Meetings Coverage

In the wake of the economic crisis, a “new regime” of governance was under way in the global financial system, several experts told the Second Committee this afternoon during a panel discussion on “Revitalizing the international financial system”.

The First Committee today recommended that the General Assembly convene a conference on an arms trade treaty in 2012 to elaborate a legally binding instrument on the highest possible international standards for conventional arms transfers, recognizing that the absence of agreed standards for those transfers to address the problems relating to unregulated trade and their diversion to the illicit market contributed to armed conflict, the displacement of people, organized crime and terrorism.

Concluding a discussion of the proposed budget for 2010-2011, several developing countries on the Fifth Committee insisted that zero growth was not the solution for the Organization’s budget, and called for rectifying imbalances in funding budget priorities.

In its third annual debate on the work of the Human Rights Council, the General Assembly today recognized the newly formed body’s use of innovative mechanisms, special sessions and input from civil society to protect more people around the world from human rights violations.

The United Nations Forum on Forests today launched two vital initiatives: an intergovernmental expert group to conduct in-depth analysis of all aspects of forest financing over the next four years; and a “facilitative process” on forest financing, to assist countries to mobilize funding from all sources.

The Security Council this afternoon condemned, in the strongest terms, the Taliban, which claimed responsibility for the 28 October terrorist attack that took the lives of several United Nations staff members and others in Kabul, Afghanistan.

The Security Council this morning adopted its annual report to the General Assembly for the period 1 August 2008 to 31 July 2009.

Noting with concern continuing human rights violations against civilians in Côte d’Ivoire, including numerous acts of sexual violence, the Security Council this morning renewed for another year its arms embargo and diamond trade ban in Côte d’Ivoire, as well as targeted sanctions restricting the travel of individuals that threatened the peace process in the West African country.

With more than 1 billion people hungry in the world for the first time in history, the challenges of food security demanded multilateral commitment, creativity and leadership, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said this afternoon at a special ceremony to mark World Food Day.

Combined efforts by the United Nations, Governments, civil society and operational implementing partners to efficiently coordinate mine action-related activities gone far to end the suffering caused by landmines and explosive remnants of war, Assistant Secretary-General for the Rule of Law and Security Institutions of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations told the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) today.