IOM / International Organization for Migration [to 18 June 2016]
http://www.iom.int/press-room/press-releases

.
06/17/16
Niger Deaths Add to Growing Toll of Migrant Fatalities within Africa
Niger – The discovery this week of the remains of 34 migrants near the Algeria-Niger border brings to 471 the number of deaths and disappearances recorded in Africa this year.

Mediterranean Migrant Arrivals in 2016: 213,581; Deaths: 2,859
06/17/16
Italy – IOM reports an estimated 213,581 migrants and refugees entered Europe by sea in 2016 through 15 June, arriving in Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Spain.

IOM Calls for Cheaper, Transparent and More Accessible Remittances
06/17/16
United Kingdom – The International Day of Family Remittances recognises the financial contributions made by 250 million migrant workers to sustainable international development.

Northern Triangle: IOM Builds Capacity to Protect Child Migrants of Central America
06/17/16
El Salvador – Nearly three hundred representatives of civil society and the governments of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras were trained by IOM on issues such as national policy and the international protection framework for migrant children and adolescents.

IOM Statement on the International Day of Family Remittances
06/16/16
Switzerland – The hard-earned money that migrants send every day to their loved ones back home represents a vital economic lifeline for millions of struggling families around the world.

Fatal Journeys, Vol. 2 – New Global Report from IOM
06/14/16
Germany – IOM reports that over 60,000 migrants are estimated to have died or gone missing on sea and land routes worldwide since 1996.

International Organization for Migration Welcomes China Application for IOM Membership
06/13/16
GENEVA – International Organization for Migration Director General William Lacy Swing on Monday met with People’s Republic of China Vice Foreign Minister Wang Chao.

IOM Welcomes Guidelines to Protect Migrants
06/10/16
Switzerland – IOM today (10/6) welcomed the publication of the “Guidelines to Protect Migrants in Countries Experiencing Conflict or Natural Disaster”.
[See Week in Review above for more detail]

UN Women [to 18 June 2016]
http://www.unwomen.org/news/stories

.
Date: 17 June 2016
Partnerships key to success of 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
Win-win partnerships are key to achieving women’s and girls’ economic empowerment and will lead the way towards sustainable development, according to Plan International, UNIDO, UN Women and the World Bank.

.
UN Women statement on World Refugee Day (20 June)
Date: 17 June 2016
In a statement for World Refugee Day on 20 June, UN Women calls for urgent action to ensure refugee women and girls have access to secure transit routes, safe spaces and protection when they arrive in a host country, and resources and services that will help them to build a post-conflict life free from violence and poverty.

.
UN Women statement for the first International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict (19 June)
Date: 16 June 2016
In a statement for the first International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict on 19 June, UN Women recounts the historic firsts this year in combatting sexual violence in conflict.

.
Statement by UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka on the fifth anniversary of the Domestic Workers Convention
Date: 15 June 2016
On the fifth anniversary of the convention concerning decent work for domestic workers, UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka highlights the importance of implementing the convention in reaching more equal, gender-responsive labour markets and societies.

.
Joint statement on the Memorandum of Understanding between the European Union and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women
Date: 15 June 2016
Four years after the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding in 2012, the European Union and UN Women recommitted to their partnership on 15 June with a joint statement signed at the European Commission by UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini and Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica.

WHO & Regional Offices [to 18 June 2016]

Highlights
Launch of the 2016 Global Nutrition Report
June 2016 –The Global Nutrition Report examines the world’s nutrition and the efforts to improve it. It assesses progress in meeting Global Nutrition Targets established by the World Health Assembly, and provides current information from global, regional and country perspectives. WHO is a Global Nutrition Report Partner.

.
Disease Outbreak News (DONs)
:: Chikungunya – United States of America 14 June 2016
:: Yellow fever – Angola 14 June 2016
:: Lassa Fever – Benin 13 June 2016

.
:: WHO Regional Offices
Selected Press Releases, Announcements
WHO African Region AFRO
:: Yellow fever global vaccine stockpile in emergencies – 17 June 2016
:: WHO African Region Programme Subcommittee meeting begins in Brazzaville, Congo – 14 June 2016

WHO Region of the Americas PAHO
No new digest content identified.

