Delegates from around the world today called for an end to the United States long‑standing economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba, with many States criticizing the Administration of Donald J. Trump for intensifying sanctions and restrictions against the Caribbean island nation over the past year.
Funding, resourcing and training issues undermine peacekeeping mandates and the safety of “Blue Helmets”, delegates said today, as the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) continued its comprehensive review of peacekeeping operations.
The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) sent seven draft resolutions to the General Assembly today, covering a range of topics, from torture and crime prevention to the provision of technical assistance on counter-terrorism by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
As the Sixth Committee (Legal) concluded consideration of Cluster II from the International Law Commission’s Report, delegates expressed varying opinions about the draft principles on “Protection of the environment in relation to armed conflicts”, with some cautioning against the broad scope of the drafts while others stating that the provisions furthered the international community’s efforts to safeguard the environment.
Delegates highlighted the essential importance of adequate training and gender parity for the success of peace operations today, as the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) continued its general debate on the comprehensive review of United Nations peacekeeping.
The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) today approved seven draft resolutions on conventional weapons and four others aimed at averting the militarization of outer space, as delegates stated their national positions on the best ways forward.
The International Criminal Court exerts the needed pressure against those who “think little of plunging their own people and others into egotistical armed conflicts,” the Court’s President told the General Assembly today as he urged Member States to ratify the Rome Statute to reduce the space for impunity.
Highlighting the Organization’s developing partnership with the African Union today, senior United Nations officials also described the progress achieved in terms of the security of peacekeepers and gender parity, as the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) began its annual review of all aspects of peacekeeping operations.
The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) today approved three draft resolutions on other weapons of mass destruction, including one on the importance of identifying perpetrators of chemical weapon attacks in Syria, while also hearing delegates reflect on action taken on nuclear‑weapon‑related issues.
The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) today sent 19 draft resolutions and decisions on a range of nuclear issues to the General Assembly, including 1 on establishing a Middle East zone free of atomic bombs ahead of a conference on the topic in New York in November.
