General Assembly

Social protection was crucial to achieve an end to hunger, the representative of Guyana told the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) today as it met to discuss agriculture development, food security and nutrition.

Acknowledging the ethical imperatives for a nuclear-weapon-free world, which was a “global public good of the highest order”, a new draft resolution in the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) approved today asks the General Assembly to declare that those weapons were “inherently immoral” and that all States shared an ethical responsibility to eliminate and prohibit them.

States needed to develop necessary legislative and policy mechanisms in accordance with international laws to tackle challenges including foreign fighters and Nazism, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) heard today as it began consideration of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and of the right to self-determination with a series of interactive dialogues with top officials.

Today’s conflicts were outpacing the ability of the United Nations to address them, Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson told the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) today, drawing attention to new international momentum for the changes needed to ensure that peace operations were designed, equipped and financed to tackle the challenges of tomorrow.

Expressing concerns about elections marred by misconduct, demand for United Nations electoral assistance had remained strong throughout the world, the Organization’s political affairs chief told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today, as it continued its consideration of the promotion and protection of human rights, tabling 10 draft resolutions.

Cyber-crime and cyber-terrorism were on the rise, as the fast growth of information and communications technologies transformed the world into a global village, with profound impacts on all aspects of social and economic life, including security, the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) heard today as it continued its thematic debate.

Many speakers emphasized the invaluable nature of intergovernmental negotiations to reform the Security Council, and suggested a range of possible changes to its membership, while discussing the future of the veto power, as the General Assembly today held its annual debate on Council reform and the question of equitable representation in the 15-member body.

Renewed efforts and collective engagement by the international community were needed to ensure accountability for grave violations and to open space for cooperation with States to find remedies, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) heard today as it held interactive dialogues with experts on the human rights situations in Belarus, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Eritrea and the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 alongside findings presented on education and on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions.

Taking action on a number of outstanding texts this morning, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) approved three draft resolutions and one draft decision, with the latter — on the appointments of six States to the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space — requiring a recorded vote.

Foreign direct investment (FDI) and official development assistance (ODA) were both essential to development efforts, the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) heard today as delegates met to discuss groups of countries in special situations.