国际英语资讯:Spotlight: United Nations bidding farewell to 2017 amid challenges, hopes_时事

国际英语资讯:Spotlight: United Nations bidding farewell to 2017 amid challenges, hopes

In the deadliest attack on a UN peacekeeping mission in decades, 14 Tanzanian peacekeepers lost their lives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

"It is another indication of the enormous sacrifices made by troop contributing countries in the service of global peace," said the UN chief.

In Syria, six years of conflict have left 250,000 people dead and 5 million displaced. Temporary ceasefires were brokered and the UN's special envoy for Syria has been working tirelessly to bring the parties to the negotiating table and for an end to the war.

Almost 100,000 migrants crossed the Mediterranean Sea in 2017, and more than 3,000 have drowned. Most are fleeing poverty and conflict in Sub-Saharan Africa.

More than a million people were waiting for a passage in Libya, caught in an endless cycle of abuse, exploitation and even slavery.

Around the world, 130 million girls are still not going to school, which is unacceptable, said UN Messenger of Peace Malala Yousafzai.

"If we want to go forward, we have to give education to girls and once you educate girls, you change the whole community; you change the whole society," said the 19-year-old Malala.

Shortly after the UN first Ocean Conference, a series of mega hurricanes cut a trail of destruction through the Caribbean. On some islands like Dominica, hardly a tree or house was left standing.

Scientists have already seen strong evidence that climate change magnified the strength of the storms and other natural disasters. Therefore, the UN called on countries to speed up the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement.