With concerns growing about the weaponization of the heavens, speakers renewed calls today for a multilaterally negotiated and legally binding instrument to prevent an arms race in outer space, during a joint ad hoc meeting of the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) and Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization).
In progress at UNHQ
General Assembly: Meetings Coverage
With concerns growing about the weaponization of the heavens, speakers renewed calls today for a multilaterally negotiated and legally binding instrument to prevent an arms race in outer space, during a joint ad hoc meeting of the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) and Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization).
As the Sixth Committee (Legal) concluded Cluster 1 from the International Law Commission’s report, delegates weighed in on the draft conclusions, “Protection of the environment in relations to armed conflict”, commending the work accomplished on the topic and providing additional suggestions of provisions that could be included in the texts.
The General Assembly today adopted a resolution delivering $3.52 million to the Secretary-General to ease global food insecurity by facilitating the implementation of two key initiatives aimed at bringing agricultural commodities from Ukraine and the Russian Federation to world markets and countries in need. The Assembly also considered the International Court of Justice’s annual report.
A Damocles sword was hanging over space, threatening to transform the peaceful domain into a theatre of conflict, the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) was warned today, during its thematic debate.
Special Rapporteurs presenting reports on the human rights situations in Afghanistan, Myanmar, Iran, Syria, Belarus and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea warned of Governments repressing their own people, as the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) continued its interactive dialogues on human rights today.
Delegates wrestled with the duality inherent in the concept of peremptory norms of general international law (jus cogens) ‑ which are a category of principles that, while cardinal to international law in theory, have proved elusive to identify in practice ‑ as the Sixth Committee (Legal) continued its discussion of the first cluster of topics from the International Law Commission’s report today.
As outer space activities multiply, it is vital to ensure the security and sustainability of that resource and bridge the space divide, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) heard today, as it began its consideration of international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space.
The Middle East could not continue to sit idly by with its hands tied while ignoring the severity of the region’s deteriorating security situation, the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) heard today, as it concluded its thematic debate on regional security and started consideration of the disarmament aspects of outer space.
As the Sixth Committee (Legal) began its consideration of the International Law Commission report today, speakers tackled the first of three clusters of topics, including the chapters on “Peremptory norms of general international law (jus cogens)”, “Protection of the environment in relation to armed conflicts”, “Introductory Chapters” and “Other decisions and conclusions of the Commission”.