WHO South-East Asia Region SEARO
:: WHO South-East Asia Region continues to be polio-free 18 June 2016

WHO European Region EURO
:: Celebrating 20 years of the Ljubljana Charter 16-06-2016
:: Slovenia’s substantial and sustained health gains revealed in new reports 16-06-2016
:: Conclusions of the third meeting of the Emergency Committee regarding microcephaly, other neurological disorders and Zika virus 15-06-2016
:: Blood connects us all – blood donation text message service in Sweden 14-06-2016

WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region EMRO
:: WHO expresses concern over disease outbreaks in its response to Fallujah crisis
Baghdad, 16 June 2016: WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Ala Alwan arrived in Baghdad yesterday to review firsthand WHO’s response to the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Fallujah city, where more than 42,000 Iraqis have been displaced since the beginning of the military operations in the city in May 2016. Tens of thousands of besieged and displaced men, women, children and older people face major health risks as they lack adequate access to health services.
:: Emergency Committee on Zika virus and observed increase in neurological disorders and neonatal malformations 14 June 2016
::: WHO reaches more people in need with lifesaving treatments in Duma 13 June 2016

WHO Western Pacific Region
:: Tenofovir reduces mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B: new study
GENEVA, 16 JUNE 2016 – New study findings published today confirm that antiviral therapy with tenofovir in late pregnancy can result in a 3-fold reduction in mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of hepatitis B virus (HBV), when used in combination with immunoglobulin and HBV vaccine at birth…

UNAIDS [to 18 June 2016]
http://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/

.
15 June 2016
UNAIDS gala honours former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan and raises more than US$ 1 million for UNAIDS
Supporters of UNAIDS attended its annual fundraising gala on 13 June. Held at Design Miami Basel on the eve of the Art Basel art festival, the gala raised more than US$ 1 million to support the work of UNAIDS to increase access to HIV prevention and treatment services worldwide,…

UNDP United Nations Development Programme [to 18 June 2016]
http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/presscenter.html

.
Jun 17, 2016UN, New York
Magdy Martínez-Solimán: Statement at the Fourth Annual Seminar for National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs): NHRI’s Role in Conflict and Fragile Contexts

.
Helen Clark: Statement for World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
Jun 15, 2016

.
Millions of Latin American risk sliding back into poverty; new generation of public policies crucial to prevent setbacks: UNDP
Jun 14, 2016
Panama City – The main threat to progress in Latin America and the Caribbean is the relapse of millions of families back into poverty. The economic slowdown is part of the story, but not the only cause of such a setback, says the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Human Development Report (HDR) for Latin America and the Caribbean, launched with more than 60 congresspersons at the regional parliament (Parlatino). To continue to advance and prevent reversals in the social, economic and environmental fronts, the report highlights key policy recommendations, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In the report titled Multidimensional Progress: Well-being beyond income, UNDP expresses particular concern over the 25 to 30 million people in the region—more than a third of those who left poverty since 2003 — who risk falling back into poverty. Many are youth and women, with precarious employment in the service sector. They are part of a larger group of over 220 million people (38% of the population, or almost two in every five in the region) who are vulnerable: officially they are not poor (living on less than US$4/day) but have been unable to rise to the middle class (living on more than $10/day)…

.
UNDP takes part in the European Development Days on Agenda 2030 implementation
Jun 14, 2016
UNDP will participate in the European Development Days, Europe’s leading forum on development and cooperation, which will take place on 15-16 June in Brussels.

.
UNDP, partners to chart roadmap for tackling violent extremism in Central Asia
Jun 13, 2016
Combatting the rise of violent extremism in Central Asia and beyond will require long-term measures that include creating life opportunities for young people and a chance to serve and shape the future of their communities, said experts at a conference on the phenomenon that opened here today.

.
UNDP Film gives voice to Thirty Million
Jun 13, 2016
A UNDP supported documentary on the threat sea-level rise poses to 30 million Bangladeshis premiered in New York City on Monday.

