Category: Business

Until war erupted on 28 February with the Israeli-US bombing of Iran and counterstrikes across Gulf States, a wide range of key minerals and related products was available, according to the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). But as the conflict goes on, the pressure has increased to obtain these same raw materials, to ensure […]

The warning comes in the Financing for Sustainable Development Report 2026 (FSDR), a new UN report launched on Monday, which finds that with just four years left until the 2030 deadline for the Agenda for Sustainable Development, progress has stalled – and in some cases reversed – following the shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic, rising geopolitical […]

Highlighting the import-heavy status of many Caribbean islands, UN researchers warned on Wednesday that the war – and in particular the Strait of Hormuz shipping and energy crisis – have triggered one of the most significant global trade shocks since the COVID19 pandemic and Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Low-income households will be […]

A fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran has done little to restore confidence in the vital maritime corridor, where renewed tensions – including a newly announced US blockade on ships using Iranian ports – are keeping vessels idle and supply chains strained. The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow but critical waterway, carries a […]

“We are at the end of the supply chain,” Tuya Altangerel, a senior UN Development Programme (UNDP) official in the Pacific region, told UN News “so this energy crisis is really impacting our communities.” With Fiji a significant hub in the Pacific Ocean, island nations that surround it extend thousands of miles into the world’s largest […]

But as nations gather at the UN this week to discuss the future of our population growth, two major hurdles are taking centre stage: a lack of funding and a widening gap between those who have access to new technology and those who do not. For almost two decades, Nigeria has grappled with large-scale displacement […]

Peace must be sewn, stitch by stitch. With this idea in mind, Ms. Avella set herself to work at a small sewing workshop in Catatumbo, Colombia, one of the dividends of the 2016 peace agreement between the Colombian Government and FARC rebels, designed to help reintegrate former combatants, and heal the wounds of the conflict. […]

The 2026 Financing for Sustainable Development Report assesses progress on the Sevilla Commitment, a 2025 agreement that aims to secure the $4 trillion needed annually to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the end of the decade.  “Implementing the Sevilla Commitment is our best chance to demonstrate the global community’s enduring commitment to cooperation and to unlock the finance needed […]

“Four years ago, people in Europe woke up in another world because generations like mine have always had the privilege to live a life in peace,” Ms. Baerbock told journalists in Geneva. “But this changed four years ago with the full invasion [by] Russia, of the neighbouring country of Ukraine.” Echoing the UN Secretary-General’s assessment that the […]

The UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) on Wednesday reported that regional growth is projected to pick up from 2.9 per cent last year to 3.7 per cent in 2026. That compares well with global averages and pre-pandemic growth of around 3.2 per cent. Lowering inflation The UN body noted that this positive outlook […]