Africa doesn’t have a million problems. It has one: a mindset problem, according to the UN Special Adviser on Africa Cristina Duarte.

Research suggests that nearly two-thirds of Africans believe their countries are currently heading in the wrong direction.

Speaking after the UN Academic Conference on Africa held earlier this month, Ms. Duarte emphasised that by transforming this mindset and recognising the value of African knowledge, the continent’s future could be completely reshaped.

UN News’s Ben Malor sat down with Ms. Duarte and began by asking for her top three takeaways from the thought-provoking gathering.

Audio: Ben Malor, UN News

Africa has one problem, not a million: A mindset problem

• UN Secretary-General condemns deadly attack on Hannukah celebration in Sydney
• Amid “unending atrocities” around world, UN Refugees chief Filippo Grandi reaffirms solidarity with asylum seekers
• Ukraine: Aid teams provide relief after another weekend of Russian strikes on vital infrastructure - OCHA

Audio credit: Charlotte Frantz, UN News

UN News Today 15 December 2025 - attack in Sydney, asylum seekers, Ukraine

An independent journalist is warning against the unchecked rise of artificial intelligence (AI), comparing the public to “guinea pigs” in a global experiment. 

Atif Rashid, Editor in Chief of Analyst News – a non-profit international news website – was a panelist in the thematic session held during the UN Alliance of Civilizations Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 14-15 December.

Speaking to UN News’s Reem Abaza, he urged governments and tech companies to slow down, protect children, and treat AI with the same caution as they would untested medications.

Audio credit: Reem Abaza, UN News

‘We are the guinea pigs’: independent journalist warns AI Is developing faster than safety measures

• Afghanistan: mothers turned away at health centres amid dire funding cuts, warns WFP 
• DR Congo violence pushes 500,000 from their homes: UNHCR 
• New influenza variant is surging, but vaccination still our best bet: WHO

Audio credit: Daniel Johnson, UN News

UN News Today 16 December 2025 - Afghanistan, DR Congo, new influenza variant

Three young women peacebuilders from Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan - Ana Kuprava, Maria Yesayan, and Shahim Afandiyeva – participated at a Youth Forum in Riyadh, and shared how their joint initiative From Borders to Bridges brought together youth from divided communities across the South Caucasus. 

Supported by the UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)’s Young Peacebuilders programme, the project connected participants from different backgrounds, many of whom had never interacted before.

The impact continues beyond the project, with lasting connections and new initiatives emerging across borders.
 
Audio credit: Reem Abaza, UN News 

Three young women reimagine peace across borders

Ukraine suffering continues as electricity is cut for days amid ongoing Russian attacks
Imagine living through a war and not being able to make a meal or heat your home; that’s the reality today for thousands of Ukrainians who’ve seen repeated Russian attacks knock out their electricity for days at a time.
In an update from Ukraine, the UN’s top aid official there, Matthias Schmale, reported that half of the population in Kherson city have been without electricity for several days - about 30,000 or more residents.
It’s not the only city without power, he told UN News on Wednesday, while on mission to southern Ukraine: “The big challenge is how do you support people if electricity is cut off for several days, more than a week, let's say, in a row, like is currently the case in Odesa. The authorities are fairly confident that they can deal with a couple of hours or even a couple of days in a row. but more than a week will be very challenging.”
The top UN aid coordinator said that one solution to the energy crisis was to ensure that schools and health centres are provided with generators and enough fuel, “so that people can gather there if there is a crisis and if needed for several days in the row”.


Ukrainian cities left without electricity for days - Matthias Schmale

- Concerns grow for Ukrainians in cities left without power for days: OCHA
- Key water pipeline repaired in Gaza, but dire conditions remain: OCHA
- ‘High or very high’ levels of early season influenza sweeping across Europe: WHO

Audio credit: Daniel Johnson, UN News

UN News Today 17 December 2025 - Ukraine electricity, Gaza conditions, flu in Europe

• António Guterres calls for de-escalation in Yemen
• Sudan war: UN Human Rights office puts spotlight on horrific violations, executions
• Volker Türk alarmed by spiralling Thai-Cambodia conflict and impact on civilians

Audio credit: Daniel Johnson, UN News

UN News Today 18 December 2025 - Yemen, Sudan war, Thaiu-Cambodia conflict

Mass atrocities in Sudan’s Darfur region show alarming indicators associated with the risk of genocide, according to the United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Chaloka Beyani, who has completed a mission to Kenya.

Fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), alongside other armed groups, has plunged large parts of Sudan into a deepening humanitarian and protection crisis since April 2023.  

More than 11 million people are now internally displaced, while up to four million have fled to neighbouring countries and beyond. 

Mr. Beyani has completed a mission to Kenya and spoke to UN News’s Stella Vuzo in Nairobi, where he met several Sudanese refugees. She began by asking about his main message to the Sudanese people. 

