05 January 2021, Maputo, Mozambique – UNOSAT delivered a technical training on the Applications of Geospatial Information Technology (GIT) for Operational Planning and Decision Making in Disaster Situations. Participants were from different line ministries and national institutions, including the National Disasters Management Institute (INGC). This training was organized in collaboration with the United Nations Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries and the Ministry of Science, Technology & Higher Education (MCTES) of Mozambique.

16 December 2020, Port Harcourt, Nigeria: It was an event of epoch making significance on 16th of December 2020 when the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), Hydrocarbon Pollution and Remediation Programme (HYPREP) and the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA)/Songhai jointly organised a 1-day stakeholder workshop and presentation of certificates to 20 Cooperative Associations formed by women from Ogoni land, Rivers State, Nigeria who recently benefited from phase 1 of a capacity building programme in Agribusiness and Entrepreneurship.

UNOSAT delivered a 4-day training in Kathmandu, Nepal, on the Application of Geospatial Information Technology (GIT) for Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Decision Support to different Nepalese ministries, police and army officials.

Building up on the Institute’s commitment to excellence in innovative capacity-building for leaders of all sectors, UNITAR welcomed an international audience of participants to its first edition of the Extended Diplomatic Skills: Core Hospitality Skills training course.

18 December 2020, Geneva, Switzerland and Georgetown, Guyana – The Flood Forecasting System, under the project “Strengthening Women’s Disaster Management Capacities in Guyana and Dominica” funded by the Government of Japan and led by UNDP Guyana, was implemented by UNOSAT in close collaboration with CIMA Research Foundation. This is the first of two components of the “Development of Guyana National Flood Early Warning System (NFEWS)“ initiative supported by the Hydrometeorological Service of the Ministry of Agriculture of Guyana (Hydromet).

December 2020, Geneva, Switzerland – Between 2017 and 2019, UNOSAT has been committed to supporting the Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR) to build resilience to the many hazards the country is exposed to, namely floods and tropical storms. The situation is especially urgent as Lao PDR is particularly vulnerable to these threats, as it is ranked one of the poorest or least developed countries in the Asia Pacific region.

UNITAR and UN CC:Learn joined forces to deliver the Online Training Programme on Climate Change Diplomacy, at which 35 Kenyan diplomats, government officials, and civil society representatives were trained on climate diplomacy. The training took place between 13 November and 8 December 2020 and provided participants with knowledge on climate change and climate diplomacy, building their capacity for the upcoming climate negotiations at COP 26.

04 December 2020, Geneva, Switzerland – UNITAR’s Road Safety Global Training Initiative and the International Road Federation (IRF) partnered to deliver a series of Master Classes on the “Management Practices for Safer Roads Toolkit” in the framework of regional conferences.

24 November 2020, Bonn, Germany - UNITAR/United Nations University present an in-depth review on the WEEE Collection Rates in the EU-28, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland, which shows that the implementation mechanisms of WEEE legislation, such as the ‘all actors’ approach, a clearing house, and mandatory handover positively contribute to WEEE collection. In 2018, 55% of WEEE has been reported and collected to the WEEE Directive, at least 20% of WEEE has been traced to be in other WEEE Flows, such as illegal exports of WEEE, exports for reuse, mixed with metal scrap and in residual solid waste. The whereabouts to 25% of the WEEE is still unknown.

24 November 2020, Geneva, Switzerland – UNITAR and Diageo, a global leader in the beverage industry, renew and expand their collaborative agreement to strengthen institutional capacity through training and efforts to change attitudes and behaviour to road safety laws and law enforcement.