Captain Stanley Osaba, working at the National Emergency Operations and Coordination Centre under the Department of Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Management in the Office of the Prime Minister in Uganda, experienced a significant professional transformation. This transformation was sparked by his participation in a UNOSAT training course that covered the introduction and advanced GIS training sessions, which is part of the broader "Capacity Building in the Use of Geospatial Information for Improving Resilience in Asia-Pacific and Africa (2021-2024)" project. Initially a passive observer of GIS technology, Captain Osaba became an active participant, capable of developing GIS products and providing sound advice to specialists. "The training empowered me to confidently guide the specialists, offering informed views and recommendations based on my newfound understanding of the technology's capabilities," he explains.

Mrs Khaemeuy Chao is an employee of the technical staff of the Weather Forecasting and Warning Division, Department of Meteorology and Hydrology of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Lao People's Democratic Republic. Her role involves disseminating weather forecasts, monitoring and analysing weather conditions for issuing weather forecasts, and severe weather warnings, writing press releases, and compiling monthly summary reports. Recently, Mrs Chao decided to strengthen her capacity in this area by attending training courses organised by UNOSAT as part of the project "Strengthening Capacities in the Use of Geospatial Information for Improved Resilience in Asia-Pacific and Africa (2021-2024)". She has participated in various courses, including "Strengthening Capacities in the Use of Geospatial Information Technology (GIT) for Disaster Risk Management", "Advanced Training on Earth Observation (EO) Applications for Disaster Risk Management" and "Advanced Training on Geospatial Information Technologies for Decision Making in Disaster Risk Reduction". 

26 July 2024, San Juan, Puerto Rico – UNITAR in collaboration with the International Road Federation (IRF) will deliver a training workshop on its Management Practices for Safer Roads for government officials from across 30 countries and territories in the Caribbean region.

In the wake of the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which claimed over 230,000 lives and left millions displaced, the urgent need for a coordinated disaster response system among international agencies, governments, and humanitarian organizations became glaringly evident. In response, the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS) was established to bridge the gap between real-time disaster data and response capabilities. Integral to this effort was UNOSAT’s development of the Satellite Mapping Coordination System (SMCS) in 2010, following the Haiti earthquake, which facilitates real-time coordination between mapping organizations during disaster events.

23 July 2024, Geneva, Switzerland - The FIA and its new partner United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) have kicked off the SafeForAll&forLife project with support from the FIA Foundation.

23 July 2024, San Salvador, El Salvador – The United Nations for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of El Salvador through their Diplomatic Institute “Doctor José Gustavo Guerrero” signed a Memorandum of Understanding to provide a cooperative framework to promote the development and implementation of training activities.

22 July 2024, San Salvador, El Salvador - UNITAR and the Government of the Republic of El Salvador through the Office of its First Lady conducted the Training of Trainers Workshop “The Magic Drop: Supporting Mothers along the Journey”.

19 July 2024, Hiroshima, Japan – UNITAR invites Afghan youth to apply to the “UNITAR Training for Afghan Youth: Advancing Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship” training programme. This programme is open to youth keen on entrepreneurship and agribusiness and will run from August 2024 to March 2025, including two online phases and an in-person workshop. Participants will learn crucial digital, financial and entrepreneurship skills tailored to enhance food security and economic stability in their communities.

19 July 2024, San Salvador, El Salvador – UNITAR, through its Global Breastfeeding Education initiative and in close collaboration with the Government of the Republic of El Salvador, through the Office of the First Lady, today inaugurates the Regional Breastfeeding Forum “The Best Start for Life”, with 350 participants including delegations from Central America, Cuba and the Dominican Republic and experts from 13 countries. This Forum takes place in San Salvador on July 18 and 19, 2024.

Vannie Djounguep is reshaping gender equality, entrepreneurship and environmental sustainability in Cameroon and beyond. Vannie is the founder and executive director of an organization that advocates for gender equality and environmental protection, especially in the informal sector. She participated in the UNITAR Advancing Gender Equality and Women Empowerment 2023 Entrepreneurship and Financial Literacy Training Programme, organized in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and generously funded by the Government of Canada.