United Nations

A Zimbabwean High Court has dismissed a lawsuit seeking to force President Emmerson Mnangagwa to ratify the UN Convention Against Torture, ruling that the president cannot be legally compelled to sign international treaties. The case was brought by human rights lawyer Obey Shava, who was allegedly assaulted and left for dead in Harare in July […]

July Moyo, the Local Government minister, faces criticism for his warning to potentially expel food aid agencies suspected of lacking political alignment with Zanu-PF supporters. In light of the El Niño-induced drought gripping Zimbabwe, aid agencies play a crucial role in reaching vulnerable populations nationwide, as millions face hunger. President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s declaration of the […]

Palestinians said they felt “no joy” this Christmas as Israel bombed Gaza on Monday, with no end in sight to the war that Hamas says has claimed more than 20,000 lives. Festivities were effectively scrapped in the occupied West Bank city of Bethlehem, revered as the birthplace of Jesus Christ, with few worshippers or tourists […]

Zimbabwe has achieved and surpassed the global target on HIV testing, treatment and viral suppression, three years ahead of the set time, state news agency New Ziana reported on Wednesday. The Joint UN Programme on HIV/Aids (UNAids) aims for HIV testing, treatment and viral suppression rates to be 95% by 2025. Of all the HIV-positive […]

Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema has said that Gay and Lesbian practices cannot be condoned because the country is a Christian nation. President Hichilema said the country can only “realign sound democratic values with other countries”, local media reports. Last month, the president denied holding talks on gay rights during his trip to the United Nations […]

The United Nations Security Council is meeting on Monday to discuss the conflict in northern Ethiopia, even as rebels claim to be advancing towards the capital, Addis Ababa. The open session in New York will discuss the humanitarian crisis, where nearly eight million people are facing what the UN has described as near-famine conditions. Previous […]

The United Nations Security Council has called for a ceasefire in Ethiopia, expressing “deep concern” over the escalation of fighting in the north of the conflict-hit country.

THE United Nations Special Rapporteur on unilateral and coersive measures, Alena Douhan has called for the lifting of unilateral sanctions against Zimbabwe and urged sanctioning states and key national stakeholders to engage in meaningful dialogue on political reform, human rights and the rule of law. The United Nations envoy has recommended that the West should […]

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called Monday on authorities in Eswatini to respect the rights of children after schools were closed and a new wave of protests against Africa’s last absolute monarchy was suppressed. Students have been staging demonstrations in schools in recent weeks across the small southern Africa kingdom, leading to the army being […]

UK former health secretary Matt Hancock, whose handling of the pandemic was criticised in a Parliament report this week, was named as the United Nations’ special representative for Africa.  Matt Hancock will be working on financial innovation and climate change under the UN’s Economic Commission for Africa and will be involved in helping the continent’s […]