Audio credit: Stella Vuzo, UN News 

People in Darfur ‘need healing’, says UN adviser amid escalating mass atrocities

As the world debates how technology is shaping societies, actor and filmmaker Joseph Gordon-Levitt has been sharing why people and purpose must remain at the heart of the digital future.

UN News’ Vibhu Mishra spoke with him on the sidelines of a high-level UN meeting marking 20 years of global cooperation on the internet and digital technologies.

Mr. Gordon-Levitt reflected on creativity, inclusion and the responsibility that comes with powerful digital tools, especially as technology becomes more embedded in everyday life.

He said he was inspired by people working not just for profit, but to make the world better – even when the challenge feels like a “David and Goliath” battle.

Audio credit: Vibhu Mishra, UN News 

A human digital future: Joseph Gordon-Levitt at the UN

Happy Birthday, UN Charter! As the United Nations turns 75, UN-Scripted looks at the past, present and future of the organization through the sharp eyes of elders and youth. In this episode, you’ll hear from former heads of states, diplomats and United Nations officials on what they believe are the UN’s greatest accomplishments and the path ahead for the organization. 

 In this episode, you'll hear strong, controversial opinions: disillusioned UN youth delegates, elders desperate for international cooperation and pro-Asian scholars who believe the region is bound to lead the world soon. You’ll also hear from leading UN scholars who look at the key events that have shaped the United Nations since its its inception. 

For more information about our guests, in order of appearance:
• Stephen Schlesinger, United States, Senior Fellow at the Century Foundation and former Director of the World Policy Institute at the New School; author of, among other books, “Act of Creation: The Founding of The United Nations," available here: https://www.amazon.com/Act-Creation-Founding-United-Nations/dp/0813332753
• Thomas G. Weiss, United States, Presidential Professor of Political Science at The CUNY Graduate Center and former director of the Ralph Bunche Institute for International Studies at CUNY; author of numerous books on the UN. For more information: https://www.futureun.org/en/Home
• Fabrizio Hochschild, Chile, Special Adviser to Secretary-General António Guterres on the Commemoration of the UN-75th Anniversary. The United Nations worldwide survey is available at: https://www.un.org/UN75
• Mary Robinson, Ireland, Former President of Ireland, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and currently Chair of The Elders. Mary Robinson has also discussed human rights and multilateral cooperation in a post-pandemic world with fellow members of The Elders in special episodes of a new podcast series called “Finding Humanity”. The series also features interviews with frontline activists and human rights defenders working for change in their communities. Listen here: findinghumanitypodcast.com
• Sir Richard Jolly, United Kingdom, Former Deputy Director of Unicef and a UN Assistant Secretary-General 
• Kishore Mahbubani, Singapore, Former Permanent Representative to the UN and Distinguished Fellow at the National University of Singapore. His book, "Has China Won," is available at: https://www.publicaffairsbooks.com/titles/kishore-mahbubani/has-china-won/9781541768123/
• Carol Bellamy, United States, Former Executive Director of Unicef
• Justin Yifu Lin, China, Former Chief Economist at the World Bank and Dean of the Institute of New Structural Economics at Peking University.
• Edward Mortimer, United Kingdom, Former Director of Communications for Secretary-General Kofi Annan

And our youth leaders:
• Côme Girschig, France, Representative at the UN’s 2019 Youth Climate Change Summit
• Yen Ba Vu, Vietnam, Law and History Student
• Dr. Joannie M. Bewa, Benin, Sexual and Reproductive Health Advocate and UN Youth Leader for the Sustainable Development Goals
• Sophie Arsenault, Canada, delivered a speech on behalf of Canada at the UN

PassBlue’s Twitter: @pass_blue
Facebook: @passblueUN
Instagram: @passblue

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And check out our sponsors! 
• The Centre for United Nations Studies at the University of Buckingham in the United Kingdom offers a one-year masters degree program in United Nations and Diplomatic Studies. www.buckingham.ac.uk/humanities/ma/united-nations-and-diplomatic-studies
• Fordham University offers a Master of Science in Humanitarian Studies via online and evening classes at Fordham's campuses in the Bronx and Manhattan. fordham.edu/mshs.
• The Fletcher School at Tufts University offers a two-year Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy and a one-year master’s degree program for mid-career professionals. https://fletcher.tufts.edu

Ep. 24: Elders and Youth Reflect on the UN's 75th Birthday

PassBlue is an independent, women-led digital publication offering in-depth journalism on the US-UN relationship and its effects on women’s issues, human rights, peacekeeping and other urgent global matters, as reported from our base in the UN press corps. Founded in 2011, PassBlue is not tied financially or otherwise to the UN.

Ep. 24: Elders and Youth Reflect on the UN's 75th Birthday

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