UN chief condemns chemical weapons use in Syria, calls for unity of Security Council

2/8/2018 - 10:47:14 AM

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on February 6 condemned the use of chemical weapons in Syria and called for unity of the Security Council in order to bring the perpetrators to justice.

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (Photo: Xinhua)

| "We've learned with gravest concern of reports of the recent use of chemical weapons in Syria, including in Idlib (governorate). The secretary-general once again condemns in the strongest possible terms any use of such weapons for which there can be no justification," Guterres' deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters.

"He (Guterres) reiterated his call for unity of the Security Council in order to ensure that those responsible for the use of chemical weapons in Syria are identified and held accountable," said Haq, referring to the impasse within the council that led to the dissolution of an independent investigative mechanism, which found that both the Syrian government and the Islamic State terrorist group used chemical weapons in Syria.

Last year, Russia used its veto power in the Security Council three times to kill the joint Investigative Mechanism of the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

Russia last month circulated a draft resolution for a new investigative mechanism, but several council members have expressed serious reservations about the text.

Chinese Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Wu Haitao said on February 5 that China supports Russia's efforts to push for the establishment of a new investigative mechanism. China hopes that council members will continue to hold constructive consultations in order to reach consensus at an early date, he told the Council.

Source: NDO

Challenges from population aging

Many countries are grappling with rapidly aging population. As population aging becomes an irreversible global trend with significant impacts on economic and social sectors, nations face the urgent task of creating flexible policies to adapt to and make the most of this trend to build prosperous and sustainable societies.

World tourism industry promotes potential and cohesion

With a series of stimulus measures, the world tourism industry is on the way to recovery as before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. Facing the opportunity to take off, the "smokeless industry” is expected to strongly contribute to global economic growth while promoting potential and cohesion, contributing to peace and sustainable development.

Existential danger from COVID-19 pandemic

The danger from the COVID-19 pandemic is still latent, threatening people’s health and lives in the context that the immunity provided from the COVID-19 vaccine has decreased. Many other dangerous diseases are also likely to break out when the global vaccination rate slows down, due to inequality in access to health services, vaccine hesitancy, and consequences of economic recession.

Vietnam among ASEAN countries recording EV sales surge

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is witnessing a rise in the sales of electric vehicles (EVs) in Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia, according to Maybank Investment Bank Research (Maybank IB Research).

International friends bid farewell to Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong

The respect paying ceremony for Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong continued on the morning of July 26 at the National Funeral Hall in Hanoi, with high-level delegations from foreign countries and international organisations paying their last respects and expressing deep condolences.

Global outpouring of grief for Vietnamese Party chief

A wave of condolences have poured in from world leaders, international organisations, rulling parties, Communist parties and partner parties following the death of Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.