Meetings Coverage

Rule of law and respect for human rights must stay at the heart of the fight against terrorism, the Sixth Committee (Legal) heard today as it opened its first meeting of the seventy-first General Assembly session.

Flexibility and creativity were needed in order to find common ground and move past recent setbacks across the disarmament landscape, the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) heard today, opening its general debate.

The General Assembly today decided to allow four nations in arrears — Comoros, Guinea-Bissau, Somalia and Sao Tome and Principe — to vote in the 193‑member body until the end of its seventy-first session, recognizing that their failure to pay the minimum amount was caused by conditions beyond their control.

The world was facing an unprecedented array of global risks and negative trends from the refugee crisis and climate change to drug-resistant antibiotics and political upheaval, a renowned economist told the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) today, as it began its general debate.

The Economic and Social Council today adopted a decision (document E/2017/L.4), by which it recommended that the General Assembly decide on enlarging the membership of the Executive Committee of the Programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) from 98 to 101 States at its seventy-first session.

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today explored ways to make the United Nations more accountable, transparent and effective through better oversight, with delegates stressing the need to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse and to protect civilians.

The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) met today for a brief organizational meeting to adopt its agenda and work programme for the seventy-first session of the General Assembly.

Members of the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today urged each other to work together during the current session as they tackled a complex and ambitious agenda that included forming an outline for the Organization’s two-year multi-billion-dollar budget for 2018-2019 and financing of the new blueprint for global advancement known as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) today approved its work programme for the seventy-first session, which covers topics ranging from the decolonization of the remaining Non-Self-Governing Territories, to peaceful uses of outer space, to the plight of Palestinian refugees and Israel’s practices in Occupied Arab Territories.

Warning that “Syria is bleeding and its citizens are dying” in increasing numbers and with increasing ferocity, the United Nations top humanitarian official urged the Security Council today to find common humanity and restore the cessation of hostilities to protect civilians, save lives and end the “unbridled horror”.