General Assembly: Meetings Coverage

The post-2015 development agenda must be built on a solid foundation guaranteeing the intrinsic right to sustainable development for all countries, several delegates told the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) today as it began its two-day debate on the matter.

The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) today approved eight drafts, with a new one on follow-up to the General Assembly’s high-level meeting on nuclear disarmament drawing attention, particularly the provision expressing deep concern at the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of those weapons and the reaffirmation of the need for all States at all times to comply with applicable international law including international humanitarian law.

Remarkable recent achievements in mine action demonstrated the United Nations’ ability to “deliver as one,” delegates in the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) heard today as they concluded their consideration of assistance in mine action, with the approval of a draft resolution on that topic.

Delegates stressed today the importance of seeking constructive engagement with United Nations human rights mechanisms, as the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) concluded its general discussion on the promotion and protection of human rights.

The Sixth Committee (Legal) today approved four requests for observer status in the General Assembly and continued its consideration of the second cluster of topics on reservations to treaties in the International Law Commission’s 2011 report.

Climate change was the greatest threat to the livelihoods, security and well-being of her region and it was time to act, the representative of Kiribati told the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) today.

Forwarding 18 drafts to the General Assembly addressing conventional weapons, other disarmament measures, regional disarmament and the disarmament machinery, the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) today took action on a raft of texts covering, among others items, preventing the spread of illicit small arms and light weapons, transparency of armaments, and on revitalizing the Conference on Disarmament and taking forward multilateral disarmament negotiations.

As peacekeeping was one of the most “visible flags” of the United Nations, it was important to conserve its legitimacy and ensure that the missions — often operating in unfamiliar and unforgiving environments — were in strict compliance with the foundational principles of its work, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) heard today as it concluded its comprehensive review of peacekeeping operations in all its aspects.

Approving two draft resolutions on social development today, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) also continued its general discussion on the promotion and protection of human rights in relation to State sovereignty.