Meetings Coverage

The Security Council this morning extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) until 31 December 2016, determining that the situation in that country constituted a threat to international peace and security.

Welcoming the recent peace agreement between the Government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia — People’s Army (FARC-EP), the Security Council this morning approved the deployment of 450 observers to assist the parties in laying down their arms and ending a half century of conflict in the South American nation.

The General Assembly concluded its seventieth session today, with the outgoing President encouraging the 193-member body to continue the progress initiated during his tenure towards greater effectiveness and relevance, as he formally handed over his gavel to the President-elect of the seventy-first session.

While political space had been opened and progress was being made in the fight against terrorism, the political divisions underlying the conflict were deepening, the Security Council heard today during a briefing on the latest developments in Libya.

The General Assembly today adopted a consensus resolution outlining a number of “milestone” reforms to reinvigorate its work as it moved into its eighth decade, notably to improve the transparency and accountability of its President’s Office.

The seventy-first session of the General Assembly opened today, with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressing that over the next 12 months, Member States would be called on to address many threats and show solidarity with people facing injustice around the world.

The General Assembly adopted a consensus resolution today deciding to transmit the “New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants” to its seventy-first session, paving the way for its adoption by Heads of State and Government at the 19 September United Nations Summit for Refugees and Migrants.

Trust, confidence and respect that United Nations peacekeepers had earned over decades must not be eroded by the actions of a few, the General Assembly heard today at the meeting on sexual exploitation and abuse, with speakers calling to address the issue in a decisive and sustained manner.

The Security Council amended the Statute of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia this afternoon to enable the Secretary-General to appoint a former judge of either the Tribunal or its counterpart for Rwanda to serve on the Tribunal’s Appeals Chamber on an ad hoc and temporary basis.

PRETORIA, 2 September — The International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East concluded today, with a panel discussion that explored how virtual and augmented technologies could be used by journalists to help people around the world understand the Israeli-Palestinian story and take action to create change.