Delegates from the Global South underscored the many ways in which space technology can help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, and called for greater efforts to that end, as the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) continued today its consideration of international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space.
The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) for twelve months — until 31 October 2023 — as members welcomed the appointment of Abdoulaye Bathily as Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya and Head of UNSMIL, who officially assumed his duties on 25 September.
Mandate holders presenting reports on human rights situations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Somalia, Ethiopia, Burundi and Eritrea today defended their work against delegates’ criticism of their activities, as the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) continued its interactive dialogues on human rights.
The world’s worst-kept secret is that the United Nations disarmament machinery is falling apart, but by no stretch of the imagination is that the only problem, the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) heard today, as it concluded its series of thematic debates for the session.
The Security Council today voted to extend the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) until 31 October 2023, calling on the parties to resume negotiations in good faith towards a mutually acceptable political solution for the region.
With concerns growing about the weaponization of the heavens, speakers renewed calls today for a multilaterally negotiated and legally binding instrument to prevent an arms race in outer space, during a joint ad hoc meeting of the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) and Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization).
Speakers in the Security Council warned today against using disarmament and non-proliferation instruments to undermine multilateral cooperation, as the Russian Federation accused Ukraine and the United States of conducting biological weapons programmes and demanded an investigation.
Amid a resurgence of violence and intercommunal attacks, Sudan and South Sudan must continue their political engagement for implementing security and administrative arrangements in Abyei, and achieving an acceptable solution on the final status of the Area, speakers told the Security Council today, as it also looked towards a renewal of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) mandate and the mission’s support to the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism before they expire on 15 November.
With concerns growing about the weaponization of the heavens, speakers renewed calls today for a multilaterally negotiated and legally binding instrument to prevent an arms race in outer space, during a joint ad hoc meeting of the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) and Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization).
As the Sixth Committee (Legal) concluded Cluster 1 from the International Law Commission’s report, delegates weighed in on the draft conclusions, “Protection of the environment in relations to armed conflict”, commending the work accomplished on the topic and providing additional suggestions of provisions that could be included in the texts.
