The world is facing new and emerging technological threats, coupled with an increasingly unstable international environment and a blatant disregard by some States for international law, Ireland’s delegate today told the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security), which concluded its thematic debate on other disarmament measures and international security.
In progress at UNHQ
First Committee
The inherent right to self-defence should “never be misconstrued as a free pass to commit atrocities, war crimes and crimes against humanity”, the representative of Myanmar told the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) today in its thematic debate on conventional weapons.
Highlighting a sharp rise in the proliferation and use of armed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on behalf of the Core Group of countries, the delegate for Portugal told the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) that recent developments regarding their manufacturing with commercial parts and components pose several ethical, humanitarian and legal challenges related to responsibility and accountability.
The long-established rules against the development, stockpiling or use of chemical and biological weapons are under threat, the representative of the United Kingdom told the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) today in its thematic debate on weapons of mass destruction, following the conclusion of the debate on nuclear weapons.
All efforts must be made to reduce nuclear risks, including the promotion of dialogue by all and a reduction of the role of nuclear weapons in national policy, the representative of China tells the First Committee, as it continued its thematic debate on nuclear weapons.
“It is imperative to put an immediate end to continued and evolving nuclear weapons-sharing arrangements and extended deterrence that in fact is a new nuclear-arms race,” Indonesia’s delegate, speaking on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, told the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) today, in its thematic debate on nuclear weapons.
The present era is witnessing an unprecedented threat to peace, accompanied by a weakening and, in some instances, a loss of the very concept of peace itself, the Holy See’s delegate told the First Committee, which concluded its general debate today.
There has not been a single moment in the past year when the Palestinians have not felt a “terrible pain that rips our heart because of the massacres and the destruction by the Israeli war machine,” said the representative of the State of Palestine, as the general debate in the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) continued.
International security and strategic stability, far from stabilizing, has continued to deteriorate at an alarming pace, the representative of the Russian Federation today told the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security), as it continued its general debate.
Multilateralism is “currently in decline and is unable to respond effectively to security crises or the pressing challenges facing humanity”, the representative of Senegal told the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) today as its wide-ranging debate continues.