| Calendar |
July 11
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon attends a Middle East Quartet meeting in Washington.
World Population Day.
The Security Council holds consultations on Libya.
The 49th session of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) begins in New York through July 29.
The third session of the Preparatory Committee for the United Nations Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty begins at UN headquarters through July 15.
July 12
The Security Council holds an open debate on children and armed conflict.
July 13
The Security Council holds a debate on Sudan.
July 14
The Security Council receives a briefing by the Department of Political Affairs (DPA) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
July 15
The Security Council holds consultations on the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA).
***** Watch live coverage of the events listed above at www.un.org/webcast
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| UN News Center - New York | 
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July 9, 2011, Juba, South Sudan - People show their euphoria, as the Republic of South Sudan proclaims its independence. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
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As South Sudan celebrates independence, UN vows support in quest for peace, prosperity
Amid great jubilation, South Sudan became the world's newest state on July 9, formally seceding from Sudan to attain independence in the culmination of a United Nations-facilitated peace process that ended decades of conflict.
 UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who was among the dozens of dignitaries from across the world attending the independence ceremony in the new country's capital, Juba, congratulated the people of South Sudan, pledging that the United Nations would help the new nation establish effective institutions of governance.
"We have been engaged in the quest for peace in Sudan for many years - through peacekeeping and diplomacy, through humanitarian assistance and development.
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July 9, 2011, Juba, South Sudan - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (center) waves, as he and Joseph Deiss, President of the sixty-fifth session of the General Assembly, arrive to the venue of the Independence Ceremony of the Republic of South Sudan. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
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"Together, we welcome the Republic of South Sudan to the community of nations. Together, we affirm our commitment to helping it meet its many responsibilities as a nation,"said Mr. Ban.
The huge crowd that gathered in Juba to witness the independence ceremony erupted in loud cheers and ululations as the Sudanese flag was lowered for the last time and the new colors of the Republic of South Sudan were hoisted, followed by Salva Kiir taking the oath of office as president and the signing of a new interim constitution.
Read more
NYT Oped: Standing by South Sudan by Ban Ki-moon
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UN reports progress towards poverty alleviation, urges increased support for the poorest Some of the world's poorest countries have made impressive gains in the fight against poverty, but the least developed countries still lag in efforts to improve living standards, the United Nations said in a report showing significant overall progress towards achieving the global targets against  extreme poverty. Giving examples of achievements, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Report says that Burundi, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Togo and Tanzania attained or are nearing the goal of universal primary education, one of the targets. Despite significant setbacks caused by the global economic crisis that plunged much of the world into recession in 2008 and 2009, and the high food and energy prices, the world is still on track to achieve the MDGs, according to the report. "Despite these declines, current trends suggest that the momentum of growth in the developing world remains strong enough to sustain the progress needed to reach the global poverty-reduction target," the report says. "Based on recently updated projections from the World Bank, the overall poverty rate is still expected to fall below 15 percent by 2015, indicating that the Millennium Development Goal target can be met." Read more
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Survival of millions of children in Horn of Africa at risk, warns UNICEF
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has warned that two million children are malnourished as a result of the drought in the Horn of Africa, and half a million could soon die or suffer long-lasting mental or physical damage.
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A woman with a young child next to their tent in the Dolo Ado refugee camp in Ethiopia. Copyright:WFP/Judith Schuler
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The agency appealed for nearly $32 million to assist millions of children and women in Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia and Djibouti, which are all facing a crisis that is being called the worst in 50 years.
"UNICEF estimates that over two million young children are malnourished and in need of urgent life-saving actions, if they are to survive conditions in drought-affected countries in the Horn of Africa," the agency said in a press statement.
"Half a million of those children are facing imminent life-threatening conditions, with long lasting consequences to their physical and mental development."
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has said it is already assisting six million people in the affected countries, plus eastern Uganda, "but as the impact of the drought grows, we expect this number will rise to as much as 10 million."
High food prices and prolonged drought are worsening an already dire situation for thousands of families in need of food and water, according to UNICEF.
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UN human rights chief voices concern over high level of violence in Mexico
The United Nations human rights chief has voiced concern over escalating violence in some parts Mexico, saying organized crime and brutality could undermine the state and threaten the people's basic rights. "Let us not forget that ensuring citizen security means upholding the right of the whole population to live free of threat to their basic rights - such as life, physical integrity and liberty, and justice - and for the state to respond and provide redress when those rights are violated," Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, told a news conference in Mexico City at the end of her six-day mission to Mexico on July 8. She decried the use of torture and urged the government to ensure full investigation and sanction of such practices, saying they should always be dealt with by civilian courts, irrespective of who the perpetrators were. Ms. Pillay stressed that the rights of migrants must be protected and called upon the Mexican government to make all efforts to protect the life and integrity of migrants, particularly women and children, and to prevent human trafficking. Read more Related Headline US execution of Mexican national violates international law , says UN rights chief
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Week in Review
Secretary-General Speaks at MDGs Meeting
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July 6, 2011 - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (left) speaks at the meeting on food security, sustainable development and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Madrid, Spain, hosted by José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (right), Prime Minister of Spain and Co-chair of the MDGs Advocacy Group. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
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Irish UNIFIL Peacekeepers Honour Their Fallen Colleagues in Tibnin
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July 6, 2011 - Irish peacekeepers of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) pay their respects in honor of their fallen comrades at the memorial site in Tibnin, South Lebanon. Two large deployments of Irish troops arrived in Lebanon in June 2011. Most Irish troops had withdrawn from Lebanon in 2001. The new Irish camp is in the southern Lebanese village of Tibnin, the same place where Irish peacekeeping troops were based from 1979 until 2001. UN Photo/Pasqual Gorriz
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