Reform of the Security Council, long overdue, needed to reflect current political realities, delegates told the General Assembly today as it held its annual debate on the matter and the manner in which that body could become a more democratic, transparent and effective organ, tasked with delivering worldwide peace and security.
The General Assembly today voted to retain mention of Syria in a resolution on cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), as it took action on seven resolutions on cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations.
In a single secret ballot today, the General Assembly elected Australia, Finland and Switzerland to the Economic and Social Council, the body responsible for addressing global economic, social and environmental challenges.
The General Assembly failed to elect the fifth remaining member today to the International Court of Justice. After seven rounds of voting, which were held concurrently of, but independently from, the voting process in the Security Council, the final choice between the two bodies did not concur.
The General Assembly today, working concurrently, but independently, of the Security Council, elected four judges from an initial pool of eight candidates to the International Court of Justice for terms of nine years beginning 6 February 2015.
The General Assembly today reaffirmed its strong support for the role of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in fostering the development and practical application of atomic energy for peaceful uses, including in transferring technology to developing countries and in nuclear safety, verification and security, as it considered the nuclear monitoring body’s 2013 report.
As the General Assembly concluded its debate today on the reports of the International Criminal Court, delegates alternatively praised its effectiveness in prosecuting crimes against humanity and criticized what they viewed as its partiality.
During a day-long debate in the General Assembly today, delegations took up the reports of the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court, commending those bodies for their contributions towards making the rule of law paramount in international relations, while considering challenges faced when carrying out their respective mandates.
The General Assembly today elected 18 members of the Economic and Social Council to serve three-year terms beginning 1 January 2015. Those elected today were Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Estonia, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Honduras, India, Japan, Mauritania, Pakistan, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
The General Assembly today adopted a resolution which for the twenty-third year in a row called for an end to the United States economic, commercial and financial embargo on Cuba.
