The world could not afford to underestimate the threat of terrorism, the General Assembly heard today as it adopted by consensus a resolution stressing the need for countries to join forces, with many Member States reiterating that no one country nor Government could tackle the scourge alone.
There were unprecedented opportunities for Afghanistan to seek peace and consolidate its political foundation, the Special Representative for that country told the Security Council today, pressing the international community to seize that critical opening to adjust how it supported the war-torn nation in bringing about democracy and self-reliance.
Preventing atrocity crimes was not only essential in humanitarian terms but also economically more effective than crisis response, speakers stressed as the General Assembly today opened its debate on the responsibility to protect civilians and avert genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.
Security Council members, particularly those with permanent seats, must overcome their differences and unite to tackle a complex web of conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa, speakers said during a day-long debate in which several Member States suggested the creation of a regional mechanism — styled on the 1975 Helsinki Final Act — to foster dialogue and build trust.
A total of 20 donors today announced contributions, or their intention to contribute, to the 2018 budget of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), as officials called for stable financing for the Agency amid devastating conflicts and violence in the Middle East.
The Special Committee on Decolonization concluded its 2018 substantive session today, having approved a total of 22 draft resolutions and decisions on lingering self‑determination questions in Non‑Self‑Governing Territories spanning Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, the South Pacific and beyond for submission to the General Assembly.
The Security Council today, meeting independently from but concurrently with the General Assembly, elected Yuji Iwasawa (Japan) to the International Court of Justice for a nine‑year term, beginning today until 5 February 2021.
The General Assembly today adopted two resolutions, the first of which urged the Russian Federation to unconditionally withdraw its troops and armaments without delay from the territory of the Republic of Moldova.
The General Assembly, meeting concurrently with the Security Council today, elected Yuji Iwasawa (Japan) to the International Court of Justice until 5 February 2021.
The Special Committee on Decolonization approved a draft resolution today reiterating that a peaceful and negotiated settlement of the sovereignty dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom was the only way to end the “special and particular” colonial situation of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas).
