Meetings Coverage

While many countries today in the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) were proud to highlight their significant advances in space exploration and technology, which they said contributed to economic growth and social benefits, others pressed for comprehensive international regulation owing largely to the dual use of outer space activities, so as to preserve the realm for civilian rather than military purposes.

Taking action for the first time this session, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today approved five draft resolutions that aim to bolster the global struggle to fight transnational organized crime and bring justice — including by strengthening international cooperation to curb drug trafficking and agreeing to better treatment for migrants and prisoners — as well as a draft decision on ending female genital mutilation.

Although universal jurisdiction served to fight impunity, it should only be used in exceptional circumstances when other means of justice had been exhausted, delegates told the Sixth Committee (Legal) today as it concluded its debate on the scope and application of the principle of universal jurisdiction.

While the international community had been “extremely generous” in addressing the many humanitarian crises with consequences for migrants in recent years, more could be done to improve its responses, the representative of the United States said today, as the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) took up its agenda item on globalization and interdependence.

The combustible mix of the centrality of missiles on the world stage, both for offensive and deterrent purposes, and the proliferation of mass destruction weapons created a complicated setting in which to pursue any far-reaching or globally binding commitments in that area, the First Committee heard today.

While encouraged by the United Nations overall financial health, delegates gathered at the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today voiced their concerns about the Organization’s outstanding payments to Member States, the likelihood of a cash flow crunch at the end of 2012, and the possibility of additional assessments for the Capital Master Plan next year.

In two rounds of voting, the General Assembly today elected Argentina, Australia, Luxembourg, Republic of Korea and Rwanda to serve as non-permanent members of the Security Council for the next two years.

Amid the “new age of accountability” and growing demands for justice, the International Criminal Court and the Security Council must work together “in this new world”, where those contemplating horrific acts could no longer be confident that their heinous crimes would go unpunished, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, opening the Council’s day-long debate on the rule of law and the intertwined roles both entities played in the pursuit of peace and justice.

At a time when the world was becoming “more confined and dangerous than ever before”, the work of the University for Peace in bringing humanity closer to a peaceful planet had become even more relevant, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) heard today before it approved by consensus a draft resolution on the University.

Around the world, too many children were being left behind, due to poverty, malnutrition and “unpardonable” discrimination, the head of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today, urging States to reform their laws, improve health and education outcomes, and show the strong political commitment required to fully implement the Convention on the Rights of the Child.