AI for Good Summit: Digital and technological divide is no longer acceptable

UN News/Anton Uspensky

 

ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin greeted by robot footballers at AI for Good Global Summit 2024, Geneva.

30 May 2024

SDGs

With robots greeting delegates at the entrance to the venue, the AI for Good Global Summit opened on Thursday in Geneva, bringing together thousands of participants from all sectors around the world to discuss the hopes and fears about artificial intelligence (AI) development.

Organised by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the annual forum is the place where humans meet artificial intelligence. It is popular to the extent of being oversubscribed for attendance, with the queue to enter stretched for hundreds of metres, along one of Geneva’s biggest conference centres, and internet bandwidth barely coping with the flood of digital information.

The venue has become a showcase for advanced technology, including AI-powered robots, brain-controlled tools, generative AI solutions as well as the hardware, the backbone of the global AI ecosystem.

However attractive to the eye and entertaining, the machines are not the highlight of the summit.

With people in mind

On the centre stage, both metaphorically and literally, are the people. The two-day summit’s main stage will see a tight line-up of presentations and panels discussing all aspects of human interaction with artificial intelligence, both pros and cons.

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Opening the summit, Doreen Bogdan-Martin, the ITU Secretary-General, underscored the transformative potential of AI and emphasised the necessity for inclusive and secure AI governance.

"In 2024 — in the age of AI and unimaginable opportunities — one-third of humanity remains offline, excluded from the AI revolution, and without a voice,“ Ms. Bogdan-Martin stated. “This digital and technological divide is no longer acceptable.”

Underlining the critical digital divide – with 2.6 billion people globally still without internet access – she urged collective action to bridge this gap, stressing that equitable access to AI technology is essential for inclusive progress.

Global coordination

“We are in a race against time. Recent developments in AI have been nothing short of extraordinary,” she said. 

To secure global coordination in building safe and inclusive AI accessible to all, the ITU chief said, three key aspects should be observed – risk and security management, infrastructure and resource development and international collaboration.

Ms. Bogdan-Martin praised initiatives like the UN General Assembly’s historic resolution promoting trustworthy AI systems and ITU’s collaboration with UNESCO on applying existing laws to AI. She called for continued momentum, particularly highlighting the upcoming UN Summit of the Future.

Bionic limbs and prenatal care

The ITU chief shared inspiring examples from the AI for Good Innovation Factory, including the start-ups Bioniks, a Pakistani-led initiative designing artificial limbs, and Ultrasound AI, a US-based women-led effort improving prenatal care.

Speaking to UN News at the forum, founder and CVO (Chief Visionary Officer) of Bioniks Anas Niaz explained that the idea behind his start-up was to produce affordable prosthetics for amputees, including children. Use of a smartphone for scanning, brain-controlled technology and simplified fitting process, which does not require travelling to a hospital, help to reduce costs, making the company’s products ‘the world’s most affordable bionic limbs”.

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Bioniks startup from Pakistan presents brain-controlled bionic limbs at ITU's annual AI for Good Global Summit 2024.

“You can send the measurements by a mobile phone, and we send your prosthetics to your doorstep. These prosthetics are waterproof, and people in humid climate can use them for practically anything. Kids are writing with them,” Mr. Niaz explained, adding that being a social enterprise, Bioniks helps find sponsors for those who need a bionic limb, but cannot afford to buy it.

Fighting fake news during world’s largest election year

As 2024 marks the largest election year across the world in history, Ms. Bogdan-Martin warned of the threats posed by deepfakes and disinformation. She announced ITU’s commitment to developing robust standards for AI watermarking and digital content verification, stressing that “standards build trust; they’re the cornerstone of responsible AI.”

Some of such solutions are already used by the UN Development Programme (UNDP), who helps governments to apply AI to identify misinformation and disinformation attacks.

“When we deliver electoral support to countries during their elections, we have an AI-based platform that serves as a misinformation detection platform and flags suspicious content for [further] human fact check,” UNDP’s chief digital officer Robert Opp told UN News.

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‘AI Generation’

ITU chief Ms. Bogdan-Martin called on the global community to embrace its role as the “AI generation”, advocating for a future where artificial intelligence serves humanity’s best interests.

“Let’s remember that the future starts not with algorithms, but with us,” she said. “Right here, in our brain…the most complex, powerful and creative computer the world has ever known.”

Turbocharging sustainable development

Addressing the AI for Good Summit through a video message, UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasised the transformative potential of AI in advancing sustainable development worldwide.

Highlighting the dual nature of AI, Guterres outlined its immense promise and underscored the necessity for its responsible and inclusive governance.

“Artificial intelligence is changing our world and our lives,” Mr. Guterres declared. “And it can turbocharge sustainable development.”

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He elaborated on AI’s multifaceted applications, noting its capability to revolutionise sectors such as education, healthcare, agriculture, housing and disaster management. He also illustrated how AI could deliver educational and healthcare services to remote areas, enhance agricultural productivity, design eco-friendly housing and transportation systems and provide early warnings for natural disasters.

“AI could be a game-changer for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” UN chief asserted. However, he cautioned that realizing AI’s full potential requires addressing its risks, including bias, misinformation and security threats.

“We need global coordination to build safe and inclusive AI that is accessible to all,” he said, commending ITU for its early work on AI standards and for convening the summit.

Business community aboard

These calls by leaders of international organisations are well-heard by the digital community. Talking to UN News, Melike Yetken Krilla, head of international organisations at Google, discussed a handful of projects that the data giant is assisting the UN with.

That includes one where Google data and AI are used to track progress toward the SDGs and to map it around the globe, and a project developed jointly with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) to create a flood hub, allowing users to forecast natural disasters up to seven days in advance as part of an early warning system.

“Last year, with the creation and launch of large language models and generative AI, it was the year of ‘Wow!’ I would assert that this year is the year of ‘How?’ How we are going to partner with international organisations to identify and establish AI rules of the road and the guardrails,” Ms. Yetken Krilla said, adding that the UN is leading the process by drafting and creating the Global Digital Compact and other initiatives, including the Summit of the Future.

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UN supports response as Cyclone Remal batters communities in Bangladesh, India

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Three flags signifying "great danger" and "severe storm imminent" in village of Panjupara, Bangladesh, as Cyclone Remal is about to make landfall on 26 May 2024.

28 May 2024

Humanitarian Aid

UN teams are working alongside authorities and relief partners to assist communities battered by a tropical cyclone that lashed coastal parts of southern Bangladesh and eastern India.

