General Assembly

The “appalling” scenes that emerged from Syria in August were a “stark and horrific reminder” of why the international community had a duty to eliminate weapons of mass destruction in all their forms, Ireland’s delegate told the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) today as its annual debate on the broad spectrum of items before it continued in the glare of recent events.

A broad range of stakeholders’ commitments, criticisms and concerns had built momentum towards redoubling efforts in achieving the Millennium Development Goals and towards advancing the United Nations development agenda beyond 2015, said General Assembly Vice-President Octavio Errázuriz today at the close of the High-level Dialogue on Financing for Development.

Constructive dialogue and cooperation were key to advancing the unfinished task of decolonization, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) heard today as it began its annual debate on a global phenomenon of historical importance to the United Nations and its Member States.

The work of the United Nations on social development had reached “an important juncture” as inequality continued to plague its efforts, a senior official of the Organization said today as the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) began its substantive work.

As the Sixth Committee began its consideration of measures to eliminate international terrorism, delegates once again called for flexibility and political will towards agreeing on a definition of that act, so that consensus could be reached towards a comprehensive convention.

Like a river that flowed in two directions, the deliberations of the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) had been characterized by two opposing currents, the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Angela Kane, said today at the start of that body’s annual debate.

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today adopted a consensus draft resolution that allowed five countries to retain their voting rights despite failing to pay their annual contribution to the Organization.

Meeting the Millennium Development Goals before the 2015 deadline and paving the way beyond hinged on a strong financing framework that reflected a changing landscape of climate emergencies, economic crises and innovative solutions, delegates heard today as the General Assembly began a two-day High-level Dialogue on Financing for Development.

Welcoming the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian direct negotiations and stressing that the current diplomatic initiative may represent “the final window of opportunity to achieve a negotiated two-State solution”, the Palestinian Rights Committee adopted its annual report this morning and heard a briefing on the most recent developments in the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) met today for a brief organizational meeting to adopt its agenda and work programme for the sixty-eighth session of the General Assembly.