General Assembly

The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) today approved six draft resolutions, including one on a legally binding instrument on the prevention of an arms race in outer space.

While the International Criminal Court — now more efficient and fully developed — had made significant strides in holding to account perpetrators of the world’s most serious crimes, fulfilling its mandate would ultimately require even greater cooperation from the international community, stressed its President, who briefed the General Assembly prior to its adoption of a resolution welcoming the Court’s annual report.

The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) today approved 16 draft resolutions and 2 decisions related to nuclear weapons, including one that would have the General Assembly call upon all States to take further steps and measures towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons, based on the principle of undiminished and increased security for all.

Several African delegates today described the volatile and challenging environment surrounding peace operations on the continent, stressing the need for greater cooperation between the United Nations and regional mechanisms, as the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) continued its comprehensive review of peacekeeping.

Ways and means of addressing human rights challenges through the rule of law, whether domestically or globally, was the topic of the day in the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) as delegates engaged with experts on gender identity, the Palestinian Territories, and truth and justice in general.

The trust that States placed in the International Court of Justice was vital to the future of international jurisdiction and the very nature of the Court’s work, the President of that body told the Sixth Committee (Legal) today.

As the Sixth Committee continued its review of the International Law Commission’s report, delegates completed the first cluster of topics from the report and commenced their consideration on the second, tackling the complex nature of the immunity of State officials, as well as the legal aspects of the protection of the atmosphere.

Calling for States to “put aside their inflexible positions” and resume the proper functioning of disarmament machinery, delegates sought common ground on nuclear disarmament as the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) concluded its thematic debate segment and began action on draft texts.

The cooperation and input of host countries was vital to the success of United Nations peacekeeping operations, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) heard today, while continuing its general debate on the comprehensive review of United Nations peacekeeping.

A corrosive international environment fuelled by sanctions and harsh rhetoric negatively impacted vital economic sectors and the enjoyment of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the United Nations expert monitoring that situation told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today, as it continued discussion of country reports and other human rights matters.