Beginning their general debate on a range of topics today, speakers in the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) called upon United Nations peace operations to learn from the COVID‑19 pandemic in terms of planning future mandates, as others emphasized the enduring importance of multilingualism in the face of emerging constraints on resources.
Delegates discussed a variety of non‑proliferation efforts and obstacles on the road towards a nuclear‑weapon‑free world, with some States declaring deterrence as a factor shaping security strategies, as the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) continued its general debate today.
As the Sixth Committee (Legal) began its consideration of the International Law Commission’s draft articles on crimes against humanity, speakers debated on whether or not a convention, based on those texts, should be elaborated.
Amid concern about unceasing hurdles to the exercise of political freedoms and human rights in the Great Lakes region, the United Nations is launching a new strategy focused on preventive diplomacy, security cooperation and development, the Secretary‑General’s senior political official for the strife‑torn area told the Security Council today, noting that the plan would guide the Organization’s action for the next 10 years.
The General Assembly today elected 15 States to the Human Rights Council, the United Nations body responsible for promoting and protecting all human rights around the globe. It also paid tribute to the late Amir of Kuwait, with speakers remembering him as a champion of peace, diplomacy and humanitarian action.
Delegates in the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today reacted to the Secretary-General’s proposed programme budget of $2.99 billion for 2021, a net reduction of 2.8 per cent over 2020.
As the Sixth Committee (Legal) began consideration of the annual reports on criminal accountability for United Nations officials and experts on mission today, some speakers called on Member States whose nationals were alleged to have committed a crime to provide previously requested information on those cases, while other stressed that primary jurisdictional responsibility laid with the alleged perpetrators’ State of nationality.
The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) continued its general debate today, with delegates calling for action to end gun trafficking, address the grave humanitarian impact of such conventional weapons as cluster munitions and anti‑personnel mines, and to avoid a regional arms race in the Middle East.
With COVID-19 continuing to wreak havoc on national economies, delegates urged the international community to focus on sustainable development in recovering from the pandemic´s devastating effects, as the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) concluded its general debate today.
A new arms race and emerging bioterror threats are unfolding as the world tackles the COVID‑19 pandemic and a global economic downturn, the Chair of the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) warned today at the start of its annual general debate.
