South Sudan: the new member of the UN family

On June 14, 2011, South Sudan officially became the 193rd member of the United Nations, capping a flurry of activities that started with its independence last week. The UN Security Council recommended the world’s newest nation to the General Assembly on Wednesday.

Poll shows overwhelming support for the United Nations

According to a recent poll by the United Nations Foundation and the Better World Campaign, 85% of American voters say it is important the U.S. maintain an active role in the United Nations. The majority of Americans maintain a favorable perception of the UN.

U.N. chief meets with President Obama

Source: Associated Press | By John Heilprin

Buoyed by President Barack Obama’s pledge to work on bringing peace to Darfur, the U.N. chief is making the rounds of Capitol Hill to strengthen cooperation on climate change and other pressing global crises.

Obama invites UN Secretary-General to the White House

Source: Reuters

President Barack Obama has invited U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to the White House next week, the first meeting between the two since Obama took office, Washington’s U.N. envoy said on Friday.

ICC issues a warrant of arrest for President of Sudan

Source: International Criminal Court

Today, Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant for the arrest of Omar Hassan Ahmad Al Bashir, President of Sudan, for war crimes and crimes against humanity. He is suspected of being criminally responsible, as an indirect (co-)perpetrator, for intentionally directing attacks against an important part of the civilian population of Darfur, Sudan, murdering, exterminating, raping, torturing and forcibly transferring large numbers of civilians, and pillaging their property. This is the first warrant of arrest ever issued for a sitting Head of State by the ICC.

U.S. to airlift supplies to Darfur

Source: The International Herald Tribune | By Sheryl Gay Stolberg

With just 15 days left in office, President George W. Bush announced that he had ordered an immediate airlift to deliver vehicles and equipment to the war-torn Darfur region of Sudan to bolster a struggling international peacekeeping effort there.

U.N. head: “A crucial year in the life of our United Nations”

By Andreas S. von Warburg

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“This is a crucial year in the life of our United Nations,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a message for the celebration of U.N. Day. “We have just passed the midpoint in the struggle to reach the Millennium Development Goals — our common vision for building a better world in the 21st century.”

Attacks against U.N. worldwide are rising

Source: AP on the Washington Times | by Edith Lederer

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned Wednesday that United Nations staff and humanitarian field workers are being deliberately targeted for attack by extremists and armed groups at an alarming rate. In a report to the U.N. General Assembly, Ban said the number of deaths of U.N. civilian staff members as a result of malicious acts rose to 25 in the year ending June 30, 2008 up from 16 the previous year.