General Assembly

Meeting in observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, speakers said today that with new direct negotiations under way, the time had come to end the suffering of the Palestinians and create an independent State for them.

The unknown financial consequences of the Secretary-General’s proposed mobility framework for moving hundreds of staff around the globe each year evoked apprehension from many delegates in the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) this afternoon.

Opening a two-day debate on the question of Palestine and the situation in the Middle East, General Assembly delegates heard today the introduction of four draft resolutions that ranged from the declaration of 2014 as the Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People to efforts on moving forward towards a two‑State solution in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

NEW YORK, 22 November (Division for Palestinian Rights) — The Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People will hold a special meeting in observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People in the Economic and Social Council Chamber at 10 a.m. on Monday, 25 November, in accordance with General Assembly resolutions 32/40 B of 2 December 1977 and 67/21 of 30 November 2012.

As the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today took stock of progress in the planned refurbishment of the United Nations Geneva headquarters, delegates raised concerns over the project’s growing cost estimates and potential delays in implementation.

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) approved 11 draft resolutions today, including a text on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation.

The General Assembly would recognize the importance of strengthening and improving operational activities for development to maximize progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals, according to a draft resolution that the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) approved by consensus today.

Despite improvements, measures were needed to address shortcomings and increase the transparency and coherence of the Security Council’s reporting system and working methods, the General Assembly heard today as it met to consider the annual report of that body.

Despite setbacks and challenges ahead, Afghanistan was a country that had risen from the ashes of war to become a nation based on a democratic constitution and the will of the people, delegates heard today as the General Assembly unanimously adopted a draft resolution on the situation in that country.

In an organizational meeting this morning, the Disarmament Commission elected the Chair for its 2014 substantive session and reviewed the proposals contained in a resolution of the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security), including that it hold that session from 7 to 25 April.