UNITED NATIONS – The United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday once again urged the United States to end its economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba, renewing a demand it has made annually since 1992. 

UNITED NATIONS – The head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), Maria Isabel Salvador, has warned that criminal gangs are stepping up attacks in areas they do not yet control and that the situation in the country “has unfortunately deteriorated”.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) has established a dedicated regional office, for the first time, in The Bahamas and headed by Barbadian Michelle Brathwaite.

PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti – The government of the Central American nation of El Salvador on Wednesday approved sending a military contingent to this French speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member state to assist in medical evacuation operations as part of the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support Mission (MMAS). 

UNITED NATIONS – The United Nations Security Council Tuesday heard that gangs continue spreading terror and fear in Haiti and that the country was mired in a “complex and multifaceted crisis” encompassing security, economic, social, human rights, development and humanitarian challenges.

PARIS, France – The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Friday said it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)  to bolster the protection of freedom of expression, journalist safety and other fundamental freedoms.

OTTAWA, Canada – Canada has “strongly” condemned what it describes as the “horrifying violence that continues to be perpetrated by gangs in Haiti”.

UNITED NATIONS – The United Nations High Commissioner, Volker Türk, says the international community needs to make sure that individuals, who  are behind the criminal gangs terrorizing Haiti “are actually sanctioned”.

LIMA, Peru – The 40th Session of the Economic  Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) is underway here with delegates reaffirming their commitment to initiatives aimed at ensuring more productive, inclusive and sustainable development in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).

KINGSTON, Jamaica – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative, Kishan Khoday, is calling for the adoption of a national Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) along with regular State of Youth Poverty reports to enrich the measurement of poverty beyond income in Jamaica.

UNITED NATIONS – The United Nations says its Security Council on Friday renewed for one year the sanctions regime on Haiti, including a targeted assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo measures, aimed at curbing the illicit flow of weapons to criminal gangs which have sown chaos across the country. 

KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent – The 18th edition of the Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA) began on Monday with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary General, Dr. Carla Barnett underscoring the importance of the weeklong event to the regional efforts at food security.