Under the shadow of war in Ukraine, world leaders today cast a spotlight on long-standing conflicts in other parts of the world, as the General Assembly continued its annual general debate, with speakers calling for strict adherence to international law and the Charter of the United Nations, while others sounded the alarm on the existential threat of climate change.
The deepening of inequalities and lack of fair representation in multilateral financial and economic institutions is impeding the international community's effective response to global challenges, the General Assembly heard today as it continued its annual general debate, with speakers echoing calls for vaccine equity, climate justice and institutional reform.
Pointing to dangerous and disturbing developments that portend more destruction in Ukraine, the Secretary-General of the United Nations called for full cooperation with the International Criminal Court in its investigation into alleged atrocities committed in that country, as high-level representatives of the Security Council and regional countries met to discuss accountability for the ongoing war.
Thirty years after its adoption by the General Assembly, the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities has yet to fulfil its promise, speakers stressed, during a high-level meeting today on the side lines of the Assembly’s general debate.
Against the backdrop of a world menaced by manifold crises including food and fuel insecurity, financial instability, terrorism and climate change, Heads of State and Ministers from around the world today stressed the urgency of ending the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which threatens Europe and the entire world on multiple levels, as the General Assembly high-level debate entered its second day.
Amidst war in Ukraine, a climate emergency, and conflict and crisis around the globe, Secretary-General António Guterres sounded the alarm on a world in peril and urged leaders gathered for the first day of the annual General Assembly high-level debate today to urgently overcome divisions and act together.
Despite consensus by key signatories on a road map to complete South Sudan’s democratic transition to elections and a new Government, the country’s humanitarian situation is more dire than ever, with increasing violence and sexual assaults, the Government struggling to fulfil terms of the peace accord, and the entire country facing devastating food insecurity, briefers told the Security Council today.
The General Assembly today adopted its work programme for the seventy-seventh session, deciding to include a range of new items on its agenda, also noting that practical arrangements will continue to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The recent escalation of tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan is a stark reminder that it has the potential to further destabilize the region, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council today as the two countries agreed on a ceasefire after recent reports of fighting.
The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations today closed its resumed session for 2022, which began on 29 August, approving its report and recommending that the Economic and Social Council grant special consultative status to 173 entities out of the 564 applications it examined. The Committee deferred 319 requests for further consideration during its ordinary session in 2023, according to Vice-President Mine Ozgul Bilman (Türkiye).
