Meetings Coverage and Press Releases

In progress at UNHQ

Fourth Committee

GA/SPD/554

‘Untiring’ Efforts by United Nations Made Decolonization ‘Defining’ Issue of Modern Times, Say Fourth Committee Speakers, Urging End to Process

Decolonization had been one of the “most defining issues” of the latter part of the twentieth century and beyond owing to the United Nations’ “untiring” efforts, but with 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories still on the Organization’s list, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) today heard calls for completing the process through a common endeavour in the spirit of cooperation among all parties involved.

BIO/4652*-GA/SPD/553

Durga Prasad Bhattarai of Nepal Chair of Fourth Committee

Durga Prasad Bhattarai, Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations, was elected Chair of the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization Committee) on 18 June 2014.

GA/SPD/552

Fourth Committee Approves Programme of Work in Organizational Meeting for Sixty-Ninth General Assembly Session

The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization), in a brief organizational meeting today, approved its work programme for the new session, which contains more than a dozen topics for consideration, including questions relating to peacekeeping, information, outer space, the effects of atomic radiation and the granting of independence to Non-Self-Governing Territories and peoples.

GA/SPD/549

Threats to Latest Middle East Peace Initiative Could Bring Process ‘Back to Square One’, Speaker Tells Fourth Committee

The optimism stemming from the latest Middle East peace initiative had become fraught with dangers that could take it “back to square one”, the Fourth Committee heard today as it concluded its consideration of the report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories.
GA/SPD/548

Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Tells Fourth Committee It Can Confirm Several ‘Disturbing Trends’, Despite Lack of Cooperation

Despite Israel’s lack of cooperation with the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories, that body had confirmed a “number of disturbing trends”, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) heard today, as it began its annual consideration of the item.
GA/SPD/547

Israel Approves ‘Vast Majority’ of Requests by Relief Agency for Palestine Refugees, but Opposes Its Political Agenda, Fourth Committee Hears

Israel supported the humanitarian work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) by approving the vast majority of its requests and providing it unrestricted access to Israeli officials, its representative told the Fourth Committee today, adding, however, that the country “deeply opposes UNRWA’s political agenda”.
GA/SPD/546

Palestine Refugees ‘Contemporary Symbol’ of Difficulties of Peacemaking, High Cost of Failures, Head of United Nations Relief Agency Tells Fourth Committee

Palestine refugees were living proof of a conflict unresolved across generations and a contemporary symbol of the difficulties of peacemaking and the high cost of its failures, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) heard today as it began its consideration of the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
GA/SPD/545

Special Political Missions Diversify United Nations Toolbox, Creating Nimbler, More Coherent Response in Battle’s Wake, Fourth Committee Told

Through the deployment of special political missions across the world, the United Nations had diversified its crisis-response “toolbox”, and Member States now had at their disposal a wider number of mechanisms for a nimbler, more coherent response in wake of conflict, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) heard during consideration of the new item on its agenda.