News in Brief
UN peacekeeping mission in Mali to end on June 30
REUTERS – The United Nations plans to end its decade-long peacekeeping mission in Mali on June 30 and will withdraw all personnel within six months, according to a draft Security Council resolution proposed by France and seen by Reuters.
The withdrawal of the 13,000-strong mission, known as MINUSMA, would come after years of tensions between the UN and Mali’s military junta came to a head this month when Mali Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop asked the force to leave “without delay”.
EU, UNESCO to help developing countries shape AI rules
AFP – The European Union will help fund a UNESCO scheme supporting developing countries as they create laws regulating artificial intelligence, the UN cultural body said Tuesday.
Four million euros ($4.4 million) from Brussels will go towards organising events and advising governments.
Over 1m may flee Sudan conflict: UN
REUTERS – The UN refugee agency warned on Tuesday that an earlier projection that conflict in Sudan would prompt 1 million people to flee across its borders is likely to be surpassed.
So far, the conflict between warring military factions that began in mid-April has caused nearly 600,000 people to escape into neighbouring countries including Egypt, Chad, South Sudan and Central African Republic.
“Unfortunately, looking at the trends, looking at the situation in Darfur, we’re likely to go beyond 1 million,” Raouf Mazou, UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, said in response to a question about its estimate in April for the coming six months.