Meetings Coverage

Reiterating its determination to fully support the credible electoral process in Côte d’Ivoire, and in an effort to shore up implementation of the Ouagadougou Political Agreement, the Security Council today extended the mandate in that West African country of the United Nations peacekeeping operation, known as UNOCI, and the French forces supporting it, at its current strength of military and police components, for a further six months, until 31 December.

The Economic and Social Council today closed its second Development Cooperation Forum amid calls for a “desperately needed” road map to reach the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, and an understanding of areas where attaining the targets would have a multiplier effect, whether by investing in women and girls or supporting capacity for domestic resource allocation.

Taking note of the updated trial and appeals schedule submitted by the President of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and that body’s own assessment that it would not be in a position to complete its work in 2010, the Security Council today extended the terms of office of 16 judges at that court.

The Security Council today extended the terms of office of 23 judges at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, taking note of the Tribunal’s own assessment that it was not in a position to complete all work in 2010, and of its President’s concern about the loss of experienced staff.

The Security Council this afternoon called upon States to settle disputes peacefully through the various regional and international courts and tribunals set up for that purpose and pledged to continue forcefully to fight impunity and uphold accountability for the most serious crimes.

In a vote held simultaneously with the General Assembly, the Security Council today elected Xue Hanqin of China, by secret ballot, to the International Court of Justice to fill the remainder of the term left vacant by the resignation of Judge, Vice-President and former President of the Court, Shi Jiuyong of China.

Recognizing the crucial role of the Decolonization Declaration to the expansion of the United Nations membership, the General Assembly adopted a decision today to commemorate on 14 December 2010 the fiftieth anniversary of resolution 1514 (1960), which contains the landmark document.

In one round of balloting today, the General Assembly elected Xue Hanqin (China) as a member of the International Court of Justice, in an election run independently of but concurrently with the Security Council.

Amid what many speakers called a complex economic and financial climate, the Economic and Social Council today launched its second Development Cooperation Forum, built around multi-stakeholder dialogues covering various types of global development cooperation, aid allocation and effectiveness, and policy coherence.

The sixteenth Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women this morning elected by secret ballot 12 members of the 23-member body, which monitors compliance with the Treaty.