GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - The World Trade Organization (WTO), the World Bank Group (WBG) and the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Thursday launched an initiative to help developing economies meet their climate change mitigation and adaptation goals through trade. The initiative Action on Climate and Trade (ACT) . which starts with...

The global economic slowdown and swelling interest rates are pummeling debt-ridden developing countries, the UN warned, urging bold global action to ward off catastrophe. In a fresh report, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development cautioned that poorer countries were expected to suffer as higher interest rates eat away...

The World Trade Organization said 2023 global trade growth would be slightly better than feared, but would remain "subpar", weighed down by the Ukraine war and stubbornly high inflation. Presenting their annual trade forecast, WTO economists said they expected to see the volume of global merchandise trade slow to 1.7...

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - The Red Cross announced Tuesday that it would cut 1,500 jobs over the next 12 months in a drive to slash costs due to a funding crunch. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said an expected drop in humanitarian assistance budgets over the next two years...

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - The global transition to renewable energy will require greater investment in integrated weather and climate services, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said. This investment is critical to ensure that energy infrastructure is resilient to climate-related shocks and to harness the power of energy generated from sources such...

The UN rights chief called for Libyan authorities and the international community to step up accountability efforts in the conflict-ravaged country, as a probe into war crimes wrapped up. "Libyan authorities, armed groups, smugglers and human traffickers should not assume that the eyes of the international community have now left...

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - The WTO’s annual Public Forum 2023 will focus this year on how trade can contribute to a greener, more sustainable future. The Forum will examine in particular how the services sector, digitalization and inclusive trade policies can support global environmental goals and help combat the climate crisis....

Sheikh Thani Bin Abdullah Bin Thani Al-Thani of Qatar, who serves as a UNHCR advocate, has been the biggest contributor to the fund, providing more than $110 million to date, or more than half of total contributions.

Consultations to prolong Ukrainian grain exports deal are continuing, the UN said, after a Russian proposal for just a 60-day extension cast doubt over its fate. "The United Nations will do everything possible to preserve the integrity of the agreement and ensure its continuity," Jens Laerke, spokesman for the United...

Russia has agreed to extend the Ukraine grain export deal following talks with the United Nations - but only for a further 60 days. Moscow said it wanted to see "tangible progress" on a parallel agreement on Russian exports before the deal comes up for renewal again.

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - The world failed to act quickly enough to rush life-saving aid to Syrians in desperate need following the devastating earthquake, United Nations investigators said Monday. The quake response was characterized by failures by the government, other factions in the civil war, the international community and the UN itself,...

Last week, Lagarde said that more interest rate hikes might be needed in the eurozone after the half percentage point hike it has already signaled will come later this month.

The UN announced that it had taken a significant step towards trying to fill a key gap in the fight against climate change: standardized, real-time tracking of greenhouse gases. The UN's World Meteorological Organization has come up with a new Global Greenhouse Gas Monitoring Infrastructure that aims to provide better...

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND -  The United Arab Emirates is participating in the 52nd session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland  which started Monday and will continue until April 4. The head of the UAE delegation Ahmed Abdul Rahman Al-Jarman, Permanent Representative of the UAE to the United Nations and...

Since March 2021, bank's stock lost over 75% of value.

The World Health Organization called for greater investment in combating neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), which left over 1.6 billion people, often in least-developed countries, requiring treatment in 2021. NTDs are a diverse group of conditions found mainly in tropical regions that include dengue, leprosy and rabies. The WHO said NTDs...

The World Health Organization appealed for US$2.54 billion for its work in 2023 to help millions of people facing health emergencies around the world. WHO said that it was currently responding to an unprecedented number of intersecting health emergencies. It pointed to the health impacts of conflicts in Ukraine, Yemen,...

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - Efforts to eliminate industrially-produced fat have a long way to go with five billion people exposed to toxic fat added to many food products, the UN health agency said Monday. The World Health Organization called in 2018 for harmful trans fatty acids to be wiped out by 2023....

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND– The current energy crisis is driving inflation, slowing economic growth, creating social turmoil and the world should not add to this crisis by actions which derail the energy transition, a World Economic Forum (WEF) report says. The report said that steps such as increasing production of electricity from...

Globally, traffic is now at 75.3% of November 2019 levels, according to the report.

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - Climate change is fueling a global cholera upsurge, the WHO said Friday, warning the situation was compounded by vaccine shortages and will only worsen unless it is stamped out soon. The World Health Organization is responding to cholera outbreaks in 29 countries, including Haiti, which has over 1,200...

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - The International Finance Corporation (IFC) and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, Friday announced a joint initiative to create inclusive economic opportunities that will benefit refugees and their host communities. The initiative aims to mobilize private sector projects over the next five years to demonstrate the viability of...

