Meetings Coverage

The need for coordinated international cooperation in combating all forms of organized transnational crime and for more robust financial support to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) were two recurring topics on which delegates in the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) focused today, as they concluded their discussion on crime prevention and criminal justice, and international drug control.

Welcoming the progress made towards the complete transfer of lead security responsibility in Afghanistan to the country’s Government, the Security Council today extended its authorization of the International Security Assistance Force until 31 December 2014.

The peaceful settlement of disputes was real and achievable when the rule of law in its truest sense had consistent and committed adherence at the international and national levels, said delegates in the Sixth Committee (Legal), as deliberations on the principle continued.

Colonialism had no place in the modern world, speaker after speaker declared today in the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization), echoing the words of the Secretary-General and the foundational resolution of the General Assembly on the subject from more than five decades ago.

Deeply concerned over the total breakdown in law and order in the Central African Republic and the consequences of such instability for the region, the Security Council today decided to reinforce the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in that country, expressing its readiness to consider “appropriate measures” against those fuelling violence.

There could be no peaceful settlement of disputes without the observance of the rule of law at the international and national levels, Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson told the Sixth Committee as deliberations on the subject began.

While labelling the Organization’s overall financial condition “generally positive”, the United Nations senior management official told the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today that the regular budget’s cash position this year was under pressure with $945 million of its $2.61 billion regular budget still outstanding.

Quality teachers did not just improve test scores, they had long-term positive effects on the socioeconomic status of children 20 and 30 years down the line, delegates in the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) heard today as they opened their first general debate of the sixty-eighth session.

Transnational organized crime, including trafficking in people and drugs, was a challenge that “violates human rights and undermines development”, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) heard today as it began its general discussion of crime prevention, criminal justice and international drug control.

Conditions for a world free of nuclear weapons “did not yet exist,” the United States’ representative told the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) today, quick to add, however, that, together, the international community was “completely capable” of creating those conditions.