In a world of increasingly fragmented societies and deepening political divides, a greater focus on people — and bolstered trust between them — was critical to tackling the threats posed by nuclear weapons, forced migration and other urgent challenges, stressed Secretary-General António Guterres as he opened the General Assembly’s seventy-second high-level debate today.
Acting on the recommendation of its General Committee, the General Assembly adopted the work programme and agenda for its seventy-second session today, deciding for the first time in 12 years to include the item “The Responsibility to Protect and the prevention of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity”.
While moving forward with its reconfiguration efforts, the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) remained focused on the implementation of its key strategic priorities, including the protection of civilians, the Security Council heard today as it took up the Secretary-General’s latest report on that mission (document S/2017/776).
The Security Council today approved the Secretary-General’s recommendations regarding the size, operational aspects and mandate of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia.
The Security Council decided unanimously today to extend the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) until 15 September 2018 as an integrated special political mission.
Recent progress against Boko Haram notwithstanding, Africa’s Lake Chad Basin continued to suffer a “staggering” and under-funded humanitarian crisis, the United Nations political affairs chief told the Security Council today, warning that Governments across the region had been forced to divert already scarce resources to fight terrorism and other security challenges.
Hard-won Gains in Somalia could be swept away without predictable funding to ensure continued support for joint efforts to stamp out the Al-Shabaab terrorist group, as well as corruption and instability, the Security Council heard today.
Expressing deep concern about the political impasse in Guinea-Bissau, the Security Council today called upon the West African nation’s leaders to engage in genuine dialogue, find common ground and implement the Conakry Agreement of 14 October 2016, including by appointing a consensus Prime Minister, as required by that accord.
Commencing the seventy-second session of the General Assembly today, President Miroslav Lajčák said his tenure would be a “year of firsts” and called upon Member States to come together to help people striving for peace and a decent life.
Extolling the virtues of a strong partnership between the United Nations and the African Union, members of the Security Council today suggested ways in which to further enhance peace and security operations and foster progress in advancing common goals.
