Growing needs due to escalating conflict in the region amid a glaring funding shortfall in the United Nations agency for Palestine refugees had brought new urgency to the international community to address the vulnerability of the refugee community, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) heard today, as it began its annual consideration of the Agency’s work.
Underscoring the increasing number, complexity and significance of special political missions, speakers at the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) today sought ways of enhancing the effectiveness of those operations, as they undertook a comprehensive review of the mechanism.
General agreement on the timeliness of the Secretary-General’s proposed high-level review of peacekeeping operations emerged in the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) today, as speakers, concluding their annual comprehensive review of the subject, stressed a need to preserve traditional guiding principles while retooling missions to address new challenges.
As more than half of all United Nations peacekeepers were serving in Africa, the Organization should mount greater partnership with regional and subregional organizations across the continent, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) heard today, as issues of personnel security, clear mandates, use of new technologies and gender mainstreaming also informed debate.
Nothing represented the best of the United Nations globally than the sight of blue helmets safeguarding peace day in and out in difficult locations, the representative of Indonesia said this morning, as the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) continued its comprehensive review of peacekeeping operations, during which speakers laid out their vision for a process that responded to new challenges without abandoning traditional tenets.
The “remarkable” scale of United Nations peacekeeping operations, where personnel often operated in remote areas, across massive distances and in increasingly hostile environments, came alive today in the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) during briefings by senior Secretariat officials, as that body began its annual comprehensive review of the subject.
Balancing various scientific capabilities of States with their common desire to contribute to assessing levels and effects of exposure to radiation underpinned an interactive session today in the Fourth Committee, prior to its approval of a draft resolution on the topic.
Data and information were “transformative” tools that could empower individuals, communities and societies, and bring all together to chart the direction for the future, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) heard today, as it concluded its discussion on questions relating to information.
The principle of linguistic parity in the United Nations required adherence to equity and balance and could not be superseded by resource considerations, a speaker stated at the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization), as it continued its annual debate on questions related to information.
Facing limited resources and expanding responsibilities, the Department of Public Information was striving to make the best use of its tools to fulfil its mandate and address new challenges such as coverage of the Ebola outbreak, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) heard today, as it began its annual consideration of questions relating to information.