UNEP United Nations Environment Programme [to 18 June 2016]
http://www.unep.org/newscentre/?doctypeID=1

.
Press Releases
17/06/2016
Evaluate Land to Halt Annual Loss of 24 Billion Tonnes of Fertile Soil, Expert Panel Says
On World Day to Combat Desertification
Beijing, China, 17 June 2016 – The world needs to improve the way land is evaluated in order to unlock its true potential and reverse the alarming pace of land degradation, like the loss of 24 billion tonnes of fertile soil and 15 billion trees every year, a new report from the International Resource Panel says.

Erosion, nutrient depletion, acidification, salinization, compaction and chemical pollution have left 33 per cent of the world’s soils either moderately or highly degraded. If current conditions continue, then 320-849 million hectares of land will be converted to cropland by 2050 at the expense of the world’s savannahs, grasslands and forests. As a result, greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture may increase from 24 per cent to 30 per cent.

As the global population expands, climate change intensifies and more people move to urban areas, it will become increasingly difficult to sustainably produce enough food, fuel and fibre to meet demand without further depleting the world’s finite land resources.

Released today in Beijing at a high-profile event to mark the World Day to Combat Desertification, the IRP’s latest report says that evaluating the long-term potential of land will help the world sustainably meet this demand.

Unlocking the Sustainable Potential of Land Resources: Evaluation Systems, Strategies and Tools looks at a series of tools that can help policy makers and land managers unlock the full potential of land, allowing them to use resources more efficiently…

:: Download Full Report :: World Day to Combat Desertification

UNISDR UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction [to 18 June 2016]
http://www.unisdr.org/archive

.
17 Jun 2016
Action for urban resilience
A two day high level forum concludes today in Florence with recommendations on series of actions required to build urban resilience to disasters.

.
17 Jun 2016
UN welcomes European Commission Action Plan on Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction
The EU played a key role in negotiating the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the European Commission has now launched an action plan to implement it.

.
15 Jun 2016
Uganda deploys drones to build refugee resilience
Uganda is developing base maps for refugee settlements that host thousands of people in the east African country, with the goal being to support risk-informed development and land use planning and thereby build community resilience.

UNESCO [to 18 June 2016]
http://en.unesco.org/news
Selected Press Releases/News

.
16 June 2016
The growing influence of billionnaires on research priorities in the USA

.
14 June 2016
UNESCO Director-General and ICC President reaffirm joint commitment to end impunity for deliberate destruction of heritage
“The destruction of heritage is inseparable from the persecution of people. This is why we consider the protection of cultural heritage today as far more than a cultural issue. This has become a humanitarian imperative, and a security issue,” stated UNESCO’s Director-General Irina Bokova today in The Hague during the Europe Lecture 2016, organised by the European Lecture Foundation in collaboration with Europa Nostra and the Netherlands National Commission for UNESCO.
[See Week in Review above for more detail]

.
14 June 2016
UNESCO Director-General addresses the Europe Lecture 2016 on heritage protection as a security issue
“The destruction of heritage is inseparable from the persecution of people. This is why we consider the protection of cultural heritage today as far more than a cultural issue. This has become a humanitarian imperative, and a security issue,” stated UNESCO’s Director-General Irina Bokova today in The Hague during the Europe Lecture 2016, organised by the European Lecture Foundation in collaboration with Europa Nostra and the Netherlands National Commission for UNESCO.
[See Week in Review above for more detail]

FAO Food & Agriculture Organization [to 18 June 2016]
http://www.fao.org/news/archive/news-by-date/2016/en/

.
17-06-2016
Partnership makes strides in promoting sustainable land management in Africa
Improved land management strategies and technologies being used across sub-Saharan Africa are helping protect the environment, boost agricultural productivity, strengthen livelihoods and enhance food security, according to a new study, published by NEPAD and its TerrAfrica partners, including FAO.

