Latest Headlines about International Organizations and UN Bodies

Read the latest headlines about developments at international organizations and the United Nations family in Vienna and Austria

Egyptian Ms. Ghada Fathi Waly Appointed Executive Director of United Nations Agency UNODC

The United Nations announced the appointment of Ghada Fathi Waly of Egypt as the next Executive Director of the Vienna based United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Ms. Waly will also serve as Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV). She succeeds Yury Fedotov of the Russian Federation.

December 20, 2019

Vienna Energy Forum 2020 as a Hub for Innovative and Sustainable Energy Solutions

During high-level talks at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 25), Maria Patek, Austria's Federal Minister for Sustainability and Tourism, announced the hosting of the Vienna Energy Forum (VEF) 2020.

December 11, 2019

OPEC Headquarters Vienna: World Oil Market Outlook 2019 Launched

OPEC's Chief Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo released its 2019 World Oil Outlook, in which the OPEC states that the oil market may have upside potential in 2020.

November 17, 2019

OECD Economic Survey: Reform Proposals for Austria

A recent economic report by the OECD (Economic Surveys: Austria 2019) examines the impact of weak foreign demand, uncertainties in world trade and an ageing population on the prospects for the Austrian economy.

November 15, 2019

Ukraine: Schallenberg Meets New Ukrainian Foreign Minister Prystaiko

During his visit to the Ukrainian capital Kiev, Austria's Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg met the new Ukrainian counterpart Vadym Prystaiko, and highlighted the good bilateral relations between the two countries.

November 14, 2019 · Updated: November 14, 2019; 16:09

Argentine Ambassador to Austria Rafael Grossi Appointed New IAEA Director General

Ambassador Rafael Mariano Grossi is set to take office as Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency in early December, following his appointment to the post by the Agency’s Board of Governors.

November 1, 2019

What You Always Wanted To Know About Viennese Diplomatic Number Plates

How to find out for which country or international institution a vehicle with an Austrian diplomatic license plate is registered, starting with the initials WD (Wien Diplomat) and a certain number. For example, "WD-1" is the Diplomatic Code for Vatican City.

October 23, 2019

Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo to Present the OPEC World Oil Outlook 2019

The OPEC World Oil Outlook provides insights into the upstream and downstream, supply and demand, investments, the potential impact of policies and sustainable development. It will be launched at the Vienna Stock Exchange by OPEC’s Secretary General, HE Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo.

October 22, 2019

Counter-Terrorism in the Focus of UN and Interparliamentary Cooperation

Reinhold Lopatka elected Chairman of the High-Level Advisory Group on Combating Terrorism and Violent Extremism.

October 21, 2019

Vienna's UNODC and China Sign Agreement on Combating Corruption

The United Nations and China, represented by the Chairmen of the National Supervisory Commission of the Peoples Republic of China, Yang Xiaodu - currently visiting Vienna - signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in combating corruption.

October 17, 2019

Vienna Migration Agency Develops Recommendations for EU

Entitled "Breaking the gridlock and moving forward: Recommendations for the next five years of EU migration policy", participants of the Vienna Migration Conference 2019 will explore migration policy options and the formulation of future strategies.

October 11, 2019

Protecting Civilians in Urban Warfare: Will You Help?

During the two-day Vienna Conference, representatives of more than 100 states, international organisations and civil society as well as stakeholders discussed concrete measures to protect the civilian population and the elaboration of a possible political declaration within the framework of the United Nations.

October 3, 2019

Schallenberg: Human Rights are Simply Non Negotiable

Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg addressed the UN General Assembly, stressing the need for enhanced international cooperation.

September 27, 2019

Austrian President and Chancellor at UN General Assembly

President Van der Bellen, Chancellor Bierlein, Environment Minister Maria Patek and activist Anika Dafert attended the 74th UN General Assembly in New York.