At least 16 people are reported to have been killed as the region was hit by Cyclone Remal on Sunday evening, local time, bringing gales of over 110 kilometres per hour (about 70 miles per hour), torrential rain and storm surges that inundated low-lying areas.

Classified as a “severe” cyclonic storm, Remal is the first one to occur in the Bay of Bengal during the 2024 pre-monsoon season. The region witnesses several cyclones each year, and the frequency and intensity of these storms have been worsening due to climate change.

Response in Bangladesh

At least 150,000 houses have been partially or fully damaged in Bangladesh, and more than 25,000 Rohingya refugees sheltering in camps are at risk of landslides, according to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) office there.

The agency had teams on the ground since the beginning, supporting early warning and prepositioning supplies to enable a swift response in the aftermath of the storm.

“Through our initial response, UNICEF plans to reach people in the coastal region including Rohingya camps and Cox’s Bazar. Critical funding gaps remain across all sectors to meet the immediate needs of girls, women, and persons with disabilities,” Sheldon Yett, head of UNICEF in Bangladesh, said in a statement late on Monday.

With 3.2 million children estimated to be living in the affected areas – and the most vulnerable during disasters – “the priority is to protect lives and well-being,” he added.

“We remain committed to standing by the people of Bangladesh through this challenging time and providing all necessary assistance to help them survive and recover from the aftermath of Cyclone Remal.”

Other UN agencies for their part are also assisting with the response, including prepositioning emergency food, water, dignity-kits and other essential non-food relief items. They also identified potential buildings and communal spaces that could be used as shelters, helped early warning efforts and activated sector-specific teams.

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A mother along with her children, from the village of Panjupara, making their way a cyclone shelter, ahead of Cyclone Remal's landfall in Bangladesh on 26 May 2024.

A fire, then cyclone

For the hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees, languishing in southern Bangladesh for over six years after being driven from their homes by brutal violence in Myanmar, the cyclone followed a devastating fire last week.

Early on 24 May, local time, a massive fire broke out in Camp 13, Block B3, in Thainkhali, Cox’s Bazar, destroying or damaging over 400 huts and leaving about 4,000 refugees, including women and children, without shelter.

Trained refugee volunteers, supported by the Bangladesh fire services and UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) teams on the ground, doused the blaze.

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Nihan Erdogan, deputy head of IOM operations in Bangladesh, underscored the need to help the refugees.

“[With] fire after fire, with cyclones, monsoons and even heatwaves, it has been way too many times that the Rohingya have been hit by disasters – one after another,” she said.

“I appeal to the international community to help us give hope to the Rohingyas.”

Response in India

In India, the cyclone made landfall in southern West Bengal state, near the border with Bangladesh.

According to the UNICEF office in India, about 23.2 million people have faced the impact, including 7.3 million children.

Storm surges coupled with high tides prolonged the inundation of coastal and low-lying areas, salinizing, or saturating with salt, ground water sources of drinking water.

UNICEF is helping efforts to identify the damaged water sources. 

It has put eight mobile water treatment plants on standby for deployment, should the Government request the support.

It is also working with provincial authorities and partners to address child protection, water and sanitation, nutrition, health, and education needs of affected children and families.

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UPDATING LIVE: Small island States meet in Antigua and Barbuda charting new course to sustainable prosperity

UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

 

A view of the flag-raising ceremony, ahead of the fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4).

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27 May 2024Economic Development

Good morning from the blue waters and lush green hills of the Caribbean. We’re reporting live from the high level opening of the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4) on the beautiful twin island nation of Antigua and Barbuda. 

09:14 AM

We were just treated to a performance from the Antigua and Barbuda Symphony Orchestra. Now its a theatrical performance focused on the dangers of climate change for the vulnerable nations gathered in the hall. We have trees, tropical sounds and a warning that the ecosystem is way off balance...

08:45 AM - It all gets going in a few minutes’ time with a cultural opening event. Luckily the sun is shining this morning, in comparison with yesterday’s debilitating rain storms that reminded everyone here of the unpredictability of increasingly extreme weather that will be one of the chief talking points this week.

You can find full coverage of the entire week and special features leading up to the conference, on our landing page here.

'Resilient prosperity'

More than 20 world leaders, together with representatives from the private sector, civil society, academia and youth – close to 4,000 participants in all - have gathered at the verdant conference venue in the American University of Antigua close to the capital St John’s, to tackle critical issues impacting the future of SIDS. 

Under the theme Charting the course toward resilient prosperity, the four-day Conference (27-30 May) will showcase new innovations and develop practical solutions to address critical SIDS-specific challenges driven by the climate emergency, spiralling debt and health crises. 

For more on the conference, check out our curtain raiser story here, and UN News was at one of the high level events over the weekend organized by more than 80 young changemakers from across the globe and you can check out their demand for action here.

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The Conference will adopt The Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS) – a Renewed Declaration for Resilient Prosperity, which sets out the sustainable development aspirations of small islands over the next decade and the support required from the international community to achieve them.

The SIDS across the Pacific, Caribbean and Atlantic, Indian Ocean and South China Sea are home to approximately 65 million people. They manage 19.1 per cent of the world's Exclusive Economic Zones and the resources they hold.

Accounting for 14 per cent of the world’s coastlines, SIDS boast a high degree of biodiversity. SIDS have pioneered renewable energy solutions, championed sustainable tourism while spearheading conservation efforts and making major strides in developing ocean-based economies.

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Papua New Guinea landslide: 670 feared dead, says UN migration agency

IOM/ Mohamud Omer

 

Hundreds were buried in a landslide in Yambali village, Papua New Guinea, on May 24, 2024

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26 May 2024Humanitarian Aid

Friday’s landslide in the north of Papua New Guinea is likely to have been far more deadly than first thought, Serhan Aktoprak, the country head of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Sunday.

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In a media interview, Mr. Aktoprak said that the community in Yambali village, situated at the foot of a mountain in the remote Enga Province, is buried under between six to eight metres of soil.

150 houses are believed to be buried, said the senior UN official, around 90 more than previously reported. Some 670 people are believed to be under the soil and “hopes of finding them alive are shrinking”.

IOM has six aid workers on site, alongside personnel from other UN agencies, NGOs and government agencies. The conditions remain dangerous for the workers; water continues to run down the mountain, and the land is still sliding. Falling boulders are also affecting relief efforts.

The landslide has displaced around 1,000 people, and it is feared that the death toll will rise. Mr. Aktoprak said that helpers are using any available implements, such as spades and sticks, in an attempt to locate bodies. 

Debris covering large stretches of the single highway into Enga Province has limited access to the rescue site, but heavy machinery is expected to arrive on Sunday to assist in recovery efforts.

