Concluding its second resumed session, the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today sent 21 draft resolutions to the General Assembly, asking the body to authorize the allocation of $6.80 billion to finance 14 peacekeeping missions for the year beginning 1 July 2017.
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General Assembly
The United Nations Conference negotiating a legally binding instrument to prohibit and eventually eliminate nuclear weapons began closed working sessions today on the revised draft convention (document A/CONF.229/2017/CRP.1/REV.1).
Education was the key for achieving all 17 Goals in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, but realizing that Goal’s full potential would require increased financing, smarter use of technological innovations and greater access to learning opportunities, especially for women and girls, speakers told the high-level General Assembly event on education today.
The Conference to negotiate a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons considered a new version of the draft convention today, following the read-through of the earlier version last week, when delegations made proposals and suggestions.
Amid affirmations of solidarity, the Special Committee on Decolonization approved a draft resolution today reiterating that a peaceful and negotiated settlement of the sovereignty dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom was the only way to end the “special and particular” colonial situation of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas).
Briefly resuming its discussion before moving into informal consultations today, the Conference to Negotiate a Legally Binding Instrument to Prohibit Nuclear Weapons, Leading Towards their Total Elimination took note of a revised indicative timetable for the week of 26‑30 June (document A/CONF.229/2017/3/Add.2).
The Special Committee on Decolonization sent nine draft resolutions to the General Assembly today, including on the Question of French Polynesia, garnering calls from petitioners who attested on one hand to the island’s improved economic recovery, and on the other to a financially abusive relationship with the administering Power.
The General Assembly requested today that the International Court of Justice render an advisory opinion on the legal consequences arising from the separation of the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius before that Indian Ocean island nation’s independence in the 1960s.
Delegations considering an instrument that would prohibit nuclear weapons concluded their first-read through of the entire draft this morning, before proceeding to informal discussions in the afternoon.
The obligations of States parties to assist victims of nuclear weapons use or testing took centre stage today, with participants divided over whether to impose that primary burden on the nuclear weapons-possessor responsible, as the Conference working to codify a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons continued negotiations.