The General Assembly today adopted its annual resolution calling for an end to the United States-led economic, commercial and financial embargo on Cuba, expressing near universal concern over President Donald Trump’s announced intention to tighten the blockade, a reversal from the previous Administration’s efforts to normalize relations.
In progress at UNHQ
General Assembly
The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) approved a draft resolution today, by which the General Assembly would urge all States affected by landmines to identify all areas under their jurisdiction or control containing anti-personnel mines and explosive remnants of war, as it concluded its consideration of assistance in mine action.
A project approved last year to make the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) headquarters more resistant to earthquake damage and address periodic maintenance requirements was on track to be completed by 2023, with minor revisions to the overall cost plan, the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) heard today.
Failure to acknowledge historical links to modern racism would embolden extremist ideologies, experts warned the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today, as it launched its discussion on ways to eliminate racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
Amid complex global challenges, the increasing need for dynamic, adaptive special political missions warranted the creation of a separate and more transparent budget section to finance them, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) heard today, as it began its its consideration of atof that matter.
Moving into the third and final cluster of topics from the report of the International Law Commission, Sixth Committee (Legal) delegates stressed the importance of identifying and developing norms of international law, while staying true to State practice.
The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) sent 14 draft resolutions and 1 draft decision to the General Assembly today, including one aimed at preventing terrorist groups from accessing materials to build improvised explosive devices.
Staff members were the United Nations main asset, but greater efforts must be made to bring more women into the Organization’s ranks and to tackle long-standing concerns over geographical underrepresentation, speakers said today as the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) turned its attention to human resources management issues.
Delegates called for adequate resourcing of peacekeeping missions, informed by each situation on the ground, in order to avoid jeopardizing “Blue Helmets”, as the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) concluded its annual general debate on the comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects.
The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) concluded its debate on human rights today as Governments described measures to ensure their citizens enjoyed full protection of their fundamental freedoms.