Reform efforts currently under way are designed to help the Department of Public Information become more agile in operation and have a greater impact on communications, both within the United Nations and in relation to external stakeholders and the public, the Organization’s head of public information told the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) as it began its consideration of questions relating to information today.

Taking action on decolonization issues today, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) approved 19 draft resolutions, five of them by recorded vote, for adoption by the General Assembly.

Spiking insecurity and instability in Africa’s Sahel region indicates an urgent need to resolve the long-standing dispute over Western Sahara, delegates told the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) today, as it concluded its general debate on decolonization.

Delegates welcomed round table discussions on Western Sahara planned for Geneva in December and emphasized the importance of African Union support for that initiative, as the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) continued its general debate on decolonization questions today.

Western Sahara is represented by a “shadow republic”, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) heard today, as it continued its hearing of petitioners in the context of its general debate on decolonization questions.

Stagnation, corruption and terrible conditions threaten the well-being of young people in Western Sahara’s refugee camps, petitioners from Non‑Self‑Governing Territories told the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) today, as it continued its general debate on decolonization.

Many petitioners accused Morocco of committing human rights violations in Western Sahara today, while others praised the kingdom’s autonomy proposal for the Territory, as the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) continued its general debate on decolonization.

Petitioners from the Non-Self-Governing Territory of French Polynesia expressed alarm today over the consequences of France’s nuclear testing in the Pacific region, as the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) considered decolonization issues for a second day.

Delegates called upon administering Powers today to take the necessary steps to attain the rapid decolonization of the 17 remaining Non-Self-Governing Territories, as the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) began its general debate on that topic.

The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) today approved its work programme for the seventy‑third session, which covers topics ranging from the decolonization of the 17 remaining Non‑Self‑Governing Territories, through the peaceful uses of outer space, to the plight of Palestine refugees and Israel’s practices in the occupied Palestinian and other Arab territories.