In a statement released on Saturday, the United Nations Office in Papua New Guinea said that communications infrastructure and access roads to the affected site have been damaged. 

An Emergency Response Coordination Team has been set up to coordinate and lead relief efforts, comprising the Enga Provincial Disaster Coordination Office, the Department of Health, Department of Provincial Works, police, Defence Force, and the United Nations.

An initial rapid impact assessment conducted by the Team identified immediate need for food, shelter and medical supplies. 

“The United Nations is monitoring the situation very closely, in collaboration with national and provincial government authorities, including other partners to determine the extent of damage, casualties and possible assistance that may be required for those impacted”, the statement concluded.

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In Antigua, island youth build ‘wall of commitment’ to turn tide against climate crisis

UN News/ Matthew Wells

 

Delegates to the SIDS Global Children and Youth Action Summit including Adelaide Nafoi of Samoa (second from left) after completing their section of the “wall of commitment”.

26 May 2024

Economic Development

It may be built out of recyclable cardboard boxes, but when world leaders officially open the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4) on Monday, one of the manifestations of young people’s hopes for a better future that will greet them is a solid “wall of commitment” imploring them to take more action against the ravages of climate change.

The SIDS Global Children and Youth Action Summit taking place this weekend on the University of the West Indies campus of the beautiful island nation of Antigua and Barbuda, which is hosting SIDS4, bonded together 80 or so young people from all three official SIDS regions – the Caribbean, Pacific and AIS (Indian Ocean and South China Sea) over 3 days of brainstorming.

They noisily and excitedly hunkered down in a large and airy university hall on Saturday to write down their own personal commitments to action.

UN News/ Matthew Wells

 

The “wall of commitment” built by delegates from the SIDS Global Children and Youth Action Summit ahead of the SIDS4 conference in Antigua and Barbuda.

Another brick in the wall

One of the cardboard “bricks” even featured an empty plastic bottle – the scourge of many of their island homelands – taped inside with a rallying cry for “plastic-free islands, sustainable islands.”

The powerful event was the brainchild of Ashley Lashley, a lifelong activist who, after being crowned Miss World Barbados in 2018, set up the Ashley Lashley Foundation to build awareness of major social, environmental and health issues, especially through the prism of small island States like her own.

UNICEF Youth Advocate Ashley Lashley.

She’s convinced some powerful partners to join her crusade and advocacy mission, with the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) organizing the youth summit along with the Government of Antigua and Barbuda.

The pioneering UNICEF Youth Advocate has been working for months on a “commitment to action” involving in-person and online consultations, which culminated in Saturday’s presentation and wall building initiative. 

“The focus is four overarching themes that are also linked to the SIDS4 conference: resilient recovery; environmental integrity and planetary sustainability; a secure future and safe and prosperous societies”, she told UN News.

UN reproductive rights agency UNFPA, the Caribbean Development Bank, and the Governments of Malta and Australia have also backed the summit, plus the Global Environment Facility, she added.

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Show and tell

On Friday youth delegates saw for themselves some of the environmental damage wrought by climate change on the shores and hills of Antigua, including the alarming die-off of coral reefs due to warming tropical waters.

On Saturday they took master classes in advocacy, communication, movement building and policy negotiating, culminating in the monumental wall. On Sunday they developed action projects to last ten years within their own regions.

“We are hoping that the projects can receive technical and financial assistance…We are in the middle but there is still a long way to go”, to unleash the full power in the room, she said.

Noah Herlaar-Hassan, 17, from the tiny southern Caribbean diving oasis of Bonaire, said vulnerable low-lying SIDS “are the first to feel the effects of many things”, especially the climate crisis.

“What people that don’t live on SIDS need to realise is that even if they might not feel the direct effects, they do have a large say in changing the eventual results…It’s our generation that will have to pay the biggest price and that’s why we are here today, to see how we can be stronger as a collective.”

Future in our hands

Adelaide Nafoi, 25, from the Pacific island of Samoa, told UN News she was at the summit doubling up as a Pacific delegate to SIDS4 to envision a better future for her country, region and the whole world.

Youth voices “hold the future of all our nations”, as “the changemakers of today”.

“To all the youth around the world simply remember that your voices are not merely echoes in the wind. Your voice changes the future of you, your siblings, your cousins, your families and your country.”

“I urge you to recognise the immense power that resides within each of you. It’s the power that brings change and can bring us to a better future…To anyone that is afraid to talk, now is your time to speak up because if you don’t - nobody will speak up for your youth and your nation.”

UN News/ Matthew Wells

 

SIDS Global Children and Youth Action Summit delegate Renee Smith (left) after completing her section of the “wall of commitment” to be presented to the SIDS4 conference.

Sharing and caring

Renee Smith, 28, from the Caribbean island of Grenada, added her brick in the wall by committing to ocean protection “through awareness and responsible behaviour among youth and communities.”

She said they shared the burden of being disproportionately affected by climate change and were together at the summit “so that the developed nations can hear our concern and assist to mitigate the impacts that we face.”

Sharing awareness across all generations is key, she added, imploring youngsters especially to continue preserving and protecting the ecosystems around them.

Once the SIDS4 conference ends, Ms. Lashley is determined that the energy generated in the youth summit will not dim, following through to the UN Summit of the Future and COP29.

“We’ll be developing a youth action taskforce…to really ensure that commitments to action and the action projects are being developed and monitored. 

“We as young people often speak about accountability of our leaders but the basis behind this summit is that we as young people and children are actually willing to be accountable for the actions that we are taking for future generations to come.”

Private sector role in mobilizing resources ‘essential’: UN chief

In his first major speech since arriving on Sunday in Antigua and Barbuda for the SIDS4 conference, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said a sustained commitment was needed from the international community to shore up vulnerable island nations “and public money will not be enough.”

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“Multistakeholder partnerships, including with the private sector, will be essential”, he continued, addressing the SIDS Global Business Network Forum on Sunday.

Financing renewable energy, sustainable tourism and climate resilience will have to include private sector funds, expertise and innovation, he told investors.

Governments must take the lead with regulations and policy through strong and accountable public institutions, while development banks mobilize private funds at reasonable cost.

Private sector plan

He said there were three ways the private sector can play its part most effectively.

“First, by taking deliberate, time-bound action to align your activities with the Sustainable Development Goals, across all dimensions of your businesses.”

Secondly, prioritizing climate action with credible and verifiable net zero carbon emission reduction plans. 

“This means addressing emission reductions across the board, with a view to marine protection and decarbonization of the shipping sector”, the UN chief spelled out.