.
Forest and farm producer organizations are drivers of sustainable global development
Forest and farm producer organizations are key players in meeting the world’s growing demand for food and forest products, improving the lives of rural communities, and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). That is the key take-away of a new FAO publication launched today at the European Development Days in Brussels, Belgium, taking place on 15-16 June.
16-06-2016

.
FAO urges more efforts to address rural hunger and poverty, reduce migration pressure
“The migratory pressures causing major concern at a global level today result from war, conflict and political instability, but FAO also calls for adequate attention to be given to pressures associated with the very root causes of migration,” Graziano da Silva told participants at the European Development Days 2016 in Brussels.
15-06-2016

.
FAO study identifies small fish with a big role to play feeding Africa’s drylands
Fish weighing as little as one gram could be crucial allies in the race to end hunger in some of the world’s most chronically poor and underfed regions, according to a new FAO report on fisheries in the drylands of sub-Saharan Africa
14-06-2016

ILO International Labour Organization [to 18 June 2016]
http://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/lang–en/index.htm

.
Press release
ILO formulates policy options for upward convergence in the EU
16 June 2016
A new ILO publication examines the differences in socio-economic performance between EU member states and formulates policy options for upward convergence.

.
5th anniversary of ILO Convention No 189
Who cares for the carers?
16 June 2016
On International Domestic Workers’ Day, some good news on protecting vulnerable workers in the home – An OP-ED on the Domestic Workers Convention by Guy Ryder, ILO Director-General.

.
Child sexual abuse
‘Luxembourg Guidelines’ on terminology: A step forward in the fight against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children
14 June 2016
[See Week in Review above for more detail]

WMO World Meteorological Organization [to 18 June 2016]
http://public.wmo.int/en/search?sort_by=changed&f[0]=type%3Anews

.
Publish Date: 17 June 2016 News
WMO appoints new executive management
Elena Manaenkova has been appointed Deputy Secretary-General and Wenjian Zhang Assistant Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization. The appointments were approved by the Executive Council. Ms Manaenkova has been WMO Assistant Secretary-General since June 2010 and has spearheaded WMO’s drive for gender equality and empowerment of women. The Geneva Environment Network earlier this year selected her as one of 20 “inspirational” women working for the environment.

UNIDO United Nations Industrial Development Organization [to 18 June 2016]
http://www.unido.org/news-centre/news.html

.
Thursday, 16 June 2016
UNIDO Director General says mobilizing private sector crucial for implementation of 2030 Agenda
BRUSSELS, 16 June 2016 – Ways for the public and private sectors to accelerate sustainable development were today the focus of a discussion at the annual European Development Days (EDD) taking place in Brussels.

.
UNIDO Director General Li says sustainable energy for all initiative crucial for global development
BRUSSELS, 15 June 2016 – Without ensuring sustainable energy for all, it will be difficult to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

.
Strategic partnership between UNIDO and Global Food Safety Initiative announced
CAPE TOWN, 15 June 2016 – A new partnership aiming to advance food safety in several regions, including in Africa, China, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, was today sealed on the sidelines of a gathering

.
UNIDO and World Customs Organization to support effective implementation of WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement
BRUSSELS, 14 June 2016 – The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the World Customs Organization (WCO) today signed a joint declaration aimed at supporting the implementation of the World Trade…

UNWTO World Tourism Organization [to 18 June 2016]
http://media.unwto.org/news

.
16 June 2016
UNWTO and the World Committee on Tourism Ethics launch the UNWTO Ethics Award
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the World Committee on Tourism Ethics (WCTE) have launched the UNWTO Ethics Award. The Award will recognize companies committed to making their business more responsible and sustainable through the implementation of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism.

The UNWTO Ethics Award, geared to recognize the engagement of tourism enterprises in promoting and implementing the principles of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, is open to all tourism companies and trade associations that are official signatories of the Private Sector Commitment to the UNWTO Global Code of Ethics for Tourism.

As the organ responsible for the promotion and monitoring of the implementation of the Code, the World Committee on Tourism Ethics conceived this initiative to promote the positive initiatives steaming from the growing number of companies and trade associations that have adhered to the Private Sector Commitment to the Code. As of June 2016, a total of 463 signatories from 64 countries have committed to promote and implement the Code.

According to the Committee “in these times of needed awareness and common action we should praised those entrepreneurs worldwide who contribute to responsible and sustainable tourism through their Corporate Social Responsibility”.

