United Nations Revises 2026 Budget, Pairing Cost Reductions With Reforms

United Nations Revises 2026 Budget, Pairing Cost Reductions With Reforms

UN Budget Cuts and Reform Proposals Sent to ACABQ for Review The United Nations has submitted revised budget estimates to the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), proposing a 15.1 per cent reduction in resources and an 18.8 per cent cut in posts in the regular budget compared with 2025. The support account […]

Facing rising risks, landlocked nations launch climate alliance at UN summit

Facing rising risks, landlocked nations launch climate alliance at UN summit

Operating within the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the group aims to amplify their voices in global climate talks, where their distinct vulnerabilities have long been overlooked. Disproportionate climate risks Although LLDCs account for approximately 12 per cent of the world’s land surface, they have experienced nearly 20 per cent of the world’s […]

Geography shouldn’t define destiny: UN summit on landlocked nations opens in Turkmenistan

Geography shouldn’t define destiny: UN summit on landlocked nations opens in Turkmenistan

Urging global leaders to rethink development for landlocked nations, the UN chief declared: “We gather today to reaffirm a fundamental truth: geography should never define destiny.” According to the UN Development Programme, of the 32 landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) worldwide, 16 are in Africa, 10 in Asia, four in Europe, and two in Latin America. […]

Security Council, in unanimous vote, presses nations to resolve disputes peacefully

Security Council, in unanimous vote, presses nations to resolve disputes peacefully

The text, sponsored by Pakistan and adopted unanimously, reiterated that all States “shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means through dialogue, diplomatic engagement and cooperation in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered.” It also reiterated that nations must “refrain in their international relations from the threat or […]

UN’s Guterres declares fossil fuel era fading; presses nations for new climate plans before COP30 summit

UN’s Guterres declares fossil fuel era fading; presses nations for new climate plans before COP30 summit

In a special address at UN Headquarters in New York, Mr. Guterres cited surging clean energy investment and plunging solar and wind costs that now outcompete fossil fuels. “The energy transition is unstoppable, but the transition is not yet fast enough or fair enough,” he said. The speech, A Moment of Opportunity: Supercharging the Clean […]

Nations adopt historic pledge to guard against future pandemics

Nations adopt historic pledge to guard against future pandemics

The effects of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic are still being felt. Around seven million people died, health systems were overwhelmed, and the global economy was practically driven to a standstill. The global turmoil prompted a stunned international community to pursue an agreement aimed at preventing such a catastrophic event from happening again – and ensuring […]

Stuck in the middle? Indebted nations plot path to growth amid global trade upheaval

Stuck in the middle? Indebted nations plot path to growth amid global trade upheaval

The High-Level Conference of Middle-Income Countries (MICs), held on 28 and 29 April, was attended by senior representatives from 24 MICs, many of which are highly indebted, leaving them little room for spending on developing their economies. Since 2000, only 27 countries transitioned from middle income to high-income status, and many have experienced reversals back […]