The subject of the environment dominated the Sixth Committee (Legal) debate today with speakers discussing the ongoing degradation of the atmosphere and the gaps and discrepancies in international law when protecting the environment during occupation, as review of the second cluster of topics of the International Law Commission’s annual report concluded and review of the third cluster began.
Racism, bigotry, xenophobia, nationalist populism, white supremacy and hate speech are on the rise, and often made more casual by public figures, experts told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today, sounding an alarm bell against a “general indifference” to the perilous uptick in such behaviour.
Drawing attention to the daunting challenges and long-term consequences posed by explosive remnants of war, the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) continued its debate on conventional weapons as delegates pointed to progress made through multilateral instruments in clearance operations.
Despite recent reductions in hostilities in parts of Syria — and some acceleration of humanitarian aid delivery — the United Nations and its partners still lack comprehensive access to millions more in need of assistance, the Organization’s senior humanitarian affairs official told the Security Council in a briefing today.
While it is extremely easy to violate human rights anywhere, justice systems in too many places remain unable to adequately deal with these crimes, the President of the International Criminal Court told the General Assembly today, calling for the requisite support for the institution to deliver on its mandate of prosecuting the world’s worst atrocities.
Acting without a vote, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) approved a draft resolution on the University for Peace today, by which the General Assembly requests that Member States support that institution’s mission and contribute financially to it.
Officials in Damascus have rejected the United Nations formulation of a list of participants to make up a constitutional committee intended to move the political process in Syria forward, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Syria told the Security Council today.
Because the International Court of Justice is adjudicating more cases related to scientific and technological advances, the Court is able to guarantee its competency addressing such expanded and diverse disputes through the engagement of outside experts as established by its founding Statute, the President of that body told the Sixth Committee (Legal) today during his annual visit.
Speakers in the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today supported the Secretary-General’s request for a $9.7 million funding infusion to keep the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia running smoothly in 2019.
Underscoring the need to bolster regional commissions in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, speakers focused on areas ranging from trade and transport to the environment and natural hazards, as the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) met with those bodies today.
