Overstretched resources, critical funding shortages and desperate conditions were among the accounts delegates shared to describe some of the grim consequences of the greatest crisis of forced displacement since the Second World War as the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today concluded its discussions on refugees and displaced persons and continued consideration of the promotion and protection of human rights.
The United Nations must perform due diligence when engaging with corporations and avoid those with dubious records, said the representative of Brazil, as the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) took up global partnerships today.
The General Assembly would welcome the erection of the Ark of Return — the permanent memorial to honour the victims of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade — in a prominent place at United Nations Headquarters that would be easily accessible to delegates, staff and visitors, according to a draft resolution it adopted today.
While peacekeepers must adapt to rapidly evolving situations, it was important to clarify — and understand — the legal, humanitarian and related issues surrounding the use of force in any operation of the “flagship” United Nations enterprise, speakers in the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) emphasize today as they continued their comprehensive review of peacekeeping in all its aspects.
Greater cooperation among all stakeholders was needed for an open and comprehensive intergovernmental preparatory process to the Habitat III Conference, the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) heard today as it took up its agenda item on the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).
Concerned about the possibility of outer space becoming “an arena for military confrontation”, the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) today approved a draft resolution, one of two on the topic, asking the General Assembly to urge an early commencement of substantive work to prevent the placement of weapons in outer space.
The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today approved a draft resolution that aimed to improve the quality of conference services held in its offices around the globe while upholding the equal use of its six official languages in the written world of documents and publications as well as crucial interpretation and translation services.
Until donors ramped up contributions, humanitarian actors were no longer able to provide core assistance to the record number of displaced people worldwide, the head of the United Nations refugee agency told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today as it concluded discussions on racism and began consideration of humanitarian questions.
In the wake of allegations of corruption against a previous President of the General Assembly, representatives of the 193-member body today debated the function of and the selection to the United Nations highest leadership positions.
States had the obligation to cooperate with each other and with international organizations in protecting the atmosphere, delegations and legal advisors heard today as the Sixth Committee (Legal) continued its debate on the International Law Commission’s report.