The candidatures will have to demonstrate to be long-lasting and have a positive impact in at least two of the following areas: (a) Corporate governance and business ethics; (b) Employment quality; (c) Social Equity and Human Rights; (d) Community Well-Being; and (e) Environmental sustainability.

The winner of the first UNWTO Ethics Award will be announced on 18 January 2017 during the 13th UNWTO Awards ceremony and gala dinner organized in collaboration with the International Tourism Trade Fair (IFEMA/FITUR) in Madrid, Spain. The prize will be conferred by a representative of the World Committee on Tourism Ethics, which will act as the Jury of the Award.
Candidacies are open until 30 September 2016.

.
15 June 2016
UNWTO and the Government of The Netherlands partner to foster religious tourism
To promote the role of religious tourism as an agent for cultural preservation, peace and understanding is the focus of the agreement undersigned by UNWTO and the Government of The Netherlands. The partnership includes the celebration of a conference on ‘Religious Heritage and Tourism: How to increase religious heritage tourism in a changing society’” that will be held on October 2016, in Utrecht, The Netherlands

ITU International Telecommunications Union [to 18 June 2016]
http://www.itu.int/net/pressoffice/press_releases/index.aspx?lang=en#.VF8FYcl4WF8

.
Geneva, 16 June 2016
Reaching the world’s two billion unbanked: ITU Focus Group makes steady progress
Group shares initial findings from Digital Financial Services Ecosystem and Consumer Experience and Protection working groups
[See Week in Review above for more detail]

.
Washington D.C., 14 June 2016
Digital solutions to drive progress toward United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030
Focus on improving lives, fostering growth and environmental protection
The information and communication technologies (ICT) sector can play a vital role in helping achieve the objectives of the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, according to new analysis prepared for the Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSI) by Accenture (NYSE:ACN). This would involve deploying innovative digital solutions to improve the quality of people’s lives, achieve equitable growth and protect the environment.

The GeSI report, #SystemTransformation: How digital solutions will drive progress towards the sustainable development goals, published in collaboration with Accenture Strategy, demonstrates the impact that digital technologies can have on shaping a more sustainable future, and highlights the opportunity for companies in the ICT sector to drive growth and competitiveness by investing in these initiatives. The report also identifies roadblocks to realizing the full potential of these digital solutions, including policy, regulatory and supply-side constraints, as well as barriers on the demand-side…

CBD Convention on Biological Diversity [to 18 June 2016]
http://www.cbd.int/press-releases/

.
2016-06-17
This year’s World Day to Combat Desertification shows the importance of being inclusive as we cooperate to restore and rehabilitate degraded land. It also points to the convergence of international action and landmark agreements recently adopted which recognize the links between the different global challenges of our times.

.
2016-06-13
Recent moves by China, Finland and Zambia edge Nagoya Protocol closer to goal of 100 ratifications
Montreal, 13 June 2016 – China, Finland and Zambia are the latest countries to ratify the ground-breaking Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization, bringing the total number of ratifications to the treaty to 78.

ECHO [to 18 June 2016]
http://ec.europa.eu/echo/en/news

.
17/06/2016
EU steps up support to victims of Paraguay’s floods
The EU has released €1 million in humanitarian aid to the most vulnerable victims of Paraguay’s worst floods since 1982.The new funds add to the emergency response disbursed earlier in the year, providing safe drinking water and strengthening…

European Commission launches Sendai Action Plan for disaster risk reduction
16/06/2016
The European Commission is launching today an Action Plan to promote disaster risk reduction and its integration in EU policies.A year ago, under the leadership of EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides, the…

European Commission shines a spotlight on resilience at the European Development Days
16/06/2016
Increasing resilience of disaster-affected populations is a central objective of the European Commission’s humanitarian assistance. With the activities it funds, the Commission helps communities around the world to become better prepared in the…

European Commission launches #SupportRefugees campaign with football stars
15/06/2016
Ahead of World Refugee Day on 20 June, the European Commission launches the #SupportRefugees campaign with the support of international football stars Marouane Fellaini and Anja Mittag as goodwill ambassadors.

