The United Nations Department of Public Information had a great responsibility to inspire action on the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and other burgeoning multilateral processes, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) heard today, as it began its consideration of questions relating to information.
Legislative and institutional reforms must be undertaken by States to ensure coherent social systems that include - and recognize the rights of - persons with disabilities, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) heard today as it continued its consideration of the promotion and protection of human rights.
Developing countries must have their voices heard in international financial institutions, delegates in the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) heard today, as it continued its discussion on macroeconomic policy questions.
The root cause of the stalemate in multilateral disarmament machinery lay in political factors rather than in the machinery itself, the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) heard this afternoon as it began its consideration of the item, but as debate took shape, others suggested that out-of-date rules of procedure were to blame.
In a near-unanimous recorded vote, the General Assembly today adopted, for the twenty-fourth time, a resolution on the necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba, despite resumptions of relations between the two countries.
Amid the widespread use of sanctions and counter-terrorism legislation, more transparency and human rights impact assessments were needed when imposing unilateral coercive measures, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) heard today, continuing its consideration of the promotion and protection of human rights.
Israel continued to strangulate the development aspirations of Palestinian people through myriad systematic campaigns to extract and exploit natural resources in the occupied Palestinian territories and the Golan, the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) was told today.
Recognizing the potential of sport as a valuable tool in the achievement of peace and development, the General Assembly today adopted a resolution reaffirming its use to promote dialogue and reconciliation in areas of conflict during and after the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Sixth Committee (Legal) today approved, without a vote, requests for observer status in the General Assembly for the International Civil Defence Organization, which promoted the development of governmental bodies and mechanisms to respond to natural and man-made disasters, and the Indian Ocean Rim Association, comprised of 20 countries, which focused on fisheries management and gender equality.
It was ironic that the weapons that propelled and sustained conflict, causing a series of regional arms races in volatile parts of the world where non-State actors wreaked havoc on civilian populations, came from areas that enjoyed peace and stability, the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) heard today as it embarked on its thematic debate on conventional weapons.
