The United Nations Secretary-General and Secretariat staff are international officials responsible only to the Organization and must not seek or receive instructions from any Government, the Security Council heard today, as the Russian Federation took issue with the request of several delegations, including the United States, for an investigation into whether the Russian Federation violated Council resolution 2231 (2015).
Delegates wrestled with the duality inherent in the concept of peremptory norms of general international law (jus cogens) ‑ which are a category of principles that, while cardinal to international law in theory, have proved elusive to identify in practice ‑ as the Sixth Committee (Legal) continued its discussion of the first cluster of topics from the International Law Commission’s report today.
As outer space activities multiply, it is vital to ensure the security and sustainability of that resource and bridge the space divide, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) heard today, as it began its consideration of international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space.
The Middle East could not continue to sit idly by with its hands tied while ignoring the severity of the region’s deteriorating security situation, the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) heard today, as it concluded its thematic debate on regional security and started consideration of the disarmament aspects of outer space.
As the Sixth Committee (Legal) began its consideration of the International Law Commission report today, speakers tackled the first of three clusters of topics, including the chapters on “Peremptory norms of general international law (jus cogens)”, “Protection of the environment in relation to armed conflicts”, “Introductory Chapters” and “Other decisions and conclusions of the Commission”.
Speakers highlighted the need for democratic rule in Myanmar, an end to extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, as the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) continued its interactive dialogues on human rights.
Syria must respond urgently to complete all outstanding issues on the elimination of its chemical weapons programme in line with international law, the United Nations disarmament chief told the Security Council today, citing the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Technical Secretariat’s evaluation that the country’s declarations still have not advanced.
In the face of ongoing multidimensional crises, the five Regional Commissions of the United Nations system are more critical than ever in halting lost gains and urgently putting developing States back on the right track, the heads of those bodies told the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) today.
Against the backdrop of political stalemate and a worsening security and humanitarian situation, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Syria, briefing the Security Council today, called on all parties to protect civilians and to strive for a complete nationwide ceasefire as the Syrian people inch towards another winter surrounded by armed conflict.
The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today sent the General Assembly for its adoption a draft resolution that would appropriate $131.345 million from the 2022 programme budget to run the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
