Alarmed by the existence of thousands of atomic bombs installed worldwide, delegates today called for concrete steps to be taken, especially by the largest possessor States, to end arsenal modernization plans and to immediately reduce and eventually eliminate stockpiles, as the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) began its thematic discussion on nuclear weapons.
As the Sixth Committee (Legal) took up the report of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) today, delegates called for an expansion of that Commission’s membership, along with reforms in investor‑State settlement disputes.
Experts described a landscape where Governments evict indigenous peoples from their homes and use technology to deny people living in poverty access to basic services, as the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) continued its debate on the promotion and protection of human rights today.
Before considering seven requests for observer status in the General Assembly, the Sixth Committee (Legal) today concluded its debate on the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations with speakers highlighting the impact of sanctions, the importance of the peaceful settlement of disputes and the unique role mediation plays in that endeavour.
Delegates in the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today voiced their concerns over the worsening cash flow problems enveloping the Organization’s regular budget and stressed the need to give the world body a sounder financial foundation. Some Member States criticized other States for not paying their assessments on time and in full without conditions, which has forced the Secretariat to take emergency measures to pay staff and keep the New York City Headquarters operating.
Calling for the establishment of a nuclear‑weapon‑free zone in the Middle East, delegates spotlighted the benefits such an area would have in promoting peace in the region, as the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) concluded its general debate today.
Despite global progress in expanding use of the Internet and information communications technology (ICT), the digital divide between developed and developing countries remains wide, speakers told the Second Committee (Economic Financial) today as it addressed that issue.
The Department of Global Communications has a responsibility to disseminate a positive narrative in a world where hate has once again found a voice, a delegate told the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) today as it continued its general debate on questions relating to information.
Delegates from developing countries put a harsh spotlight today on the human cost of the worldwide proliferation of small arms and light weapons alongside ballooning military budgets, as the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) continued its general debate.
Concluding their debate on the scope and application of universal jurisdiction, and beginning consideration on the Organization’s internal justice system, as well as the Special Committee on the Charter, delegates of the Sixth Committee (Legal) today shared a wide range of stances on the complex issues before them.
