UN Interviews

UN migration agency IOM, is working to identify and address what forces people to move when it comes to the conflict in Ukraine, Ugochi Daniels, Deputy Director General for Operations has told UN News.

Returning recently from Moldova and Ukraine, Ms. Daniels shared her reflections with UN News’s Caitlin Kelly on the situation and movement of people across the war-scarred region. 

Nathalie Fustier, UN Resident Coordinator in Morocco, says the UN is ready to assist the Government in any way needed as the huge search and rescue effort continues following Friday night's deadly earthquake. Ms. Fustier spoke to UN News's Reem Abaza from the capital, Rabat.

As the world observes the International Day for People of African Descent on 31 August, progress on eradicating racism is mixed and the road to equality and justice remains long.

Renowned historian Verene Shepherd, who chairs the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), sat down with UN News’s Dominika Tomaszewska-Mortimer to talk about how the human rights body works with States towards this goal. 

Professor Shepherd also recounted how her own experiences as a woman of African descent strengthened her resolve and fuelled her anti-racist advocacy.

The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child issued legal guidance on Monday outlining measures governments must take to protect children from climate change.

It cements the connection between children’s rights and the environmental crisis, marking a major step forward in ensuring they live in a clean, healthy and sustainable world.

UN News’s Bessie Du spoke to Āniva Clarke, a 17-year-old climate activist from Samoa and member of the Children’s Advisory Team supporting the consultation process. 

Āniva began by talking about her own activism, how climate change is affecting Samoa and other Pacific islands, and why the guidance could make ‘a huge difference’ for young people worldwide.

The UN Mission in Mali, MINUSMA, has begun its gradual withdrawal from the country at the request of Mali’s transitional authorities which is mandated by the Security Council to be complete by the last day of the year.

Shortly before the Council met to discuss the latest situation in Mali on Monday, the head of MINUSMA, El-Ghassim Wane, spoke exclusively to UN News. 

In his interview with Jerome Bernard, he had a powerful message for the Malian people: “MINUSMA is leaving, but the UN is staying”. 

The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child issued legal guidance on Monday outlining measures Governments must take to protect children from climate change.

General Comment No. 26 highlights the connection between children’s rights and the environmental crisis, marking a major step forward in ensuring that they live in a clean, healthy and sustainable world.

UN News’s Bessie Du spoke to Āniva Clarke, a 17-year-old climate activist from Samoa and member of the Children’s Advisory Team helping to spread awareness about the new guidance.

Āniva began by talking about her own activism, how climate change is affecting Samoa and other Pacific islands, and why General Comment No. 26 will make ‘a huge difference’ for children and young people worldwide.

The top UN official in Libya has underscored the importance of inclusive and transparent elections for peace and security in the country.

Abdoulaye Bathily, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) was in New York this week to brief the Security Council.

Mr. Bathily spoke to UN News’s Khaled Mohamed about why stability in Libya is also critical to regional security.

The envoy began by detailing his recent intensified consultations with major players, and ordinary citizens, in Libya. 

Millions of people in Niger could fall further into severe food insecurity due to the impact of sanctions in the wake of the 26 July power grab, the World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday.

Some 4.3 million people in the country need assistance, including 3.3 million facing severe food insecurity. Another 7.3 million were already facing moderate food insecurity prior to the crisis and are at risk of falling deeper into hunger.

UN News’s Cristina Silveiro spoke with Jean-Noel Gentile, the WFP Representative in Niger, who said $92 million is still needed to maintain its operations between September and February. 

The UN is standing by the people of Niger as border closures increasingly impact the movement of lifesaving supplies into the country which has been wracked by the fallout from last month’s military takeover.

That’s according to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Representative in the country, Stefano Savi, who issued a plea for restrictions to end, allowing aid stranded at logistics hubs such as polio and measles vaccines, into the landlocked West African nation.

Florence Westergard from our UN News French service began by asking him to outline the needs faced by vulnerable Nigeriens today.

The parents of an American teenager killed in one of the nation’s worst school shootings are hoping the international community will do more to end gun violence.

Manuel and Patricia Oliver visited the UN this week for a tour and briefing, part of their cross-country road trip visiting communities affected by mass shootings.  

Their son Joaquin, 17, was murdered in Florida’s Parkland high school shooting in February 2018 but lives on through their non-profit Change the Ref, which uses art and non-violent creative confrontation to raise awareness about mass shootings.

Dianne Penn spoke with the Olivers, who came to the UN through the Non-Violence Project Foundation, a non-governmental organization that has consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

John McKenna, US Country Director, began by providing an example of how art, activism, non-violence and peace, are linked here at UN Headquarters in New York.