September 25, 2019

Ambassador Kumlin Granit Takes Over from Ambassador Al-Hadid as New Chairperson of IAEA Board of Governors

The IAEA Board of Governors elected by acclamation Ambassador Mikaela Kumlin Granit of Sweden as the Chairperson of the IAEA’s Board of Governors for 2019–2020.

September 24, 2019

Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg at UN General Assembly

Tight schedule at the Annual General Meeting in New York City. Meetings with counterparts from Iran, Javad Zarif, Belarus, Vladimir Makei and Iraq, Mohamed Ali Alhakim and the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross Peter Maurer. A speech to the UN General Assembly is scheduled for Thursday. The strengthening of Vienna as a UN location is also on the agenda.

September 24, 2019

City of Vienna Positions Itself at UNIDO Silk Road Conference

At the recent two-day international silk road conference hosted by UNIDO, the Vienna Chamber of Commerce and Industry, represented by location lawyer Alexander Biach, took a stand and presented the opportunities and advantages of the Vienna region and the possibilities of a connection to the new Silk Road (Belt and Road Initiative).

September 24, 2019

Multilateralism: Austrian Delegation at UN General Assembly in New York City

Federal Chancellor Brigitte Bierlein is attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York together with Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg and Sustainability Minister Maria Patek. Schallenberg speaks as Austria's representative.

September 20, 2019

Who Will Become the Next IAEA Director General?

Following the death of Yukiya Amano, the IAEA is still looking for a new Director General. The Board of Governors of the IAEA has received 4 applications for the prestigious position of IAEA Director General from Argentina, Burkina Faso, Romania and Slovakia. The candidate must be approved by a two-thirds majority of the Board. Read on to find out who the candidates are.

September 10, 2019

40th Anniversary of the VIC: Open House Day an Organizational Fiasco

The so-called Open House Day for the 40th anniversary of the VIC Vienna International Centre (UNO City) turned out to be an organizational disaster on Sunday, when thousands of people from 200 nations had to wait for hours in an almost 500 meter long queue to be admitted.

September 9, 2019

International Research Institute Opens its Doors

For the first time in many years, the IIASA at Schloss Laxenburg will be accessible to external visitors on the National Heritage Day (Tag des Denkmals) on 29 September 2019, who will have a unique chance to learn all about the history of the castle and IIASA.

September 2, 2019 · Sponsored Content

The World’s Best Research Institutions: IST Austria Ranks Third

IST - Institute of Science and Technology Austria takes the 3rd place in the “Nature Index 2019”. Among the Top 10 only one other European institution is represented.

September 2, 2019

Ban Ki-moon at the Forum Alpbach: Promoting the SDGs in Europe with a Global Mindset

Delivering a keynote, Chairman Ban Ki-moon encouraged all national leaders to act as global leaders with a global citizenship mindset, which he said is a truly crucial asset for every individual to have in order to achieve sustainable development in a global society.

August 29, 2019

IAEA Memorial Ceremony in Honour of Director General Yukiya Amano

At a memorial service held at IAEA headquarters in Vienna in the presence of Mrs. Yukika Amano, dignitaries, diplomats, IAEA colleagues and member states paid tribute to late Director General Yukiya Amano, who passed away last month. Attendees included Heinz Fischer, Alexander Schallenberg and Satoshi Suzuki, Japan’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.

August 23, 2019

New Resident Representatives to the IAEA Presented Their Credentials

The IAEA welcomed 12 new Resident Representatives from Sri Lanka, The Netherlands, Slovenia, France, Ukraine, Brunei Darussalam, Morocco, Sierra Leone, Israel, the Republic of Korea, Iraq and Montenegro who presented their credentials this summer.

August 22, 2019

Vienna International Centre Invites Expats and Locals for Anniversary Event

The United Nations headquarters in Vienna is celebrating its 40th anniversary, marking four decades of international diplomacy. Come and see inside the VIC Vienna International Centre as part of its anniversary events.

August 13, 2019

What Does Vienna Have in Common with the New Silk Road?

