Troubled by the ongoing liquidity crisis impeding the United Nations’ ability to deliver on its mandates, delegates at the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today emphasized that Member States’ timely payments of assessed contributions to the regular budget is crucial. Delegates voiced their displeasure that Member States with the highest arrears have aggravated the Organization’s financial situation, noting that there are about $1.5 billion in unpaid regular budget assessments at the end of the third quarter, the highest amount in four years.

Highlighting a sharp rise in the proliferation and use of armed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on behalf of the Core Group of countries, the delegate for Portugal told the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) that recent developments regarding their manufacturing with commercial parts and components pose several ethical, humanitarian and legal challenges related to responsibility and accountability.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The latest report of the Secretary-General on women, peace and security says that the effects of war and conflict on women and girls are worsening. In 2023, the proportion of women killed in armed conflicts doubled compared to 2022 and four out of every 10 people who died because of conflict in 2023 were women.

The long-established rules against the development, stockpiling or use of chemical and biological weapons are under threat, the representative of the United Kingdom told the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) today in its thematic debate on weapons of mass destruction, following the conclusion of the debate on nuclear weapons.

Criminal gangs continue to sow violence and terror in Haiti, where more than 700,000 are now internally displaced, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council today, calling for Member States’ support for the still under-resourced Multinational Security Support Mission, which was authorized by the 15-member body in October 2023 to assist the Haitian National Police in restoring law and order in the strife-torn Caribbean nation.

The UN Development Programme (UNDP) says that one year into the Gaza war, the humanitarian crisis has reached a catastrophic level — with unprecedented casualties, widespread destruction and severe food insecurity.

The resolutions adopted by the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) during this session will impact the lives of millions worldwide, the President of the General Assembly said today, calling for global transformation rooted in international law and respect for human rights.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

As the Sixth Committee (Legal) continued its debate on Cluster I of the International Law Commission’s annual report, some delegates called for the list of crimes relating to the immunity of State officials from foreign criminal jurisdiction to be expanded, others underscored the importance of international cooperation in tackling sea-level rise, while still others urged the Commission to consider the plurality of different legal systems in its future work.