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UN Interviews

United Nations

<p>UN News interviews a wide range of people from senior news-making officials at Headquarters in New York, to advocates and beneficiaries from across the world who have a stake in helping the UN go about its often life-saving work in the field.</p>

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Today · 6 min
Nepal: With over two million tonnes of debris to clear, rebuilding ‘will take time’
Two weeks after a glacier collapse triggered devastating floods in northern Nepal, entire communities remain cut off, homes lie buried under tonnes of rubble, and families are still waiting for news of loved ones. According to latest figures from the UN humanitarian affairs office, 1,267 people have died and some 5,132 remain missing, while the UN estimates the disaster created at least 2.2 million tonnes of debris. The regional director for UN field operations arm UNOPS, Sara Netzer, was on the ground following the floods that affected around 84,000 people. In an interview with UN News’s Nancy Sarkis, she says the scale of destruction is unlike anything she saw after Nepal’s 2015 earthquake, and that rebuilding will take time.
September 2 · 14 min
‘Their school is everything’: Palestinian children face learning crisis
As a new school year begins, classrooms are reopening and children are returning to their studies – but that’s not the case for many young Palestinians. For many in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon, schools run by the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, have provided a pathway to opportunity for generations, with some 2.5 million students graduating. However, financial constraints and conflict have disrupted or shattered their progress, threatening to further derail their prospects for the future. In an interview with UN News’s Reem Abaza, UNRWA Director of Education Julia Dicon discusses what education means to Palestine refugee children and why sustained support is critical.
August 27 · 14 min
UNRWA: A vital lifeline for Palestine refugees amid shrinking humanitarian space
Despite increasingly difficult conditions, the UN relief agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, continues to operate on the ground, remaining a vital lifeline and providing education, healthcare, humanitarian aid and social protection in Gaza and the West Bank. Roland Friedrich, director of UNRWA Affairs in the West Bank, spoke to UN News’ Reem Abaza and stressed that the issue goes beyond the agency itself, saying the “restoration of respect for the United Nations at large and for UNRWA as an agency mandated by the General Assembly” is essential. He warned that shrinking humanitarian space and displacement are dangerous trends and underlined that urgency of returning to a credible pathway towards the two-State solution and eventually a situation where UNRWA as an agency “does not have to do its work anymore because the conflict is moving towards a solution”.
August 23 · 9 min
Inside UNICEF’s race to deliver life-saving supplies within 72 hours of an emergency
When an emergency strikes, the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, aims to get life-saving supplies moving within 72 hours. UNICEF’s emergency response includes health, water and sanitation, education and recreation kits, as well as critical support for vaccine cold chains. At its major humanitarian supply hub in Copenhagen, Denmark, emergency kits are pre-positioned and ready to be dispatched to countries affected by conflict or natural disasters. Erika Abs, UNICEF Emergency Supply and Logistics Coordinator, spoke to UN News’s Felipe de Carvalho and explained why much of the most important work happens before emergencies even begin.
August 22 · 8 min
AI offers new opportunities to transform agriculture across Africa
Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used to support agriculture across Africa, helping farmers access weather, crop and market information. But the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says better connectivity, reliable infrastructure, relevant data and digital skills are needed to ensure smallholder farmers can benefit from these technologies. Meshack Malo, FAO’s Deputy Regional Representative for Africa, told UN News’s Feissal Kirwa that fewer than 10 per cent of farmers are currently benefiting from digital agriculture services, with rural communities particularly affected by limited connectivity.
August 20 · 10 min
Preserving victims’ stories helps prevent hatred and division
Acts of terrorism driven by hateful ideologies continue to injure, harm and kill thousands of innocent people each year. For Hassan Ndugwa – a survivor of the 2010 terrorist attack targeting a screening of the football World Cup Final in Kampala, Uganda – the experience became a call for action. Angered by the misrepresentation of Islam in the aftermath of the attacks, Mr. Ndugwa and a fellow survivor founded the Uganda Muslim Youth Development Forum to prevent violent extremism and promote peace through religious and community engagement. In an interview with UN News’s Assumpta Massoi, he emphasised the importance of survivor voices and the role of remembrance in healing.
