September 2021 - The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the lives of people, and countries’ economies in unprecedented ways. The governments’ efforts to achieve the global 2030 Agenda have halted or even rolled back as a result of the global health crisis. A number of short-term measures had to be taken to respond to this health emergency and then address the recovery through significant money injections. This short-term response has, however, at times failed to account for mid-term and long-term effects and objectives. The need for a sustainable recovery as part of a more integrated and forward-looking vision has been broadly recognized by many countries and stakeholders as the basis for the achievement of the SDGs and national priorities.

Stronger cyclones, derailed seasonal floods, large forest fires, rising sea levels…, the climate crisis affects every part of human life and development. It is the most pressing issue to protect vulnerable populations and ensure a safe and sustainable future for all.

15 September 2021 - The Confederation of African Football (CAF), the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) and UNITAR’s International Training Centres for Authorities and Leaders (CIFAL Global Network) jointly announced the launch of the first UNITAR-certified Sport Safety and Security Training and Advanced Education Programme for professionals in Africa.

The Online Diploma in Multilateral Diplomacy offers a unique opportunity for both students wanting to pursue a career in international relations, and professionals working in international and regional organizations as well as governmental and non-governmental institutions, to expand their knowledge on international affairs and strengthen their capacities in the field of multilateral diplomacy.

7 September 2021, Geneva, Switzerland – The current global pandemic highlighted how training to build resilience is more critical than ever. For the past 18 months, the Covid-19 crisis and its consequences have been the primary concern of world leaders and government officials. However, this poses the risk of overshadowing yet another existential challenge, which requires immediate attention and action.

In November, the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will convene in Glasgow. In light of this, UNITAR, the UN Resident Coordinator's Office for Mauritius and Seychelles, the Group of 77, and China implemented a series of e-Workshops on Climate Change Diplomacy to support the educational development of delegates and representatives. These training sessions aimed to build the capacities of government officers on climate change negotiations and provide them with essential knowledge for the upcoming COP26. The design of the workshops enabled high-level officials to extensively develop their knowledge, competency, and train their negotiation skills.

To lead the discussion on the challenges of COP26, UNITAR selected Mr. Marcelo Rocha, an agronomist, land use expert, and lead coordinating author at the IPCC, and Ms. Ana Kleymeyer, former Senior Advisor to the Argentinian Secretary of the Environment. The trainers highlighted the paramount agreements in their history, as well as the terminologies and concepts of climate finance that are beneficial to Small Island Developing States (SIDS), such as Mauritius and Seychelles, in addition to providing background information on the history of COP and UNFCCC.

29-31 August 2021, Abu Dhabi, UAE – The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) successfully hosted a three-day online workshop on the topics "Assertiveness & Influencing" and "Public & Digital Diplomacy." This workshop was conducted in partnership with the Arab Youth Center’s “Young Arab Diplomatic Leaders” program in Abu Dhabi.

The program aims to familiarize young Arab figures with diplomatic culture, helping them engage in international discussions about topics like the environment, economy, and media in the convergence and the rapid growth witnessed by the Arab World.

UNITAR was pleased to virtually welcome 42 junior-mid career diplomats from Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Iraq.

International Criminal Law has come a long way since the Nuremberg trials and the entry into force of the Rome statute almost twenty years ago. While these developments have helped to satisfy the demand for justice around the word, they have also fueled debates about the state of international law, international criminal justice, and accountability. The Executive Diploma on International Criminal Law and Transitional Justice will provide unique access to information, perspectives, updates and analysis on accountability mechanisms for both those seeking to develop a working background on the topics as well as those already thoroughly versed in their dynamics.

September 2021 - The world is still in shock about how the military disengagement of the West and the implosion of the Afghan government led to the Taliban victory, taking full control over almost the entire territory of Afghanistan within days. Many civilian endeavours of international assistance operating under a military umbrella ceased their operations.

7 September 2021, New York, USA – The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) New York Office successfully implemented its two-day training, the “Transition Workshop for the 76th Office of the President of the General Assembly (OPGA),” in partnership with the Permanent Missions of Ecuador, Finland, and Malaysia. This workshop was organized to support the Office of the President of the General Assembly in its transition between the 75th and 76th OPGA, and to specifically facilitate opportunities for existing, former, and incoming OPGA staff to share experiences and best practices for a successful transition. This workshop marked UNITAR NYO’s first in-person training workshop since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and was attended by more than 30 delegates, following social distancing measures.

11 August 2021, Geneva, Switzerland - Despite the many challenges brought forth in the past months, the team of the Multilateral Diplomacy Programme Unit (MDPU) has grown, quasi-doubling its size compared to pre-pandemic times. Here is how they managed to keep connected with each other!