In order to ensure sustainable development, the cities along the New Silk Road also have to face major infrastructural and social challenges, as well as climate-ecological challenges. More than 1000 participants from more than 178 cities are expected in September in the Vienna International Center for UNIDO's Bridge for Cities Conference as part of the Belt & Road Initiative.

August 12, 2019

Meet the New Resident Representative of Ukraine to the International Organizations in Vienna

The new Resident Representative of Ukraine to the International Organizations in Vienna, HE Mr. Yevhenii Tsymbaliuk, presented his credentials to Mary Alice Hayward, Acting Director General and Head of the Department of Management at the IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency. He also presented his credentials to Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV), Yury Fedotov.

August 5, 2019

U.S. Senate Confirms Kelly Craft as Ambassador to United Nations

The US senate has confirmed the 57 year old American businesswoman and diplomat Kelly Knight Craft as the next US ambassador to the UN United Nations. She will replace Nikki Haley who resigned last year.

August 1, 2019

Cultural Diplomacy: International Friendship Day Important for Preserving Peace

Causes of conflicts and crises worldwide are often cultural differences and misunderstandings between peoples. These threaten peace, security, development and social peace. After long efforts, this day was also proclaimed by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 2011. Vindobona.org, an intercultural portal that promotes international understanding and cultural exchange in the metropolis of Vienna, strongly supports Friendship Day.

July 30, 2019

Leena Srivastava Appointed IIASA Deputy Director General for Science

The International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) announces that Dr. Leena Srivastava, who has held the position of IIASA Distinguished Visiting Fellow since May, will be promoted to the position of IIASA Deputy Director General for Science as of November 15, 2019.

July 27, 2019

IAEA - Romanian Ambassador has been Designated Acting Director General

Ambassador Cornel Feruta of Romania, head-coordinator of the IAEA since 2013, has been responsible for coordinating the Agency's internal and external activities. As a consequence of the recent passing away of Director General Yukiya Amano, he has been designated Acting Director General at the IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency.

July 25, 2019

IAEA Member States Pay Tribute to Late Director General Yukiya Amano

During a Board of Governors meeting held at the IAEA headquarters, Member States paid their respects to Director General Yukiya Amano, who recently passed away. Delegations expressed deep sadness and a sense of great loss at his passing, commending Mr. Amano for his dedication and devotion to the work of the Agency and to the peaceful uses of nuclear technology for the benefit of people around the world.

July 25, 2019

Austrian Volker Türk Sworn In UN Deputy Secretary-General for Strategic Coordination

UN Secretary-General António Guterres swore in Austrian Volker Türk as Deputy Secretary-General for Strategic Coordination. The Australian Gillian Triggs succeeds him.

July 25, 2019

IAEA Nuclear Watchdog Chief Yukiya Amano Died at 72

The boss of the Vienna-based IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency Yukiya Amano is dead. The Japanese was 72 years old. The longtime Japanese diplomat held the IAEA's top job since December 2009. The cause of his death is unclear. According to IAEA, Amano passed away as a result of his illness. Amano’s death comes at a time of increasing concerns and escalating tensions over Iran’s nuclear program.

July 22, 2019 · Updated: July 24, 2019; 13:00

UN Chief Guterres Voices Deep Sadness at Death of IAEA Chief Amano

UN chief António Guterres paid tribute, saying he was deeply saddened to hear the news of his death.

July 23, 2019

Diplomats in Austria: How Does the Tax Exempt Purchase of Motor Vehicles Work?

New rules for the tax-exempt purchase of a motor vehicle from an Austrian car dealership concern the direct exemption from VAT and the normal consumption tax, which contributes to speeding up the tax relief.

July 9, 2019

How North Macedonia Learns from Austria - Best Practices on the Topic of Equal Treatment

During a visit of the delegations of the Macedonian Ministry of the Interior and the OSCE Mission Skopje to the Federal Ministry of the Interior in Vienna, representatives of all sides exchanged views on the subject of equal treatment.

