Meetings Coverage

The General Assembly today elected by acclamation Dennis Francis (Trinidad and Tobago) to serve as President of its seventy-eighth session, after which its six Main Committees elected their respective Bureaus.

Stressing the urgency of managing the risks of natural and man-made disasters to protect future generations, the General Assembly today resumed its review of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 after adopting three resolutions that will deliver nearly $15 million to the special accounts of three peacekeeping missions.

The Security Council today unanimously adopted its annual report to the General Assembly covering the period from 1 January to 31 December 2022.

Recent expanded diplomatic efforts must be matched with real action to build confidence on the ground and arrive at a political solution that restores Syria’s sovereignty and unity and meets the aspirations of its people, the United Nations senior official on the ground said today during his briefing to the Security Council.

The Security Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) today for another year until 31 May 2024, retaining its core tasks.

Avoiding a nuclear accident at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant — the largest nuclear power station in Europe — is possible, the Head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stressed to the Security Council today as he outlined, to that end, five concrete principles to ensure that plant’s nuclear safety and security.

The Security Council today extended for one year the sanctions regime imposed on South Sudan, including assets freezes, travel bans and an arms embargo, numerous members stressed that instead of sanctions, the country needs a carefully managed support system to facilitate its transitional journey and overcome its security issues.

BALI, Indonesia, 26 May — Achieving progress for the world’s 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories will require prioritizing inclusion and sustainable development, Indonesia’s Deputy Foreign Minister said today, as the three-day Pacific regional seminar on decolonization concluded.

The 2023 Economic and Social Council operational activities for development segment “has fulfilled its role”, a senior United Nations official observed as the organ concluded its three-day annual meeting, with delegates underscoring the importance of regional approaches and spotlighting the pivotal role of resident coordinators and country teams in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

BALI, Indonesia, 25 May — Speakers stressed the need for more inclusive decision-making, cooperation and a greater United Nations role in decolonization to ensure the world’s remaining 17 Non-Self-Governing Territories are not left behind, as the Special Committee on Decolonization continued its Pacific regional seminar.