Meetings Coverage

The General Assembly today endorsed the outcome of the Conference on the World Financial and Economic Crisis and Its Impact on Development, which, among other things, outlined the need for sustained follow-up within the United Nations system to the issues raised during that historic meeting held from 24 to 30 June.

Condemning the renewed attacks against Somalia’s fledgling unity Government and war-weary civilian population by Al Shabaab and other violent opposition groups, the Security Council today demanded an immediate end to that offensive, saying it would promptly consider what action to take against Eritrea and others providing support to armed groups and foreign fighters undermining the peace and reconciliation process in the strife-torn Horn of Africa country.

Urging the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia to take all possible measures to complete its work expeditiously, the Security Council today extended the term of office of 11 permanent judges until 31 December 2010, or until the completion of the cases to which they were or will be assigned if sooner.

While praising fragile West Africa’s steady progress towards lasting peace, senior United Nations officials warned today that a string of countries along the subregion’s Atlantic coast were fast becoming hubs for the trafficking of cocaine to Europe, and urged the Security Council to support efforts to tackle that emerging threat, as well as other challenges, including fallout from the global financial crisis and recent unconstitutional changes of government there.

Urging the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda to take all possible measures to complete its work expeditiously, the Security Council today extended the term of office of six permanent judges until 31 December 2010, or until the completion of the cases to which they were or will be assigned if sooner.

The General Assembly this morning unanimously confirmed Supachai Panitchpakdi of Thailand for a second four-year term as Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Acting on a proposal by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the Assembly appointed Mr. Supachai to head UNCTAD for a term beginning on 1 September 2009 and ending on 31 August 2013.

“Negotiations are the art of the impossible; it is within our hands to make the possible impossible or the impossible possible,” the Coordinator tasked with ironing out a draft comprehensive counter-terrorism convention said today as the Ad Hoc Committee established by General Assembly resolution 51/210 concluded its thirteenth session without final agreement on a text.

Ahead of Afghanistan’s defining presidential and provincial elections in August, Kai Eide, Special Representative of the Secretary-General, said today that, if managed well, the situation in that country ‑‑ the most complex it had been for years ‑‑ could become a turning point in efforts to end the conflict there.

Condemning the coup d’état in Honduras that had interrupted constitutional order and led to the 28 June removal of democratically elected President Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales, General Assembly delegates today adopted a consensus resolution demanding the immediate and unconditional restoration of power for the President and the established authority in that country.