An increase in the number of cases deferred to the International Court of Justice only reaffirmed Member States’ faith in the judicial body, the General Assembly heard today, as several speakers called on those who had not yet done so to accept the Court’s compulsory jurisdiction without reservations.
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General Assembly
At a crossroads on how to overcome the long‑standing impasse in the Conference on Disarmament, speakers in the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) today discussed ways to revitalize the disarmament machinery and maintain its relevance as a deliberative institution for global arms control.
Reform activities must resolve the imbalance between core and non‑core funding and strengthen South‑South cooperation with respect for national sovereignty, speakers told the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) today as it took up its agenda item on operational activities for development.
United Nations peacekeeping succeeded when it evolved and adapted in response to the changing nature of conflict, a senior official in the relevant department told the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) today, highlighting reform measures recently announced by the Secretary‑General.
While many claims of “terrible inhuman violent acts” in Rakhine State had been made in recent months, it was undeniable that hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims had fled to Bangladesh following alleged attacks by militants, the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian, Cultural) today.
Amidst its consideration of the report of the International Law Commission, the Sixth Committee (Legal) today approved two draft resolutions concerning the report of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) and the Model Law adopted by that body.
Regional efforts must advance common disarmament priorities and address global security challenges, said speakers in the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) today as they highlighted the importance of cooperation and confidence‑building in an increasingly unstable world.
As the Sixth Committee (Legal) continued its consideration of the report of the International Law Commission today, delegates delved into the topic, “Provisional application of treaties” and the related draft guidelines, spotlighting the legal differences between treaties that were provisionally applied versus ones that were in full force. (For background, see Press Release GA/L/3554).
The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) approved two draft resolutions on questions relating to information today, concluding its general debate on that subject.
States and international organizations must take simple, practical measures to ensure inclusivity, experts told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today as delegates debated the human rights of persons with disabilities, alongside broader freedoms of expression, belief and religion in an era of growing intolerance.