all Governments and leaders to spare no effort to bridge divides, renew dialogue and trust, and deliver a peaceful future.[END]For more information and resources at the following link:https://www.un.org/en/observances/multilateralism-for-peace-day
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