General Assembly Adopts Declaration Renewing Commitment to United Nations Charter, Principles on Eve of Seventieth Anniversary

This afternoon, the General Assembly reaffirmed its faith in the United Nations and its unfailing commitment to the purposes and principles of the 70-year-old Organization’s Charter.

In a resolution titled “Declaration on the occasion of the seventieth anniversary of the United Nations” (document A/70/L.4), adopted without a vote, the Assembly also renewed the determination set forth in the preamble of the Charter “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind” by recommitting to their obligation to refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Organization’s purposes.

Further, the 193-member body reaffirmed its faith in the inherent dignity of the human person and in the equal rights of women and men, as well as its commitment to promoting, protecting and ensuring human rights for all without distinction of any kind.  Acknowledging the Organization’s crucial role in the past seven decades in the fields of peace and security, human rights and social and economic development, the Assembly also resolved to further the pursuit of global development and “win-win” cooperation through full support to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.  And it solemnly pledged to continue cooperating with a strong, legitimate and credible United Nations.

The Assembly will reconvene at 3 p.m. on Monday, 26 October to discuss its agenda item on “Sport for development and peace:  building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal”.