Third, he called on executives to push for greater ambition to reach the ambitious 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – particularly climate action. 

The SIDS Global Business Network Forum has helped mobilize the private sector and “provides a clear entry point for the private sector into the SIDS agenda”, he said. 

Going digital

Now the network can expand digital connectivity and ensure accessibility and affordability, Mr. Guterres added, which is key to improving access to education and healthcare and enhancing disaster preparedness, prevention and response.

A “digital transformation” also means more diversification, particularly for women and young people. 

The global financial system is outdated, dysfunctional and unjust

“Strengthening the Global Business Network, together with the SIDS Partnership Framework, will help to support implementation of the ideas expressed today.”

He said financial challenges faced by small island States were also “symptomatic of financial turmoil in the developing world” overall. 

“The global financial system is outdated, dysfunctional and unjust, and is failing to provide a safety net for many developing economies mired in debt”, he added. “The United Nations is pushing for deep reforms to make it more representative of today’s world, and more responsive to today’s challenges.”

He ended with a call to work towards a better, more resilient, more sustainable future for all.

“Together let’s raise our voice for the reforms that are needed for a more fair and a more effective international financial and economic system able to provide to the SIDS the resources and capacities that they deserve and they need.”

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FORTY-SIXTH SESSION,

5TH MEETING (AM)

PI/2319

24 May 2024

Closing Session, Information Committee Approves Text Stressing Global Communications Department’s Key Role in Fighting Misinformation in Era of Artificial Intelligence

Second Resolution Urges Greater Action to Help Developing Countries Improve Communications Infrastructure

Approving two resolutions that emphasize the importance of ensuring public access to information and reaffirming the crucial role of the Department of Global Communication in addressing the spread of misinformation in the era of artificial intelligence, the United Nations Committee on Information concluded its forty-sixth session today. 

Both texts, approved by consensus, were contained in the report of the Committee’s forty-sixth session (document A/AC.198/2024/L.4).  The report also contained three other chapters titled “Introduction” (document A/AC.198/2024/L.1), “Organizational questions” (document A/AC.198/2024/L.2) and “General debate” (document A/AC.198/2024/L.3). 

By draft resolution A, titled “Information in the service of humanity”, the Assembly would urge countries and the UN to reduce existing disparities in information flows by increasing assistance for the development of communications infrastructures in developing countries.  It would also condemn resolutely all attacks against journalists; provide support for the strengthening of practical training programmes for broadcasters and journalists in developing countries; and enhance regional cooperation among developing countries, as well as between developed and developing countries, to improve developing countries’ media infrastructure and communications technology.

By draft resolution B, titled “United Nations global communications policies and activities”, the Assembly would stress that the Department’s primary mission is to provide accurate, impartial, comprehensive, balanced, timely, relevant and multilingual information to the public on the Organization’s responsibilities.  By the same text, the Assembly, recognizing that safe artificial intelligence systems have the potential to accelerate sustainable development, would caution that improper or malicious design and use of such systems could undermine information integrity and access to information.  It would request the Department to make specific efforts aimed at identifying and raising awareness about misinformation and disinformation, taking into account the impact of artificial intelligence. 

Other terms would note the Department’s work vis-à-vis the drafting of the United Nations Global Principles for Information Integrity.  The Assembly would also reiterate its request to the Department and content-providing offices of the Secretariat to ensure that UN publications are produced in all six official languages.  Further, it would express serious concern over attacks and violence against journalists and other media workers, noting that ensuring accountability for crimes committed against them is a key element in preventing future attacks. 

Welcoming the adoption, Melissa Fleming, Under-Secretary General for Global Communications, expressed her Department’s deep appreciation to the delegates for working tirelessly — day and night — to uphold the Committee tradition of consensus.  “I don’t know if there are many consensus outcomes these days in the various Committees working in this building,” she said, thanking the Bureau members and various regional groups for their commitment and flexibility.  Adopting the resolutions by consensus sends an important signal at a time of alarming global tensions and divisions, she pointed out, adding that it also demonstrates their shared recognition of the need to have a strong, vibrant communications function at the UN. 

Citing Hannah Arendt, she said:  “Freedom of opinion is a farce unless factual information is guaranteed and the facts themselves are not in dispute.” While facts are the foundation for a shared reality, the current information ecosystem is not delivering the facts.  Recalling the Assembly’s annual general debate, she observed that fighting misinformation, disinformation and hate speech is at the core of Member States’ concerns.  The forthcoming UN Global Principles for Information Integrity, she pointed out, contains recommendations offering a constructive vision for an information ecosystem that fosters trust, knowledge and choice for all.  Guidance from delegates is central to this vision, she said, adding:  “We listen, we take close notes, and, based on that, we strive to deliver on UN communications as envisioned by this Committee.” 

Liliana Veronica Baños Müller (El Salvador), Committee Rapporteur, who gave an overview of the body’s discussions, noted that many delegations commended the Department of Global Communications in disseminating fact-based information in a climate of conflict, fake information and digital censorship.  They hailed the Department’s social media and digital initiatives as well as the Shireen Abu Akleh Training Programme for Palestinian Broadcasters and Journalists.  Delegates also welcomed the initiative to develop global principles to ensure information integrity.

At the same time, she added, they also expressed concern about the growing digital gap and the monopoly on communications technologies, and called on the Department to address the risk created by generative artificial intelligence, while harnessing its potential.  Underscoring the importance of multilingualism, they said adequate resources should be allocated to ensure this, she recalled. 

The representative of Uganda, who spoke on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, pointed out that the adopted resolutions were available in six languages, thus fostering the core value of multilingualism.  He was among several delegates who spoke after the adoption, praising the spirit of compromise that prevailed during the negotiations.  Italy’s delegate described the adoption of the texts as a “victory of multilateralism”, while noting that it gives the Secretary-General the mandate to assess best practices and challenges in tackling misinformation, disinformation and information manipulation.

The representative of the European Union, in its capacity as observer, also welcomed the consensus adoption; however, she drew attention to the “intricate link between consensus finding and non-politicization of our work” and called for a broader appreciation of the Committee’s mandate.  The resolutions continue to grow, at risk of diluting the guidance the Committee provides, she added. 

The representative of the United States, pointing out that more journalists were killed in 2023 than in any year in recent memory, expressed concern that authoritarian Governments and non-State actors continue to use disinformation.  She also made clarifications on the language contained in the resolutions, noting that the United States understands abbreviated references to certain human rights to be shorthand references for the more accurate and widely accepted terms used in the applicable treaties or the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  On operative paragraph 12 of the Committee’s report containing the two resolutions, she affirmed the importance of countering the financing of terrorism and noted that during negotiations, her delegation had raised concerns on that same paragraph with regard to freedom of expression. 

