Space technology is contributing to the reconstruction of one of the world's most iconic heritage sites: Timbuktu in northern Mali. That's according to an Information Management specialist with the UN Development Programme (UNDP), Bertrand Frot. He said UNDP is helping to rebuild the centuries-old city, which was destroyed by conflict over the past few years; [...]

Countries that do not have their own space programmes could soon be reaching for the stars through a partnership between the United Nations and an American space and aviation company. The UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) plan to launch the first dedicated UN space mission within the [...]

Burundi Commission of Inquiry members appointed The appointment has been announced of a special UN panel of rights experts tasked with investigating abuses in Burundi and ensuring justice for victims. The three members of the Commission of Inquiry are Fatsah Ouguergouz, from Algeria, Reina Alapini Gansu from Benin and Francoise Hampson from the United Kingdom. [...]

The political will to implement an international climate agreement "absolutely" exists, according to the European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy. A two-week long meeting in Marrakech, Morocco, on climate change issues has been assessing progress towards realizing the Paris Agreement which aims to keep global temperature rises to below two degrees Celsius. Basma Baghall [...]

Young people are interested in democracy but don't get involved enough because of rules preventing their participation, and that needs to change, the UN Special Envoy for Youth said on Tuesday. Launching the Not Too Young To Run Campaign, UN Envoy for Youth Ahmad Alhendawi said that in Nigeria, the voting age is 18, but [...]

Listen to a bulletin of news and features from United Nations Radio, with Jocelyne Sambira and Daniel Dickinson. Today: You'll hear how armed groups are using water as a "weapon of war" And … the UN launches a "Not Too Young to Run" global campaign

The world has a "moral responsibility" to assist climate-vulnerable countries, the head of the Lebanese delegation at the recent UN climate conference in Marrakech has urged. These 47 "frontline" nations that are disproportionately affected by the warming of the planet formed an international partnership in 2009 named the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVM). The UN's nuclear [...]

From Syria to Iraq and Gaza, water services are being deliberately attacked or used as leverage in negotiations, members of the UN Security Council heard on Tuesday. The Council examined the role of water as a driver of conflict and the need to protect this essential resource in the context of war. Depriving people of [...]

Promoting gender equality must not be "devoid" of local culture, religion and realities of one's country; according to a UN official. Monjurul Kabir is UN Women's Senior Programme Advisor and Global Lead on South-South and Triangular Cooperation, a broad framework of collaboration between countries in the southern hemisphere. The UN agency has engaged in promoting [...]

With the cost of space technology decreasing and innovations increasing, it is not farfetched to believe that everyone will one day have access to outer space. That's the opinion of the chairman of a company that is looking to mine asteroids to extract the materials that they contain. Ric Tumlinson of Deep Space Industries was [...]