It was not too late to stop clashes among armed groups seeking to exploit natural resources from eroding progress towards building an effective, accountable and inclusive State in the Central African Republic, the top United Nations official in the country told the Security Council today, warning about the risk of escalating violence and increased suffering inflicted on the strife-torn nation’s population.
Concluding its humanitarian affairs segment, the Economic and Social Council today adopted a resolution on improving emergency response, stressing that the United Nations could better coordinate the protection of civilians, including women and children, persons with disabilities, the wounded, sick and displaced.
Prompt and effective action was key to addressing the sweeping impact of armed conflict on children as well as the myriad effects of climate change on the most vulnerable sectors of society, speakers said today as the Economic and Social Council continued its humanitarian affairs segment.
The Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court pressed the Security Council today to play a more active role in supporting the arrest and transfer of those suspected of mass-atrocity crimes in Darfur, a situation it had referred to The Hague-based tribunal more than 13 years ago.
Delegates in the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today aired their concerns about the security risks and lagging management reforms that persist throughout the Organization’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) system more than two years since the Secretary-General began carrying out a five-year plan to modernize the vast network.
Given the iconic nature of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the interconnected nature of disputes throughout the region, creating the conditions for the parties to return to meaningful bilateral negotiations remained critical, the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process told the Security Council today.
The Special Committee on Decolonization approved two draft resolutions for the General Assembly’s consideration today, as it heard petitioners on the questions of Guam, Turks and Caicos and the United States Virgin Islands.
With the long-term goal of improving the United Nations worldwide delivery of administrative support services in mind, the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today took up the Secretariat’s proposal to create three shared service centres — in Nairobi, Budapest and Mexico City — to handle dozens of transactional services.
At a time when the global humanitarian response system was struggling to meet an unprecedented demand in aid for millions of people displaced by natural disasters and conflict, new approaches and stronger partnerships were key to overcome urgent challenges, the Economic and Social Council heard today at the opening of its humanitarian affairs segment.
Spotlighting the impact of Hurricanes Irma and Maria on Puerto Rico’s already serious economic and social challenges — including unemployment, insolvency and poverty — the Special Committee on Decolonization approved a draft resolution today that would call upon the United States to shoulder its responsibility to facilitate the realization of the right of Puerto Ricans to self‑determination.