The representative of the United Kingdom welcomed the inclusion of artificial intelligence in this year’s text for the first time, acknowledging both its risks and benefits.  He also spotlighted the Department’s efforts in shedding light on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine.  Israel’s delegate expressed concern about the “disturbing surge of disinformation spread by terrorists” and antisemitism since the 7 October Hamas attack on her country.  The international community must resist this, “not only with words and statements but actions”, she said. 

The Committee on Information, chaired during its forty-sixth session by Muhammad Usman Iqbal Jadoon (Pakistan), is a subsidiary body of the General Assembly that deals with questions relating to public information.  It oversees the work of the Department of Global Communications and provides it with guidance on its policies, programmes and activities.

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Nations agree landmark treaty on traditional knowledge, protecting Indigenous Peoples’ rights

© UNICEF/Lebon Chansard ZIAVOULA

 

Indigenous Peoples possess valuable knowledge passed down through generations. Pictured here, a community in the Republic of the Congo.

24 May 2024

Culture and Education

Member States of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) – a specialized UN agency – on Friday agreed to a groundbreaking new treaty addressing intellectual property (IP) in relation to genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge.

The Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge also includes key provisions aimed at protecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

Its approval by consensus, in Geneva, marked the conclusion of negotiations that began in 2001.

“Today we made history in many ways. This is not just the first new WIPO Treaty in over a decade but also the first one that deals with genetic resources and traditional knowledge held by Indigenous Peoples as well as local communities,” said Daren Tang, the agency’s Director-General.

“Through this, we are showing that the IP system can continue to incentivize innovation while evolving in a more inclusive way, responding to the needs of all countries and their communities.”

Carefully calibrated solution

Guilherme de Aguiar Patriota, Brazil’s Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organization (WTO), president of the Diplomatic Conference adopting the Treaty, highlighted the achievement.

It represented “a very carefully balanced outcome” of the Conference, he said.

“It constitutes the best possible compromise and a carefully calibrated solution, which seeks to bridge and to balance a variety of interests, some very passionately held and assiduously expressed and defended over the course of decades.”

ADB/Tengo Giorbelidze

 

Genetic resources, found plants and crops, are often utilized in research and inventions.

About the treaty

The Treaty mandates that, where a patent application involves genetic resources, the applicant must disclose the country of origin or source.

If traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources is involved, the applicant must disclose the Indigenous Peoples or local community that provided it.

Genetic resources, found in entities such as medicinal plants and agricultural crops, are often utilized in patented inventions, although they themselves cannot be patented.

The traditional knowledge associated with these resources, conserved and used by Indigenous Peoples and local communities over generations, plays a crucial role in scientific research and the development of new inventions.

Next steps

Once ratified by 15 contracting parties, the Treaty will establish an international legal framework requiring patent applicants to disclose the origin of genetic resources and the associated traditional knowledge used in their inventions.

https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/05/1150231

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‘Critical gaps’ in understanding climate change fuel tropical disease spread

© UNICEF/Shehzad Noorani

 

A girl, holding a child, walks to a mobile health clinic in a flood-affected village in Pakistan. Water-logging has led to an increase in spread of malaria in the region. (file)

22 May 2024

Health

A comprehensive review by the UN health agency has revealed critical gaps in understanding the full impact of climate change on malaria, dengue, trachoma and other tropical diseases.

The World Health Organization (WHO) study, conducted in partnership with Reaching the Last Mile (RLM), a global health initiative to eliminate neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), found that rising temperatures and changing weather patterns are altering the spread of vector-borne diseases, posing significant health risks.

As the geographical spread of disease vectors like mosquitoes expand, the risk of introducing or reintroducing these diseases to new areas increases. This shift is likely to have the most severe impact on communities already disproportionately affected.

The study analysed peer-reviewed papers from January 2010 to October 2023, crunching data on national disease burdens, healthcare access and climate vulnerability scores.

The majority of data sets used focused on malaria, dengue, and chikungunya, while other NTDs were significantly underrepresented.

Lack of evidence

Only 34 per cent of studies reviewed (174 studies) addressed mitigation and a mere five per cent (24 studies) looked at adaptation, underscoring the dire lack of evidence available to help malaria and NTDs.

Ibrahima Socé Fall, Director of the Global NTD Programme at WHO, emphasized the need for more comprehensive, collaborative and standardized modelling to predict and mitigate effects of climate change on health.

“This important and timely review reveals alarming trends and is a call to urgent action. Malaria transmission is likely to shift both polewards and to higher altitude, while the mosquito vector responsible for transmission of dengue and chikungunya is predicted to continue to expand its range,” she said.

“If we are to protect and build upon the hard-won victories of the past two decades, the time to mobilize is now.”

Neglected tropical diseases

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a diverse group of conditions caused by a variety of pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi and toxins.

These include Chagas disease, dengue, chikungunya, leprosy, rabies, soil-transmitted helminthiases, snakebite, trachoma and yaws. It is estimated that they affect more than one billion people, according to WHO.

https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/05/1150101

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Haiti’s health system pushed to breaking point: UNICEF

© UNICEF/Georges Harry Rouzier

 

A child is treated for malnutrition at a mobile health clinic in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

22 May 2024

Peace and Security

Haiti’s health system is now “on the verge of collapse” UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Representative in Haiti Bruno Maes warned on Wednesday, amidst an alarming decrease in the number of hospitals still functioning in the violence-wracked Caribbean nation.

There are only six out of ten hospitals which still have some operational capacity as the gang-led chaos continues across the capital, Port-au-Prince, leaving vulnerable children deprived of essential care.

Mr. Maes said that the increased violence along with “mass displacement, dangerous epidemics and increasing malnutrition” has stretched the country’s health system to the limit and the “strangling of supply chains” may fully break it.

“The escalating violence in Port au Prince and Artibonite is plunging Haiti into a humanitarian disaster. Not only are children trapped, but so are the critical supplies that are meant to cure and nourish them,” Mr. Maes told UN News. 

Strained resources

Warehouses, pharmacies and containers filled with essential supplies have either been held up or looted, according to UNICEF. 

Yet, hundreds of containers holding humanitarian aid including neonatal, maternal, and medical necessities, remain stranded in Port-au-Prince.

The country’s capital usually receives and releases all imported health supplies, but with rampant violence and over 160,000 displaced civilians, Port-au-Prince can no longer care for a population that is “concurrently fighting physical trauma and the risk of disease.”

