General Assembly: Meetings Coverage

The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) met today in a brief organizational meeting to adopt its agenda and work programme for the seventieth General Assembly session.

The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization), in an organizational meeting today, approved its work programme for the new session, which covers topics ranging from international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space to the situations in the 17 territories remaining on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories.

Tackling a range of issues threading through the newly adopted Sustainable Development Goals, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) began its work today, with speakers and youth delegates describing successes, challenges and concerns facing the international community in its push towards meeting the 2030 Agenda’s promises.

The United Nations must step up its efforts to avoid further bloodshed following an escalation of violence and increased civilian casualties in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, a senior Palestine diplomat said today.

In addressing the world’s enormous challenges — serving waves of refugees in the Mediterranean, brokering necessary peace in the Middle East and managing the “existential” threat of climate change — speakers in the General Assembly today called on the United Nations to invoke the spirit that had underpinned its historic founding 70 years ago:  one of compassion and dignity.

From the mountains to the seas, from the Caribbean to the Arctic, global warming was a global problem, and small countries were especially at risk, the General Assembly heard today as it continued its annual general debate on the fifth day.

Keeping pace with the evolving security landscape was a collective responsibility that required a staunch commitment to conflict prevention — through building capacities, investing resources, and above all, heeding the call of the United Nations Charter to “unite in strength”, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, opening a high-level thematic debate in the General Assembly.

Continuing to address the broad range of challenges facing the global community, Heads of State and Government along with other high-level representatives hailed recent diplomatic successes, while decrying the plight of refugees and the crises leading to their flight, during day four of the General Assembly’s annual debate.

As the Palestinian flag was raised outside United Nations Headquarters in New York for the first time, President Mahmoud Abbas appealed to the General Assembly for support to see an independent State of Palestine take its rightful place among the community of nations.

The United Nations, notwithstanding its inadequacies and failures, was an indispensable “family of nations” that had nurtured countries in search of equality, peace and prosperity, the General Assembly heard today as it continued its annual debate.