Concluding its seventy-sixth session today, the Sixth Committee (Legal) upheld its tradition of consensus and approved without a vote 15 draft resolutions, along with a draft decision and a draft letter, marking the end of 29 socially distanced meetings over which members met — together but apart — to consider the evolving face of international law in a world still in the grips of the COVID‑19 pandemic.
Delegates called for innovative ways to foster cooperation in overcoming growing divergence in the non-proliferation arena, as the General Assembly took up the annual report of the International Atomic Energy Agency alongside a related draft resolution.
Media experts called for the broader application of solutions journalism — an approach focusing on problem-solving responses — in reporting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as the 2021 International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East concluded today.
Urgent steps must be taken to address the looming humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and stave off economic collapse, speakers in the Security Council said today, as delegates expressed concern about the recent uptick in terrorist attacks and reports of human rights violations.
The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) approved six draft resolutions today, five of which focused on country-specific situations, while the last drew attention to the precarious conditions of refugees, returnees and displaced persons in Africa.
Welcoming the completion of recent elections to the Upper House of Parliament in Somalia, a senior United Nations official in that country, along with an official of the African Union and a civil society representative, told the Security Council that more must be done to ensure the full inclusion and representation of women in the country’s political system, while also highlighting the serious threat by armed groups to Somalia’s security.
Recognizing employees as the United Nations most valuable asset, delegates today urged the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) to ensure working conditions are fair and equitable and the Organization can retain a competent, dynamic and motivated workforce, as the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) considered the Commission’s proposals for the coming year.
Speakers examined ways to revitalize the peace process for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as diplomats, journalists, media experts and youth representatives gathered virtually for the opening of the annual International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East today.
The General Assembly continued its debate on Security Council reform today, with delegates continuing to call for urgent action given the multitude of new and complex global challenges.
The Security Council, through a presidential statement today, highlighted the importance of preventive diplomacy, while reaffirming its commitment to the Charter of the United Nations and underscoring its primary responsibility to the maintenance of international peace and security.