UNICEF says many of the displaced families, especially those in the southern parts of the country, are seeking safety and security, piling pressure on local health services. The agency reported that about 40 per cent of staff have had to leave the country because of high levels of insecurity. 

Widespread disease outbreaks

Haiti has reported 82,000 cases of cholera between October 2022 and April 2024, UNICEF said. 

Nearly 4.4 million people in Haiti desperately need food assistance, and 1.6 million civilians are dealing with acute food insecurity increasing the risk of child wasting and malnutrition. 

This situation is likely to be worsened by the coming rainy season which may cause a rise in waterborne diseases and diseases spread by mosquitoes, such as malaria. 

UNICEF and other humanitarian partners are establishing alternatives to Port-au-Prince’s import and dispatch hubs. 

These alternative routes have allowed the agency along with the Ministry of Health and international donors and partners, to deliver vaccines, medicine and medical supplies to children with the greatest needs.

On 18, 20 and 21 May, UNICEF delivered 38 tons of essential medical and lifesaving supplies, including health and cholera kits, through a new operational hub established by the UN and the children’s find.

Mr. Maes told UN News these supplies will be dispatched to health facilities “that are only barely keeping their heads above water.”

UNICEF says more aid is desperately needed. 

“We cannot allow vital supplies that could save children’s lives to remain blocked in warehouses and containers. They must be delivered now,” said Mr. Maes.

He told UN News that UNICEF is also “sourcing vital, ready-to-use therapeutic food right here in Haiti.”

He said that these supplies will go to 600 health facilities across Haiti as well as several other mobile clinics in areas with limited access.

“When supply reach children, children have a chance to a healthy life…children can go to school. They can play, they can just be children,” Mr. Maes said. 

https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/05/1150086

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Принята декларация о безопасном искусственном интеллекте

 2024-05-22 14:14:35

Photo : YONHAP News

Участники проходящего в Сеуле глобального саммита по искусственному интеллекту, организаторами которого являются РК и Великобритания, приняли 21 мая совместную декларацию. Она предусматривает продвижение безопасного, инновационного и инклюзивного искусственного интеллекта для решения проблем, связанных с быстро развивающимися технологиями. «Мы признаём, что безопасность, инновации и инклюзивность искусственного интеллекта являются взаимосвязанными целями. Поэтому важно учитывать эти приоритеты в международных дискуссиях по управлению искусственным интеллектом для решения широкого спектра возможностей и проблем»,- говорится в документе. Он принят в ходе виртуальной встречи лидеров стран «Большой семёрки», Сингапура, Австралии и представителей ведущих международных организаций - ООН, Организации экономического сотрудничества и развития и Евросоюза. 22 мая в Корейском институте передовой науки и технологий проходит очная министерская сессия, на которой обсуждаются действия по повышению безопасности искусственного интеллекта.

https://world.kbs.co.kr/service/news_view.htm?lang=r&Seq_Code=78080

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Climate crisis fuels deadly floods, worsening hunger in Afghanistan

© UNICEF/Amin Meerzad

 

Aftermath of the 10 May floods in Baghlan province, Afghanistan.

21 May 2024

Humanitarian Aid

The devastating floods that struck Afghanistan recently are likely to intensify in the coming months, exacerbating the already critical food insecurity in the affected districts, the UN emergency food relief agency warned on Tuesday.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) said that as erratic weather on the back of the worsening climate crisis “becomes the norm”, things will only get worse.

This month’s unusually high rainfall followed a dry winter, rendering the ground too hard to absorb water, leading to massive flooding. Unseasonably warm temperatures further complicated the situation by melting mountain snow, causing rivers to overflow and inundating villages with mud.

“With one disaster after another hitting these communities, they are being pushed back into destitution. Recent improvements in food security in Afghanistan now risk being lost,” said Hsiao-Wei Lee, WFP Country Director for Afghanistan.

“These families need emergency assistance to survive, and in the longer term, they need investments in community infrastructure that help protect their homes, lands and livelihoods.”

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Severe destruction

Floods last week due to heavy rains caused severe destruction in Ghor and Faryab provinces, in northwest Afghanistan. Over 130 people are reported to have died, hundreds more are missing, and thousands of houses and businesses have been destroyed or damaged.

Access is also a major challenge with many villages cut off and humanitarians are struggling to reach affected regions.

As search and rescue operations continue, the number of casualties is expected to rise, highlighting the urgent need for more international support and intervention to address the growing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

On 10-11 May, the northeast was struck by heavy rains and flash floods, affecting Badakhshan, Baghlan and Takhar provinces. At least 180 people are confirmed to have been killed and a further 280 injured.

WFP response

In immediate response to the floods, WFP provided fortified biscuits and nutritional supplements to children, and worked with local bakeries to distribute bread to the hardest-hit communities.

By the end of last week, the agency began distributing food rations and cash assistance in functional market areas.

For its ongoing response, WFP requires an additional $14.5 million to cover emergency food and nutrition assistance and resilience building projects.

To mitigate future disasters, it is investing in climate adaptation projects, including the construction of protective walls, dams, and irrigation canals.

Notably, a WFP-supported flood wall in Baghlan protected 670 families and 400 acres of agricultural land during the heavy rains.

DiCarlo in Afghanistan

Meanwhile, on the political front, Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, visited Afghanistan from 18 to 21 May, where she met Taliban officials, members of the diplomatic community in Kabul and representatives of civil society.

According to UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, discussions focused on the meeting of Special Envoys on Afghanistan, which the UN is organizing in the Qatari capital, Doha, on 30 June and 1 July.

The meeting aims to increase international engagement with Afghanistan in a more coherent, coordinated and structured manner.

“She extended to the de facto Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amir Khan Muttaqi, an advance invitation from the Secretary-General to participate at the forthcoming meeting of Special Envoys,” Mr. Dujarric told journalists at the regular press briefing in New York.

Taliban leaders did not attend the last round of the meeting, held in February.

https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/05/1150066

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SEVENTY-EIGHTH SESSION,

38TH MEETING (AM)

GA/AB/4462

20 May 2024

Despite Better-than-Expected Collections in First Quarter, Several Speakers Point to Top Contributor’s Large Outstanding Arrears

Increasingly alarmed by the Organization’s ongoing liquidity crisis and its impact on United Nations operations around the globe, delegates at the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today ardently insisted Member States fulfil their financial obligations by paying their assessed contributions in full and on time.

