Petitioners on the question of Western Sahara voiced strident opinions on the long-standing dispute as the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) continued its annual debate on decolonization matters this morning, with experts warning that the contested territory could become a “safe haven for terrorism” if the issue was not promptly resolved.
A far-reaching debate on the best interests of Non-Self Governing Territories fostered contentious exchanges and strong opinions from a broad array of representatives and petitioners this afternoon, as the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) entered its second day of debate on decolonization issues.
While the United Nations decolonization process had achieved “historic successes”, colonial thinking and behaviour were still “rampant”, with 17 lands remaining on the Organization’s list of Non-Self-Governing Territories, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) heard today, as it opened its annual debate on the issue.
The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization), in an organizational meeting today, approved its work programme for the new session, which covers topics ranging from international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space to the situations in the 17 territories remaining on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories.
Brian G. Bowler, Permanent Representative of Malawi to the United Nations, was elected Chair of the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) on 15 June 2015.
The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) today approved without a vote a draft resolution on peacekeeping and a draft decision outlining its proposed work programme and timetable for the next General Assembly session.
Concluding its work for the session, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) today approved 12 draft resolutions and three draft decisions, on special political missions, information, Middle East and organization of work, bringing to 28 the total number of draft texts it forwarded to the General Assembly for adoption.
With extremist ideology “spreading like a malignant disease” across the Middle East, Israel was on the “frontline” of combatting the enemy, and while it might be convenient to point fingers at it that did not address the heart of the problem, the country’s representative told the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) today.
The appalling level of violence and unprecedented scale of destruction unleashed by Israel upon the people of Gaza in July and August exacerbated the suffering of a population already reeling from years of repression and restriction, the Fourth Committee heard today, as it began its consideration of the Report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Terri
Commending the perseverance of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in the face of adverse conditions on the ground, speakers in the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) today called for renewed international financial and political commitment to end the suffering of Palestinian refugees, as they concluded consideration of the Agency’s work.