The World Health Organization called for more funds to help overcome towering challenges in the battle against malaria, which continues to kill hundreds of thousands of mainly African children each year. It warned that the world was currently "off track" to reach its goal of reducing malaria cases and deaths...

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - Member states of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Thursday agreed to develop the first draft of a legally binding agreement designed to protect the world from future pandemics. This zero draft of the pandemic accord, rooted in the WHO Constitution, will be discussed by member states in...

Geneva, Switzerland— Total global air traffic has shot up 44.6 percent in October as against October 2021, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Total traffic in October 2022 (measured in revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) rose 44.6 percent compared to October 2021. Globally, traffic is now at 74.2...

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - The World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Commission agreed on reinforcing a decade-long collaboration to accelerate the achievement of universal health coverage. The letter of intent foresees an additional contribution from the European Union (EU) of US$131 million for the continuation of WHO's assistance to its...

Global monthly wages fell in real terms to -0.9 per cent in the first half of the year, the study found.

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - Natural catastrophes have caused an estimated US$115 billion of insured losses in 2022 to date, driven by Hurricane Ian and other extreme weather events, reinsurance giant Swiss Re estimated Thursday. Hurricane Ian, the single largest loss-causing event so far this year, caused an estimated insured loss of...

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - All regions of the world saw water extremes last year - both floods and droughts - and billions of people had insufficient freshwater, the United Nations said on Tuesday. Large areas of the planet recorded drier than normal conditions in 2021, the UN's World Meteorological Organization said...

The latest data shows “continued and sustained growth” in intellectual property filings, “driven largely by increases from Asia.

After a first shipment of Russian fertilizer blocked in European ports heads for Malawi next week, a second batch should go to West Africa, the United Nations said. The news comes following talks between Moscow and the UN this week, aimed at ensuring that vital Russian fertilizer exports are not...

The UN Human Rights Council said it would hold an urgent session on Iran, with backers pushing for a global probe into the deadly crackdown on mass protests rocking the country. The UN's highest rights body said a special session on "the deteriorating human rights situation" in Iran would be...

United Nations chiefs held talks with Russian officials on the Black Sea agreements on exporting grain and fertilizers, eight days before one of the deals is set to expire. UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths and Rebeca Grynspan, head of UN trade and development agency UNCTAD met Russian officials led by...

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - UN chiefs are to hold talks with Russian officials in Geneva on Friday on the Black Sea agreements on exporting grain and fertilizers, eight days before the deals expire. The UN's humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths and Rebeca Grynspan, head of the UN's trade and development agency UNCTAD,...

The World Trade Organization urged countries to abolish trade barriers in environmental goods and services to help fight climate change. In its annual World Trade Report, the WTO says global commerce should not be pitted against the climate crisis and said trade could enable the spread of green innovations and...

Cross-border investment in climate change mitigation and adaptation is projected to decline in 2022 against the backdrop of a global investment downturn, according to a new report published by the UN Conference on Trade and Development.

A delegation from the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) discussed with the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, ways to enhance bilateral cooperation, in Geneva. A statement by ISESCO from its headquarters in Rabat said today that the two sides discussed ways to...

The world body said it will broker new talks between rival institutions from war-torn Libya next week to try to break a deadlock on the rules for long-awaited elections.

Qatar participated in the forum as a golden strategic partner, where it reviewed its strategy in the field of digital transformation.

Finland took a step Thursday towards fast-track NATO membership, triggering a blunt warning from the Kremlin, as the war in Ukraine throttled supplies of Russian gas to Europe and the number of people who fled the country passed six million. In Geneva, the UN Human Rights Council decided to probe...

The Rock, currently in the hands of an unnamed owner from North America could break records at a sale in Geneva.

Diamonds shine brightly at this year's Geneva watch fair but the sanctions slapped on Russia could soon force the Swiss watch industry to produce more subdued designs.

Countries have proposed to hold an extra biodiversity meeting in Nairobi in June as talks in Geneva tasked with saving nature entered their final day Tuesday without an agreement.

Most of those killed by the war's indirect effects were "young children who are especially vulnerable to under- and malnutrition."

Iraq is making efforts towards joining the World Trade Organization and its Minister of Trade will visit Geneva to discuss the issue. A government delegation will visit Geneva next week to reach an agreement with European trade ministers and European countries in this regard, Muhammad Hanoun, the spokesman for the...

The proposed resolution is due to be discussed during the United Nations Environment Assembly, which is due to be held in Nairobi from February 28 through March 2 next year.

  Borja joins the Bank from an international technology firm where he oversaw mergers and acquisitions Prior to this, Borja was at UBS where he served as Deputy Head of their team in Spain JP Morgan Private Bank has announced that Borja Martínez-Laredo has joined the Middle East, North Africa...