Meetings Coverage

The Security Council strengthened its sanctions regime against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea today, condemning that country’s 9 September nuclear test in the strongest terms.

Delegates in the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) criticized the United Nations Secretary-General today for what they viewed as his failure to present a comprehensive budget proposal to support implementation of the Organization’s ambitious Sustainable Development Goals, while voicing strong concern over the Secretariat’s handling of programme budget assessments for regional commissions.

With the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands nearing its fiftieth year, efforts to resolve the long-standing conflict must move beyond words and promises and compel the occupying Power to end its “warlike” policies, stressed speakers today as the General Assembly opened its annual debate on the Question of Palestine.

Israel’s illegal practices were entrenching a one-State reality of an apartheid nature, the Permanent Observer for the State of Palestine told a meeting commemorating the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People today.

Delegates in the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today voiced their concerns over the benefit payment delays endured by retirees and participants in the Organization’s $53.8 billion United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund.

ASHGABAT, 27 November — As the first ever Global Sustainable Transport Conference concluded today, representatives of more than 50 countries endorsed the Ashgabat Statement on Commitments and Policy Recommendations, with a view to supporting cleaner, greener transportation, from local transit systems to worldwide multimodal networks.

ASHGABAT, 26 November — The first ever Global Sustainable Transport Conference opened today, bringing together key stakeholders from Governments, the United Nations system and other international organizations, the private sector and civil society, to engage in a dialogue over two days on the integrated and cross-cutting nature of transport and its multiple roles in supporting the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural), acting without a vote, concluded its work today by approving five draft resolutions, part of a package of 51 texts to be sent to the General Assembly for adoption.

The two co-leads of the Security Council mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola, from 11 to 14 November, reported back today on their meetings with Heads of State and other high-level officials in those countries.

The Economic and Social Council today adopted two draft decisions, respectively, on the dates and venue for the meetings of the United Nations Forum on Forests in 2017, and on the themes for the Council’s 2017, 2018 and 2019 sessions.