Human rights offered States a clear path towards stability and prosperity, the General Assembly heard today at the opening of a two-day high-level thematic debate, with officials examining the United Nation’s shortcomings and its response to global trends.
The General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution that welcomed progress in Africa in conflict prevention and peacebuilding while pointing to ways to address the root causes of conflict and promote durable peace and sustainable development.
The General Assembly continued its fifth review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, adopting a resolution on ways in which to redouble efforts to work swiftly, collectively and effectively in rooting out the scourge.
Concluding its 2016 resumed session today, the Special Committee on Decolonization approved two draft resolutions, as its Chair reflected on the need to move past the stagnation characterizing the current state of decolonization efforts around the world.
The General Assembly today elected Italy to the Security Council for a two-year term from 1 January 2017, with that country’s representative saying it would cede its place to Netherlands after one year.
In multiple rounds of voting, the General Assembly elected four new non-permanent members to the Security Council today, but was unable to fill a fifth seat after a highly-contested campaign.
The Special Committee on Decolonization approved 14 draft resolutions today, including one addressing several critical aspects of the upcoming self-determination referendum to decide the future status of New Caledonia.
With speakers decrying the anachronistic situation and the “open wound” festering in the South Atlantic, the Special Committee on Decolonization today approved a draft resolution reiterating that a peaceful and negotiated settlement of the sovereignty dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom was the only way to end the “special and particular” colonial situation of the Falkland Island (Malvinas).
The Peacebuilding Commission committed this afternoon to better support nations moving from violent conflict to sustainable peace by providing a policy forum for all relevant stakeholders and strategic and targeted advice to the Security Council.
The Special Committee on Decolonization approved three draft resolutions today, welcoming the cooperative attitude towards Tokelau in the first text, and calling for greater efforts by both administering Powers and United Nations agencies, in the others, to implement the landmark 1960 Declaration on the granting of independence to Non-Self-Governing Territories and their peoples.
