As the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) concluded its general debate today, several delegates called on the Committee to revise its outdated approaches to the questions of Palestine and Western Sahara, while others voiced varying assessments of the work of United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
Delegates in the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) today weighed the actions and responsibilities of the world’s remaining administering Powers, with some calling for stepped up efforts to support Non‑Self‑Governing Territories on their quest to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as members continued their annual general debate.
Ensuring the safety and proper resourcing of United Nations ‘Blue Helmets’ is key to the successful implementation of peacekeeping mandates, delegates said today, while also underscoring that civilian protection must remain a core focus during mission drawdowns and transitions, as the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) continued its general debate.
Delegates addressing the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) today urged the administering Powers of the world’s 17 remaining Non-Self-Governing Territories to complete the longstanding decolonization process, with speakers also citing a range of additional territorial disputes, as members continued their general debate.
Emphasizing the need to bridge the technological divide between developed and developing countries in the peaceful uses of outer space, delegates called for more capacity‑building activities and technology sharing in that arena, as the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) continued its general debate today.
Delegates touched on a range of topics as the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) continued its general debate today, with some calling for collective action to end Israel’s impunity in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and others urging the United Nations to redouble its efforts to achieve true multilingualism, especially in the wake of the COVID‑19 pandemic.
Against the backdrop of profound anxiety wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic and escalating global challenges, the President of the General Assembly today urged Member States to “leave behind the uglier aspects of our history, from conflict to colonialism” and unite around a better future, as the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) began its annual general debate.
The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization), in a virtual meeting today, heard introductory statements and held an interactive discussion with senior officials on questions related to United Nations peacekeeping operations.
United Nations initiatives to counter disinformation — especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic — and to provide populations around the globe with reliable and evidence-based content, were among several topics spotlighted today as the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) took up questions relating to information.
Officials and delegates highlighted increasingly complex mandates shouldered by United Nations special political missions, even amid continued budgetary constraints, as the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) heard introductory statements and questions on that topic today.