August 19 · 7 min
The first 48 hours: how the UN mobilises when disaster strikes
When a major disaster strikes, the first hours are critical. Within 48 hours of receiving a formal request from an affected country, the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) system can deploy a team of experts to support national emergency response. The teams, managed and trained by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), bring together specialists from different countries and organisations, based on the specific needs identified on the ground. Sérgio da Silva, leader of the UNDAC team, explained to UN News’s Felipe de Carvalho how this global network is mobilised in the immediate aftermath of earthquakes, floods, hurricanes and other environmental or man-made disasters.
August 14 · 4 min
Repurposing fashion in the name of world peace
Can fashion help bring people together as well as set trends and mould culture worldwide? Fashion designer and environmentalist Runa Ray believes it can. Her exhibition Repurposing Fashion: Reimagining Peace, now open at UN Headquarters in New York, transforms discarded textiles into works of art carrying messages of peace from 30 countries. Speaking to UN News' Cristina Silveiro, she explains why she believes "fashion has a greater purpose" than glamour alone
August 13 · 6 min
Ebola response must be ‘faster, longer and more’: Senior WHO official
Scaling up Ebola response in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo must include measures such as increased surveillance, more transport options to bring patients to treatment centres and greater engagement with the public. That’s the message from Dr. Anne Ancia, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Representative in the country, speaking from Bunia – the epicentre of the crisis. She told UN News’s Eleuterio Guevane that communities are also asking for the international community to address other health pressing concerns in a region where women still die in childbirth and people are facing famine-like conditions. She began by outlining the immense needs, and the vast amount of work that still needs to be done.
August 10 · 4 min
UN moves to support Colombia's earthquake response
Colombia's search and rescue operations continue after Monday's magnitude 7.4 earthquake, which has killed at least 111 people. The United Nations is now assessing where its presence and resources can be most useful. UN Resident Coordinator in Colombia María José Torres Macho said the Government has already reached out to the UN, and the Organization has teams on the ground in some of the hardest-hit areas – with potential support ahead in food security, health, water and sanitation, and protection. She said UN teams are also beginning to look past the emergency, toward recovery and reconstruction. Laura Quiñones spoke with her about the situation and what comes next.
August 4 · 4 min
‘We can’t stop operating,’ says top UN peacekeeper on Ebola frontline
With the worst Ebola outbreak in the history of DR Congo still raging, UN peacekeepers must continue to protect civilians from both the virus and violence at the hands of multiple armed groups operating in the region, the Force Commander there has told UN News. MONUSCO's General Ulisses de Mesquita Gomes said 'blue helmets' had increased their presence to ensure civilians are fully protected, while troops were working with local authorities and the World Health Organization to ensure there is enough security amid the outbreak. He told Eleuterio Guevane troops were playing other key roles including conducting vital community awareness campaigns and establishing rapid mobile operating bases to protect treatment centres.
July 24 · 12 min
‘Judicial work affects every element in our societies’
Every day, judges make decisions that change lives forever. They do so while reckoning with some of the worst of human nature, overwhelming workloads and constant public scrutiny - pressures that can ultimately affect the quality of justice they deliver. The Honorable Rangajeeva Wimalasena, Judge of the National and Supreme Courts of Papua New Guinea, told UN News that judicial well-being is not simply about providing support for the profession, it's also about safeguarding the integrity of courts and ensuring fair, impartial justice for all. He spoke to Jolina Dong – who last year saw the law in action up close after interning at the US Supreme Court – just ahead of the International Day of Judicial Well-being on 25 July.
July 24 · 9 min
UN Humanitarian Air Service delivers aid - and hope - to those who need it most
Operating in some of the world’s worst humanitarian hotspots, the World Food Programme’s (WFP) aviation service is the backbone of emergency relief efforts and a lifeline for isolated communities. From war-torn Sudan to Ebola-affected eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and beyond, millions of civilians rely on aid to survive. In turn, more than 680 humanitarian organizations worldwide count on the UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) to reach populations cut off by conflict, disease or natural disaster. Hedley Tah, UNHAS Head of External Relations, spoke to UN News’s Nathalie Minard about the critical role the service plays.
