Nuclear energy could help countries to achieve sustainable development, Member States said today, with many also expressing concern about recent nuclear testing activities by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, as the General Assembly took up the latest report of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) approved six draft resolutions today, addressing free and fair elections, as well as migrants’ rights, while also taking up topics ranging from torture to terrorism.
Delegates in the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) voiced support today for a proposal by the Secretary‑General to undertake a $14.19 million modernization of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) premises in Santiago, Chile.
Meeting concurrently with the Security Council, the General Assembly today elected four judges from an initial pool of six candidates to the International Court of Justice for terms of nine years beginning 6 February 2018.
The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) approved three draft resolutions on decolonization matters today, two by recorded vote, also concluding its general debate on Israel’s practices in occupied Arab territories.
Negotiations aimed at improving the Security Council’s ability to respond quickly and effectively to emerging challenges must remain a transparent, Member State‑driven process free of politicization, delegates emphasized this morning, as the General Assembly concluded its annual debate on the 15‑member organ’s reform.
A sharp increase in settlement construction activity fuelled by the passing of a “regularization law” and combined with the demolition of Palestinian homes had led to an atmosphere of despair and hopelessness among Palestinians in the occupied territories, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) heard today.
The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) passed six draft resolutions today, covering a range of issues, from prison reform and counter‑terrorism efforts, to human trafficking and alternative development.
Lack of political will on the part of an “elite few” continued to threaten efforts to reform the Security Council, the General Assembly heard today, as delegates warned that the resulting inertia risked jeopardizing the 15‑member organ’s credibility and that of the entire United Nations system.
After approving two draft resolutions addressing the effects of armed conflicts on treaties and a request for observer status for a fund supporting indigenous matters, the Sixth Committee (Legal) capped off its penultimate meeting of the current session with delegates reflecting on how best to improve the Committee’s working methods, especially its scheduling.
