General Assembly

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the General Assembly on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, in New York today:

A resolution proclaiming 15 March as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia was unanimously adopted by the General Assembly today, along with three other texts addressing the difficulties facing widows, the preservation of rangelands and a call to integrate bicycles into public transportation methods.

The Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations approved today a procedural report on its 2022 session after failing to win approval of substantive updates.

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the closing session of the General Assembly’s fifth consultation on Our Common Agenda, in New York today:

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the General Assembly’s fifth consultation on Our Common Agenda, in New York today:

Amid praise for efforts to strengthen the United Nations internal anti-corruption measures, ensure gender parity and promote high standards of competence among its staff, delegates in the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today pointed to continued imbalances in the equitable geographic representation among Secretariat employees and limited career prospects for existing personnel as major sources of concern.

The Intergovernmental Conference on an international legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction will hold its fourth session from 7 to 18 March.

While relieved that the United Nations liquidity crisis has eased for now, delegates in the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today voiced their concerns for the long-term financial health of the Organization and its ability to keep delivering on the mandates set forth by the General Assembly, as the United Nations Controller provided an update on the financial situation.  

The Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on Strengthening the Role of the Organization approved its 2022 draft report today, as it concluded its annual session following a heated debate on the principles of the maintenance of international peace and security amid the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine.

Member States today overwhelmingly adopted a resolution demanding the Russian Federation immediately end its invasion of Ukraine and unconditionally withdraw all its military forces from that neighbouring country, as the General Assembly continued its emergency session on the crisis.