July 22 · 6 min
‘De-escalation’ of conflict needed before ships can pass through Strait of Hormuz
Little progress has been made for the future management of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway through which an estimated 20 per cent of the world’s oils and gas supplies pass and which is now effectively closed as Iran and the United States continue to ratchet up strikes and counterstrikes. That’s according to the head of the UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO), Arsenio Dominguez, who told UN News that some 6,000 seafarers are still trapped on around 500 ships, in the Persian Gulf behind the strait. IMO is advising shipping not to attempt the passage until the conflict has been resolved. Daniel Dickinson spoke to Mr. Dominguez about what options are available to reopen the waterway but began by asking him for an update on the current situation in the gulf.
July 22 · 7 min
Studying at the UN to fight climate change at home
For Elisha Acheampong Darko, the climate crisis is personal. Since losing his friend to a flood in Ghana, which he attributes partially to climate change, Mr. Darko has worked to empower young people to fight for climate justice. As an undergraduate student at the University of Education, Winneba, in Ghana, Mr. Darko founded Join Me Today, a youth-led organization dedicated to protecting the environment from pollution and climate-related hazards. UN News’ Isaiah Steinberg asked him how a degree from the UN University fits into his journey in climate research and civil society.
July 22 · 5 min
‘Critical minerals boom must protect Indigenous Peoples’ rights’
As demand continues to grow for the critical minerals that power our mobile phones, electric cars and more, who’s looking out for the mainly indigenous peoples whose territories contain the vast majority of these natural riches? Tackling the issue from a human rights angle is UN Human Rights Council-appointed independent rights expert on climate change, Eliza Morgera, who’s been talking to UN News’s Daniel Johnson on the same day as the Security Council meets to discuss how to ensure that critical minerals extraction promotes peace and development, rather than conflict.
July 16 · 5 min
Helping South Sudan’s child soldiers to rebuild their lives
Too often, children are casualties of war. Sometimes, they’re even forced to fight. That’s the case in South Sudan, where UNICEF – the UN Children’s Fund, together with the UN mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) – work with the Government to support the release and reintegration of underage fighters. Daniel Johnson spoke to the agency’s South Sudan Chief of Child Protection, Brendan Ross, from the capital Juba.
July 13 · 8 min
UNDP creates AI platform to support local businesses in Zanzibar
On the Tanzanian archipelago of Zanzibar, the Government and local businesses faced a challenge: they relied on surveys conducted only once per year, making it difficult to quickly respond to travelers’ needs. Following conversations with the Tanzanian government on how to advance development and grow the tourism industry, the UN Development Programme, or UNDP, created a platform called Jozani AI – named after a national forest in Zanzibar – to empower the local government and local businesses to make more informed decisions. That’s just one example of how, even as the UN works to create a global governance framework for artificial intelligence, it is also using the technology to address global challenges and improve people’s lives. The UNDP’s Deputy Resident Representative in Tanzania is John Rutere. UN News’ Isaiah Steinberg asked him how Jozani AI is helping people in Tanzania.
July 10 · 8 min
Haiti: Violence surge may signal gangs bracing for tougher security operations
An upsurge in violence in Haiti could be in anticipation of more “assertive operations” by the recently formed UN-backed Gang Suppression Force as rival gangs in the beleaguered Caribbean Island nation fight for control of territory and resources. Gangs control the vast majority of the capital Port-au-Prince, and terrorize the population with murder, rape and kidnapping for ransom. Some 1.5 million Haitians have been driven from their homes by the gangs. The UN Designated Expert on Human Rights in Haiti, William O’Neill, is a frequent visitor to the country. UN News’s Daniel Dickinson asked him what is driving the increase in violence.
July 8 · 9 min
Stronger maternal health systems, key to ending obstetric fistula
Professor Serigne Gueye, a Senegalese urologist and world expert on obstetric fistula, has spent decades helping women recover from one of the most devastating – yet preventable – childbirth injuries. Honoured with this year’s UN Population Award, he has treated patients across Africa, trained surgeons from more than 45 countries and championed access to quality maternal services. In an interview with UN News’s Ana Carmo, Professor Gueye said eliminating obstetric fistula depends on stronger maternal health systems and universal access to emergency obstetric care.

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