July 4, 2019

Total Ban on Glyphosate in Austria Adopted

Austria is the first country in the European Union to ban the use of the controversial weedkiller glyphosate. The ban is legally controversial and could contradict EU law.

July 4, 2019

Austrian Foreign Ministry - Diplomatic Excursion 2019 to Lake Neusiedl

Foreign diplomats and heads of international organisations in Austria were invited by the BMEIA Federal Ministry for Europe Integration and Foreign Affairs to the annual summer excursion to Burgenland (Diplomatenausflug 2019).

July 3, 2019

Schallenberg Represents Austria in the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva

Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg travelled to Geneva on the occasion of the current meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). Last year Austria was elected to the UN Human Rights Council for the period 2019 to 2021.

July 2, 2019

So What Does the Future Hold for the Eurozone?

The Eurozone between crisis and reform. At the Austrian Academy of Sciences, the renowned European financial experts Agnès Bénassy-Quéré, Klaus Regling, Elke König and Josef Zechner discussed the structure, challenges and necessary financial market reforms within the euro zone.

June 28, 2019

Strengthening Comprehensive Security in the OSCE Area

The OSCE’s Annual Security Review Conference in Vienna will discuss state of play of co-operation on comprehensive security in Europe and beyond.

June 25, 2019

Closure of Controversial King Abdullah Center in Vienna Decided

The Austrian National Council has decided to close the King Abdullah Centre in Vienna. The KAICIID - King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue, which is largely financed by Saudi Arabia, has long been controversial. The imminent death sentence of 18-year-old Murtaja Qureiris in Saudi Arabia was the immediate cause. The majority decision of parliament must now be implemented by the Foreign Ministry under Alexander Schallenberg. The Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) spoke out in favour of a new centre under the auspices of the UN.

June 13, 2019

Global Compact for Migration: Top UN Refugee Agency Diplomat Volker Türk at the Kreisky Forum

Austria's top diplomat in the UNHCR, a United Nations Programme, the international law expert Dr. Volker Türk has made an appeal to governments, NGOs and individuals to rethink refugee protection and to implement the UN Global Compact for Refugees adopted in 2018.

June 6, 2019

40 Years of the UN in Vienna - The Tireless Commitment of António Guterres

UN Secretary General António Guterres completed a busy programme when he came to Vienna for the 40th anniversary celebrations and the R20 Austria World Summit. The VIC Vienna International Centre is the place where, with the help of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), the 193 member states, 15 Vienna-based UN organisations and more than 5000 people from 125 countries from around the world are bound together.

May 31, 2019

Combat Climate Change - António Guterres' Remarks at the R20 Austrian World Summit

Because of climate change all around the world the sea level is rising, floods, drought, wildfires and extreme storms appear, and people are now losing their homes and being forced to migrate. Read what António Guterres had to say in Vienna after a trip to the South Pacific.

May 30, 2019

40 Years of the UN in Vienna - Guterres, Kneissl and Ludwig at Ceremony

On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the VIC Vienna International Centre (UNO-City), UN Secretary General António Guterres, former Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl and Vienna Mayor Michael Ludwig attended a ceremony at the Vienna headquarters of the United Nations.

May 30, 2019

Diplomats for the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia 2019

More and more embassies, delegations and permanent representations to international organisations supported this day (IDAHOBIT), that raises awareness of LGBT rights violations and stimulate interest in LGBT rights work worldwide, as well as EuroPride 2019 in Vienna.

May 29, 2019

International Research Institute IST to Celebrate 10th Anniversary

The "IST - Institute of Science and Technology Austria" in Maria Gugging near Klosterneuburg celebrates its 10th anniversary and invites for this reason to a festive event in its premises. What began 10 years ago with four professors is today an international scientific institution with 700 employees. Among the speakers and participants of the evening are Alexander Van der Bellen, Sebastian Kurz, Heinz Fassmann, Johanna Mikl-Leitner, Thomas A. Henzinger, Michael Ignatieff, Daniel Zajfman, Alice Dautry and Edith Heard.

May 21, 2019