African Union [to 18 June 2016]
http://www.au.int/en/
[We generally limit coverage to regional and global level initiatives, recognizing that a number of country-level announcements are added each week]

.
June 17, 2016 | Press Releases
The African Union Moves towards Operationalisation of the Africa Ceneters for Disease Control and Prevention
MOU SIGNED BETWEEN THE AU AND CHINA TRIPARTITE DISCUSSIONS HELD

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 16 June 2016: H.E. Mr Erastus Mwencha, the Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission, and Mr. Zhang Xiangchen, Deputy International Trade Representative of the Ministry of Commerce of China have signed an MOU between the AUC and the Ministry of Commerce of China on the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). Through the MOU, signed on 15 June 2016, China will support the realization of the African Union’s “Agenda 2063”, to inter alia, improve the public health disease control system, integrate medical resources, gradually establish disease prevention, surveillance, detection mechanisms including rapid response to epidemics and pandemics, and build capacity among African Union Member States.

In the meantime, on the same day, a tripartite meeting to discuss the operationalization of the Africa CDC was held between the African Union Commission (AUC), the United States Mission to the African Union (USAU) and the delegation of the mission of the People’s Republic of China. The discussions also aimed to strengthen the tripartite cooperation between the AUC, China & U.S. on the Africa CDC…

.
June 17, 2016 | Press Releases
“Conflict and Crisis in Africa: Protecting all Children’s Rights”
Gambella, 16 June, 2016. The African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) in collaboration with the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and its partners commemorates the 16th Day of the African Child (DAC) on the theme “Conflict and crisis in Africa: Protecting all children’s Rights”. Alongside UN agencies and international organizations, the Day is marked with various activities organized with children, and aims to shed light on the plight of children that are subjected to the consequences of conflicts including armed conflicts, and crises, as they are one of the most vulnerable groups of society…

European Commission [to 18 June 2016]
http://europa.eu/rapid/search-result.htm?query=18&locale=en&page=1
[We generally limit coverage to regional and global level initiatives]

.
Joint Statement on the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict
Date: 19/06/2016
[See Week in Review above for more detail]

Managing the Refugee Crisis: Commission reports on progress made in the implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement
Date: 15/06/2016
European Commission – Press release
Brussels, 15 June 2016 The Commission has today adopted its second report on the EU-Turkey Statement showing that while there has been further good progress in its implementation, progress achieved so far remains fragile.
[See Week in Review above for more detail]

Relocation and Resettlement: Increased efforts on resettlement and relocation must be sustained
Date: 15/06/2016
European Commission – Press release
Brussels, 15 June 2016 Today, the Commission adopted its latest progress report on the EU’s emergency relocation and resettlement schemes, assessing actions taken over the past month. © European Union 2016 Today, the Commission adopted its latest progress report on the EU’s emergency relocation and…

Implementing the EU-Turkey Statement – Questions and Answers
Date: 15/06/2016
European Commission – Fact Sheet
Brussels, 15 June 2016 Implementing the EU-Turkey Statement – Questions and Answers On 18 March 2016, EU Heads of State or Government and Turkey agreed to end the irregular migration from Turkey to the EU and replace it instead with legal channels of resettlement of…

EU adopts new measures to promote stability and combat the root causes of irregular migration
Date: 13/06/2016
European Commission – Press release
Brussels, 13 June 2016 The European Commission today adopted six new measures costing more than €146 million in the Sahel region and the Lake Chad Basin. The measures were adopted under the Emergency Trust Fund for Africa, set up to address the root causes of…

Description of the six new measures adopted to tackle the root causes of irregular migration and displaced persons in the Sahel region and Lake Chad Basin
Date: 13/06/2016
European Commission – Fact Sheet
Brussels, 13 June 2016 The European Commission today announced the introduction of 6 new measures in the Sahel region and the Lake Chad Basin, worth over EUR 146 million in total. Adopted under the Emergency Trust Fund for Africa following the Valletta Summit, these measures will help…

OECD [to 18 June 2016]
http://www.oecd.org/newsroom/publicationsdocuments/bydate/
[We generally limit coverage to regional and global level initiatives, recognizing that a number of country-level announcements are added each week]

.
16-June-2016
More ambitious policies needed to address changes facing agriculture
Governments need to implement more ambitious policies to address the global challenges facing agriculture, notably a shift away from direct support to farmers towards greater assistance for innovation systems that will improve productivity and sustainability, according to a new OECD report.