“It is our legal obligation and moral responsibility to ensure that the UN has the resources to carry out the mandates that we ourselves have given it,” said the representative of Singapore, speaking on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).  The Organization is now operating under stringent liquidity measures that impact mandate delivery and undermine the Organization’s effectiveness.  While the collection of arrears helped produce better-than-expected collections in the first quarter of this year, Member States cannot become complacent, he said.  “We are still in a bad position for 2024 if Member States, particularly the top contributor, do not pay their dues in a timely fashion,” he added.

Speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, the representative of Uganda emphasized that Member States with the highest arrears have aggravated the Organization’s financial situation.  “It is extremely concerning that one Member State currently owes more than a half of all outstanding assessments to the UN regular budget and peacekeeping operations budget respectively, despite having the capacity to pay.  This is especially concerning in the current circumstances,” he said.  “Despite already benefiting from a fundamental distortion in the determination of how the Organization is financed, this Member State continues to unilaterally withhold its contributions for political reasons, while still clinging on to its special privileges in the Security Council.”

The representative of the European Union, in its capacity as observer, expressed alarm that the persistent liquidity shortages mean activities and outputs are postponed or even cancelled.  “As a result, mandate delivery is not simply hampered:  the accumulation of delays and under-execution create a downward spiral that gravely affects the performance and undermine the relevance of the Organization,” he said. 

Noting that solving the liquidity crisis is a shared responsibility between the Secretariat and Member States, he commended the work of the Secretary-General, the UN Controller and programme managers, who have strived to deliver on mandates despite cash shortages.  “Bearing in mind that the root cause of the problem can only be solved by full and timely payment of Member States’ contributions, we reiterate our call that all Member States make every effort to pay their assessed contributions in full, and on time,” he said, urging those unable to make timely payments to work with the Secretariat to provide as much predictability as possible.

The structural root causes behind the cash liquidity’s “downward spiral” must be addressed and the European Union supports a review of the UN Financial Regulations and Rules, particularly seeing merit in preventing the return of unspent appropriations to Member States in arrears.  He called for comprehensive cash-pooling to best use the liquidity already available across UN accounts and reiterated the importance of liquidity-bridging mechanisms.

The need for a sustainable, long-term solution to the liquidity crisis was echoed by the representative of Singapore, speaking in his national capacity.  “The future of the United Nations and the prospects and success of our work here and at the United Nations cannot be held hostage by the liquidity crisis,” he said, adding:  “And the future of multilateralism cannot be held hostage especially if it is cost by the non-payment of assessed contributions, which is a legally binding obligation under the Charter.” 

In an effort to stabilize the Organization’s financial situation, the United Kingdom’s representative said his delegation worked on its internal financial processes and revised its payment patterns to align with the Organization’s financial calendar.  He urged other Member States to consider the same steps.  “In this period of geopolitical uncertainty, the Secretariat must have sufficient resources and sufficiently flexible rule and regulations to allow for essential mandate implementation,” he said, encouraging the Secretariat to consider amendments to its Financial Regulations and Rules.

The representative of Saudi Arabia said her Government must modify certain procedures to finance peacekeeping missions, but its contributions will be paid by the end of this year.  Saudi Arabia remains dedicated to making its assessed financial contributions to the United Nations and will continue to fulfil its obligations, she stressed. 

The representative of the Russian Federation — recalling the previous remarks by Catherine Pollard, Under Secretary-General, Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance that his country’s contribution to the UN regular budget was not credited to the Secretariat’s account and was instead returned to the sender — said that a United States bank declined the payment transfer due to unlawful unilateral restrictive measures. 

“Thus, the responsibility for the non-receipt of the Russian payment lies fully with the United States,” he said, stressing that his country “is being hindered from financing the UN by those who do not pay their assessments in full while financing military hostilities around the world”.  This topic deserves a separate discussion in the Fifth Committee and the Committee on Contributions.  Moscow will make every effort to fulfil its financial obligations to the Organization in full and as soon as possible.

He expressed regret that the Secretariat periodically submits various proposals on granting the Secretary-General flexibility on administrative, budgetary and human resources matters to enable transfer of existing funds from one budget line to another and from the account of one Mission to another.  Additionally, cost-saving measures, such as hiring freezes and denial of conference services, are being introduced without consulting Member States, negatively impacting the UN’s work.  He urged the Secretariat to develop proposals on ways to exert pressure on States with significant arrears, including on hiring their nationals and payments to their suppliers.

Ms. Pollard opened the meeting by presenting the Secretary-General’s report “Financial situation of the United Nations” (document A/78/524/Add.1).  She said that since her 10 May briefing, Brazil and Mongolia have paid their contributions to the regular budget in full, bringing the total to 111.  Turning to peacekeeping operations, she said Benin, Cyprus and the Republic of Moldova have fully paid their peacekeeping assessments, bringing the total in this category to 58.  Regarding the international tribunals, 90 Member States have paid in full, with the recent payments of Belgium and the Republic of Moldova.  Fifty-one Member States are now fully paid for all assessments due for all categories.

In addition, Cameroon and Chile made payments to the regular budget; Cameroon, Cuba, India, Maldives, Mali, Saint Lucia, San Marino and the United States made payments to the peacekeeping budget; and Cameroon to the international tribunals.

“On behalf of the Secretary-General, I would like to thank these Member States for their positive action since last week’s briefing on the UN financial situation,” she said.  The report provides a review of the Organization’s financial situation as at 31 December 2022 and 2023 and as at 30 April 2023 and 2024.

https://press.un.org/en/2024/gaab4462.doc.htm

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Bronson to step down as Bulletin president & CEO

By John Pope | May 16, 2024

Bulletin editor-in-chief John Mecklin (left), Bulletin President and CEO Rachel Bronson (center), and CEO of Lightbridge Corporation Seth Grae (right) converse during the 2023 Doomsday Clock Leadership Luncheon. Photo by Jamie Christiani.

Rachel Bronson, President & CEO of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, announced that she will step down at the end of 2024. 

In messages to the Bulletin’s staff, boards, and supporters, Bronson shared her gratitude for their support in the Bulletin’s on-going work and transformation.   

“Since 1945 the Bulletin has been a trusted source for those who want to ensure that technology advances humanity, and does not undermine it,” she said.  “As a team, we have ensured that the Bulletin continues to provide a trusted space where academics, scientists, policymakers, and the engaged public can come together to figure out how to govern technologies of our own making.  As new technologies come online at a dizzying pace, a strong and healthy Bulletin is needed. In today’s deteriorating political environment, the Bulletin’s efforts are critical to democratic decision-making and humanity’s survival.”   

