The war in Sudan and political uncertainty in South Sudan have stalled progress in political dialogue on the final status of Abyei and border issues, a senior UN official told the Security Council today, as Security Council members urged greater support to be lent to the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) in fulfilling its mandate, ahead of its expiration on 14 November.
The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) continued its general debate on questions relating to information today, with speakers stressing the urgent need for a collective effort to combat the pervasive threat of disinformation, which undermines democracy and international peace, while emphasizing the crucial role of the United Nations in promoting accurate and reliable information across diverse media platforms.
The General Assembly would condemn in the strongest possible terms the use of chemical weapons by anyone under any circumstances as unacceptable and an international law violation, and express its strong conviction that those responsible for their use must and should be held accountable, according to one of six drafts on mass destruction weapons approved today by the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security).
Delegates of the Sixth Committee (Legal), concluding their consideration on diplomatic protection, today discussed a wide variety of issues ranging from challenges arising from their relations with the host country, along with its related report, to deliberating the use of sanctions as a tool for maintaining international peace and security under the Charter of the United Nations, following the Special Committee on the Charter’s presentation of its report.
Meeting on the heels of the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on 31 October, Security Council members today renewed their calls for de-escalation, dialogue and a return to unity within the 15 nation organ, as speakers sparred over the imposition of sanctions and the real source of security threats in the Korean Peninsula.
Politicians mobilizing hostile rhetoric against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) persons subject them to violence and hamper their rightful political participation, a human rights expert told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today.
Despite the resource crunch, United Nations communications continue to operate where public interest media are struggling to operate or are prevented from covering the truth, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) heard as it began its review of questions relating to information.
It is about time for the United Nations – the world’s largest multilateral body - to be headed by a woman for the first time since its founding nearly 80 years ago. This was the overwhelming position of delegates today at the General Assembly as the 193-member organ observed its annual consideration of the revitalization of the body’s work. They also addressed concerning aspects of the Assembly’s functioning and relationship with other organs.
Amid the catastrophic conflict engulfing the Middle East, hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees in Lebanon face an agonizing choice: remain under the threat of Israeli bombardment or return to their homeland, risking persecution, a human rights expert told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today.
The thirtieth United Nations International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East this afternoon resumed and concluded its activities, holding a session on the topic of Behind the Headlines of Gaza: Media Challenges and Perspectives.
