Puerto Rico remained locked in a cycle of poverty, brain drain and sluggish economic development caused by the “imperialist” policies of the United States, the Special Committee of 24 was told today as it heard from more than 30 petitioners on the matter and approved a resolution urging the United States to allow Puerto Ricans to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination.
Addressing a range of items on its agenda, the General Assembly today adopted five resolutions and one decision, including texts on the Law of Sea, on the establishment of the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict and on achieving peace in Africa by 2020.
Decrying a marked increase in grave violations committed against children in conflict zones, the Security Council today added abduction to the list of such crimes to be closely monitored, during an open debate on the issue that heard from some 80 speakers.
Challenges in protecting civilians, asymmetric threats faced by mission personnel and caveats imposed by troop-contributing countries figured prominently in the Security Council today, as that body heard from the top United Nations peacekeeping official and force commanders on the operational hurdles related to the implementation of peacekeeping mandates.
Exploiting the opportunities for further engagement among the committees established to counter terrorism, address the Al-Qaida threat and halt proliferation of mass destruction weapons would lead to a “multiplier effect” in the delivery of results, those bodies’ Chairs told the Security Council today.
The Special Committee of 24, resuming its annual session today, approved several texts, including on the dissemination of information on decolonization to the Non-Self-Governing Territories, with particular emphasis on the options for self-determination, and the transmission of information from them, while also considering the question of Gibraltar.
The General Assembly today elected by acclamation Mogens Lykketoft, Speaker of Parliament of Denmark, as President of its seventieth session, also selecting, in consecutive meetings, Bureaux members of its six Main Committees.
Delegates concluded the twenty-fifth Meeting of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea today, adopting a draft decision on the workspace needed for those involved in the implementation of the “oceans constitution”, and more broadly, tackling thorny maritime disputes that continued to hamper peaceful ocean governance.
The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today recommended that the General Assembly authorize an additional $80.33 million to finance the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) for the year ending 30 June 2015.
The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations today adopted the report of its 2015 May-June session as orally revised, during which it recommended to the Economic and Social Council 160 organizations for consultative status and deferred 200 for further consideration at its regular session in 2016.
