Meetings Coverage

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budget) today considered the Secretariat’s request for a subvention of $16.24 million to keep the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia running efficiently in 2017.

The memory of the more than 15 million victims of the transatlantic slave trade provided a moral imperative to effectively combat racism, xenophobia, inequality and modern-day manifestations of slavery, speakers in the General Assembly said today as it held its annual commemoration of the largest forced migration in human history.

Buffeted by a global economic slowdown, the impacts of climate change and falling commodity prices, least developed and landlocked developing States needed sustained international support, Member States said today as the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) discussed groups of countries in special situations.

The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) approved three draft resolutions without a vote today, the first two on questions relating to information and the third on international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space.

Growing unilateralism — often fuelled by intolerance towards migrants as well as racial and ethnic minorities — impeded the realization of human rights, the senior-most United Nations human rights official told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today, as delegates discussed ways to improve the Organization’s ability to serve those most in need.

Citing outbreaks of violence between Israelis and Palestinians, Israeli settlement activity, Palestinian political turmoil and militant activity, along with continued suffering in Gaza, speakers in a day-long debate at the Security Council warned that, regardless of other conflict in the region, the situation must not be ignored.

A guiding set of common principles was needed to encourage responsible behaviour and secure outer space safety and security, the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) heard today as other speakers debated the need for legally binding instruments with reliable guarantees.

With violent extremism on the rise and waves of intolerance and hate targeting minorities, migrants and the most vulnerable, the international community must renew efforts to uphold its human rights treaties, the General Assembly heard this morning.

While the Department of Public Information’s emphasis on the latest advances in information technologies would broaden the reach of the United Nations, conventional media remained the primary means of communication in many developing countries, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) heard today, as it continued its general debate on questions relating to information.

The language of human rights treaty bodies could counter the fear, extremism and populist speeches diminishing human rights standards around the world, but the system was hampered by scarce resources and non-compliance by Member States, briefers told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today.