Meetings Coverage

The General Assembly today decided to establish, at its sixty-eighth session, an open-ended ad hoc working group tasked with identifying ways to further enhance the role, authority, effectiveness and efficiency of the 193-nation body.

Haiti is at a critical turning point, where it needs to hold credible elections this year as it prepares for a gradual drawdown of the United Nations peacekeeping operation in that country, the world body’s senior official there told the Security Council today.

Gravely concerned at the continued challenges to implementation of the 27 September 2012 Cooperation Agreements between Sudan and South Sudan, the Security Council today called for urgent steps by the parties, including that they make use of the joint mechanisms established to facilitate implementation and cooperate with the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority for Development.

In a consensus action today, the General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming 6 April the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace.

Calling yet again for universal membership of the International Criminal Court, the General Assembly today adopted a resolution underscoring the investigative and prosecutorial responsibility of States, as well as the importance of cooperation with non-signatories to the Rome Statute under which the judicial body was established, in the fight against impunity.

Following a prolonged political stalemate amid continuing regional unrest, the direct talks resumed last month between the Israelis and the Palestinians represented a “small but important” opening for peace, a senior United Nations political official told the Security Council this morning.

Despite recent strides in strengthening the ability of the United Nations to protect civilians, conflicts around the world were still characterized by a “prevailing disrespect” for the core principles of international humanitarian law, top officials warned the Security Council today.

In the final weeks before the start of the next session, the General Assembly today adopted a comprehensive resolution in support of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, known as NEPAD, citing lingering severe impacts of the world financial and economic crisis on the continent and proposing ambitious steps by both Africa and the international community to offset them.

The international community must mobilize to overcome the “highly volatile” security situation and degenerating humanitarian crisis in the Central African Republic, including by supporting the newly deployed African Union mission, the top United Nations official in that country told the Security Council today.