The General Assembly decided today that it will convene a high-level meeting on 22 September to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, while also reaffirming its commitment to eliminating sexual exploitation and abuse from the entire United Nations system.
Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message to the opening of the 2021 Caribbean Regional Seminar on Decolonization, in Parish of St. John, Dominica, delivered on 25 August:
The Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People approved its annual report today, as the State of Palestine made a powerful call for the General Assembly to take “responsible and serious” action to end Israel’s occupation, nearly 74 years after its historic passage of resolution 181, partitioning Palestine and leaving its people to an unjust fate.
Acting without a vote, the General Assembly adopted three resolutions today, two proclaiming World Wetlands Day and World Cotton Day, respectively and the third expressing solidarity with the people and Government of Haiti in the aftermath of the devastating 14 August earthquake in that country.
The 2021 Caribbean Regional Seminar on Decolonization concluded today with speakers highlighting the challenges and opportunities facing the world’s 17 remaining Non-Self-Governing Territories — including the coronavirus pandemic and climate change — going into the fourth International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism (2021-2030).
SAINT JOHN’S PARISH, Dominica, 26 August — The long-running question of Western Sahara, the sole Territory in Africa remaining on the United Nations decolonization list, took centre stage on day two of the Caribbean Regional Seminar today, with speakers also discussing Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands (Malvinas).
SAINT JOHN’S PARISH, Dominica, 25 August — The 2021 Caribbean Regional Seminar on Decolonization opened here today with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres asserting that no one — including the world’s 17 remaining Non-Self-Governing Territories — must be left behind in the struggle to overcome the global coronavirus pandemic.
The Special Committee on Decolonization will hold the 2021 Caribbean Regional Seminar in the Parish of Saint John, Dominica, from 25 to 27 August 2021, within the framework of the start of the Fourth International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism (2021-2030). The Seminar, initially scheduled for 19 to 21 May, was postponed due to the situation relating to the coronavirus pandemic.
The General Assembly adopted two resolutions today, one on the impact of rapid technological change on realizing the Sustainable Development Goals and another endorsing details for a forthcoming high-level meeting on universal health coverage, following an exchange of views among delegates over the screening process for civil society participation in the latter.
In a landmark decision, the General Assembly established today a 10‑member subsidiary organ that will serve as a standing forum to hear the voices of people of African descent and help eliminate all forms of discrimination against them.
