Meetings Coverage

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today approved a draft resolution that would have the General Assembly strongly condemn all extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, and demand States ensure that such practices were brought to an end.

The Security Council this evening demanded the immediate withdrawal of the armed group known as the 23 March Movement (M23) from the major eastern Congolese city of Goma and the cessation of any further advances, calling for a clarification of reports of external support provided to the group and stating its readiness to act on the basis of information received.

Enhanced alliances between the United Nations and regional and treaty bodies were needed to address current and emerging global challenges, as well as to achieve several longstanding — and as yet unmet — international goals, said delegates today as the General Assembly adopted consensus texts reaffirming cooperation with a number of such organizations.

The Palestinian Rights Committee today approved by consensus four draft resolutions relating to the question of Palestine, as it considered the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, particularly with regard to the current hostilities in the Gaza Strip.

Acknowledging that international cooperation had helped bring about a sharp reduction in attacks at sea, the Security Council stressed the need for comprehensive action to eradicate piracy and condemned in the strongest terms hostage-taking and the increased violence employed in the crime, during an open meeting that heard from more than 40 speakers today.

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today approved a draft resolution that would have the General Assembly express its deep concern about the continued application of the death penalty and call on States to establish a moratorium on executions, with a view to abolishing the practice.

The implementation delays and cost overruns surrounding the Secretariat’s efforts to carry out a major enterprise resource planning (ERP) project meant to streamline the administrative practices and boost efficiency of the United Nations were in the spotlight at today’s meeting of the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary).

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today approved a draft resolution that would have the General Assembly hold a high-level meeting in 2013 to assess progress in the global community’s fight against the grave challenge of human trafficking.

Upholding its tradition of consensus, the Sixth (Legal) Committee concluded its current session by approving one request for observer status by the European Organization for Nuclear Research and 11 draft resolutions, including the text on the revitalization of the General Assembly.

Urging Sudan and South Sudan to activate recently agreed border security mechanisms, the Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations security mission in the disputed area of Abyei until 31 May 2013.