Bronson assumed her role in February 2015, following Kennette Benedict’s successful 10-year tenure. Under her leadership, the Bulletin has expanded considerably: its budget and staff have more than doubled and the organization has seen a seven-fold increase in audience, reaching 6.4 million unique visitors to its website in 2023.

“When I leave the Bulletin, it will be after nearly 10 years,” she said.  “I am gratified that my successor will be supported by a highly skilled and mission-driven staff, an incredibly supportive and generous board, a devoted science advisory board, loyal donors, and a growing global audience hungry for the Bulletin’s content. My successor will have the tools to take the Bulletin to even greater heights.” 

About her future, Bronson shared with the board that “I do not have set plans for what I will do next— intentionally. I am committed to supporting a leadership change that will set up the Bulletin for continued success. Until then, I intend to devote my full attention to advancing the Bulletin. Once that transition is complete, I wouldn’t mind having some down time after leading the organization through all the pressures that not-for-profit leaders have faced over the past few years. At the same time, I hope that by stepping away, I will find new opportunities that excite me in government, academia, or another not-for-profit organization.” 

The Bulletin has retained the executive search firm Koya Partners to help find its next CEO. An internal search committee composed of members of the Governing and Science and Security Boards is being led by Governing Board chair David Kuhlman, managing partner at Lotis Blue. 

“The Board accepts Rachel’s decision, and we are grateful that the next CEO will inherit a strong platform with considerable influence and visibility,” said Kuhlman. “Rachel has given us the opportunity to conduct a managed transition, and we expect our next CEO to lead with distinction, building on the strong track record Rachel has created.” 

The Bulletin is an independent, nonprofit 501 (c) (3) organization whose website, iconic Doomsday Clock, premium digital magazine, and regular events help advance actionable ideas at a time when technology is outpacing our ability to control it. The Bulletin focuses on three main areas of coverage: nuclear risk, climate change, and disruptive technologies. What connects these topics is a driving belief that because humans created them, we can control them. 

Click here for more information about Koya Partners. To inquire further about the CEO role, including expressing interest or nominating potential candidates, email bulletinceo@koyapartners.com.     

https://thebulletin.org/2024/05/bronson-to-step-down-as-bulletin-president-ceo/

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SG/SM/22229

15 May 2024

Secretary-General, at Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly Session, Says Lawmakers Have Key Role in Addressing Today’s Multiple Challenges, Laying Foundation for Better Future

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the Eighteenth Plenary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, held in Braga, Portugal, on 15-16 May:

I am pleased to greet this Eighteenth Plenary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean in the beautiful city of Braga.

You are meeting as your region and the world are facing immense challenges.  War and violence are causing terrible suffering — in Gaza, in Ukraine and beyond. International humanitarian law is being trampled.  Hate speech is spreading like wildfire — in particular against minorities, migrants and refugees.

Climate catastrophe, poverty and inequalities are deepening divisions between developed and developing countries.  The rights of women and girls are being eroded.  And many have lost trust — in both national and multilateral governance.

We can restore that trust by changing people’s lives for the better.  That is the spirit of this September’s Summit of the Future:  to come together around effective solutions for people.  To reform unfair and outdated global institutions and make multilateralism more effective — starting with the Security Council and the international financial architecture.  To guarantee human rights and dignity — everywhere.

To deliver on our promise to leave no one behind — including by ensuring the integrity of the international refugee protection regime and the rights of all persons on the move.  To address the dangers posed by artificial intelligence and ensure that technology serves the greater good.  And to include people in all decisions about their future.

As parliamentarians, you have a key role in putting people first, translating their hopes into legislation, and bridging the gap between global aspirations and local realities.

By fostering ambitious and inclusive policies, you can contribute to addressing the challenges of today while laying the foundations for a brighter tomorrow.  I count on your active engagement for a more peaceful, sustainable and just world — at the Summit of the Future and beyond.  I wish you a fruitful session.

https://press.un.org/en/2024/sgsm22229.doc.htm

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Rights expert condemns death of Palestinian doctor in Israeli custody, urges independent inquiry

WHO

 

The Al Shifa hospital, one of the largest health facilities in Gaza, has been destroyed.

16 May 2024

Human Rights

A renowned Palestinian orthopaedic surgeon’s death in Israeli detention has been labelled “horrifying’ by a UN human rights expert, prompting calls for an independent international investigation.

Dr. Adnan Al Bursh, 50, the head of the orthopaedic department at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, died on April 19, 2024, in Ofer prison, a detention facility in the West Bank. His body has not yet been released by Israeli authorities.

Before his death, he had reportedly been beaten in prison, with his body showing signs of torture.

Dr. Al Bursh had been detained with other doctors and medical personnel by Israeli forces on 18 December 2023, at Al Awda Hospital in North Gaza. At that time, he was generally in good health and was performing his duties normally.

Call for independent probe

Tlaleng Mofokeng, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health, said she was “horrified” by the news.

“He was detained while undertaking his duty to patients and caring for them according to the oath he took as a medical practitioner … he died for trying to protect the rights to life and health of his patients,” she said.

The expert underscored the need for an independent probe.

“Dr. Adnan’s case raises serious concerns that he died following torture at the hands of Israeli authorities. His death demands an independent international investigation,” the Special Rapporteur said.

Concerns of safety of healthworkers

Ms. Mofokeng also raised concerns over the safety of healthcare workers amidst Israel’s relentless military operation in Gaza following the brutal attacks by Hamas and other groups in southern Israel on 7 October.

“I am deeply saddened that I continue to receive reports of doctors being killed in this conflict,” she said.

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The Ministry of Health in Gaza has reported that at least 493 healthcare workers from Gaza have been killed since 7 October 2023. This includes nurses, paramedics, doctors, and other medical personnel. Many more have been injured.

The UN World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that at least 214 healthcare workers have been detained by Israeli forces while on duty.

Doctors should not be killed

“The killing and detention of healthcare workers is not a legitimate method of warfare. They have a legitimate and essential role to care for sick and wounded persons during times of conflict,” Ms. Mofokeng said.

“Healthcare workers should not be killed practicing their profession.”

The Special Rapporteur urged Israel to immediately release all healthcare workers arbitrarily detained in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory, and reiterated her call for an immediate ceasefire.

Independent expert

Appointed by the Human Rights Council – the UN’s highest intergovernmental forum on human rights – and forming a part of its Special Procedures, Special Rapporteurs are mandated to monitor and assess the rights situation in certain thematic or country situations.

They work voluntarily – independent of governments and the UN, are not UN staff and do not receive a salary.

https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/05/1149856

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