Agricultural Policy Monitoring and Evaluation 2016 finds that support to producers in OECD countries has roughly halved in intensity over the past 30 years, and now amounts to 17% of gross farm receipts. Average support levels in the emerging economies have increased from very low or even negative levels, to approach the average level of OECD countries…

.
16-June-2016
Regional inequalities worsening in many countries
16/06/2016 – Income inequality is worsening within many countries, and regional disparities in housing, safety and air quality inside countries are also growing wider in many cases, according to a new OECD report.

OECD Regions at a Glance 2016 finds most countries are closing the gap between regions in education and Internet access, but disparities in GDP per head, disposable income, safety and air pollution are widening in many. The disposable income per capita gap between the richest and poorest parts of OECD countries grew 1.5% a year on average over 2000-13, with the biggest increases in the Slovak Republic, Australia, Czech Republic and Canada.

The report, which examines local-level indicators in over 40 countries, shows many regions are struggling to increase the productivity of firms and people and restore employment. Italy, Spain and Turkey all show a 20 percentage point gap between highest and lowest regional unemployment rates, the same difference as between the national unemployment rates of Greece and Norway…

Organization of American States (OAS) [to 18 June 2016]
http://www.oas.org/en/media_center/press_releases.asp

.
E-075 – June 15, 2016
Haiti: OAS Secretary General urges Parliamentarians to fully assume their responsibilities
Washington, D.C. The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, takes note with great concern that the Haitian National Assembly has failed to pronounce itself within the delays set forth by the February 5th Agreement on the extension or not of the mandate of the interim President or, as the case may be, on other measures to insure institutional continuity. He consequently urges Parliamentarians, in their capacity of elected representatives of the People, to fully assume their responsibilities by meeting in National Assembly to decide on how to best guarantee institutional stability and the continuation of the elections process.

As evidenced by the just concluded OAS General Assembly, the continuation of elections in Haiti in a stable and calm atmosphere is a priority for our hemispheric organization. “It is long past time for Haitian political stakeholders to prioritize the interests of the Nation in order for the aspirations of the People to finally be heard and for the country to be in a position to tackle the great socio-economic challenges it faces.” the Secretary General emphasized.

.
E-075 June 15, 2016
A 17-Year Wait Pays off for Indigenous Peoples
:: Adopts American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
:: 50 Million People in the Americas Self-Define as Indigenous.
:: The declaration is the first instrument in the history of the OAS to promote and protect the rights of the indigenous peoples of the Americas.
[See Week in Review above for more detail]

.
E-073 June 14, 2016
OAS and private sector to boost digital connectivity in the Americas
The Organization of American States (OAS), several leading companies in the field of information and communications technologies (ICTs), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), and a group of universities from across the region today signed the “2030 ICT Alliance for the Americas” to expand connectivity in the region and to democratize the preparation of young people for participating in the modern economy.

The 2030 ICT Alliance for the Americas initiative is to be implemented by the OAS’s Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL). The agreement is a corollary to the forum “ICTs and the eradication of poverty in the Americas: The role of public-private partnerships,” organized by the OAS and the government of the Dominican Republic in its capacity as Chair of the Permanent Executive Committee of CITEL on the occasion of the OAS General Assembly.

The Secretary General of the OAS, Luis Almagro, emphasized that “it is vital that we give our young people the opportunity to compete, that our citizens are able to access high-technology services. At the present time, democratizing access to them is an essential mechanism for expanding more rights for more people.” The project is aligned with the goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and it seeks to provide internet access to
1.5 billion people across the world by the year 2020; to ensure that all public schools in the Americas are connected to the internet over the coming 15 years; and to strengthen democratic participation in the Americas through ICTs…