Fourth Committee

Convinced that the United Nations must continue to improve its peacekeeping capabilities and enhance the effective deployment of its operations, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) today approved, without a vote, a draft resolution by which the General Assembly would review the implementation of previous proposals of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations and consider new ones, so that the Organization could fulfil its responsibilities in that field.

In an extraordinary action today, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) decided to recommend the use of United Nations regular budget funds to bolster the United Nations troubled refugee agency in the Middle East.

The General Assembly, gravely concerned by the critical humanitarian situation and socio-economic conditions of the Palestine refugees in the Gaza Strip, and underlining the importance of emergency assistance and urgent reconstruction efforts, would decide to extend the mandate of UNRWA until 30 June 2014, by one of nine draft texts approved today by the Fourth Committee, as it concluded the bulk of its work for the main part of the session.

With just a bit of time remaining on its calendar, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) today concluded its consideration for the session of the effects of atomic radiation with the consensus approval of a draft resolution commending the United Nations Scientific Committee for the valuable contribution it had been making since its inception to widen knowledge and understanding of the levels, effects and risks of ionizing radiation.

The international community needed to prevent a total collapse of the direct negotiations on the Palestinian track, and an end to the occupation and the return of refugees could serve as a “doorway” to resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict, delegates told the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) today.

Despite a “façade” of actively pursuing peace, Israel continued to infringe on the basic human rights of the Palestinians and inflict “untold suffering” through a blockade that prevented the flow of goods and people, even in life-and-death situations, undermining any future prospects for a peaceful settlement, delegates told the Fourth Committee today, as it began its annual discussion of Israeli practices affecting the human rights of Arabs in the occupied territories.

Facing chronic financial shortfalls and the persistent blockade of the Gaza Strip, UNRWA would continue to struggle to meet its mandate to provide basic services without a significant infusion of donor supply across all fields of operations and a further easing of border closures around the constricted enclave, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) was told as it concluded its general debate on the work of that Agency this afternoon.

Notwithstanding considerable complexities, political actors had to make courageous choices and not relent in pursuit of a peaceful resolution to create a viable State of Palestine, end the occupation, and find a lasting solution to the plight of the refugees, the head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said this afternoon, as the Fourth Committee launched its annual consideration of the Agency’s work.

Given the current “renaissance of nuclear energy”, Member States and other users were ever more eager to evaluate risk and establish appropriate safety and protection standards over radiation levels from energy production and exposure to nuclear installations, and to assess the consequences on human health and the environment, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) heard today as it began its consideration of the effects of atomic radiation.

A shortage of critical equipment required to carry out United Nations mandates in many peacekeeping missions had created a “yawning gap” between expectations and performance in the flagship mission that delegates maintained was already overburdened, underfunded, and overstretched, the Fourth Committee heard today, as it concluded its annual debate on peacekeeping.