Concluding their discussion on the scope and application of the principle of universal jurisdiction today, speakers in the Sixth Committee (Legal) — ever in search of consensus — debated the appropriate way to eliminate impunity for perpetrators of serious international crimes while not treading on the sovereignty of the States in which those crimes occur.

Human rights offer effective solutions in a world increasingly “ready for war”, a top United Nations official told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today, emphasizing the importance of monitoring for early warning, prevention, accountability and peace amid persistent violations of international law and widespread impunity.

In Sudan, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) says that due to the intensifying conflict in Darfur, nearly 25,000 people have arrived in Chad in the first week of October. According to UNHCR, nearly 3 million refugees and returnees have now fled Sudan over the last 18 months, crossing borders to seek safety in neighbouring States.

Guaranteeing the world’s future justice framework and capabilities for preventing and addressing a recurrence of atrocious crimes is critical and should be supported in all ways possible, submitted Graciela Gatti Santana, President of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, as she made a strong case for the continued functioning of the Mechanism, albeit in its residual phase.

The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today began its line-by-line consideration of a proposed $3.6 billion regular budget for 2025 that reflects priorities laid down in landmark agreements such as the Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations.

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) of the General Assembly on the proposed programme budget for 2025, in New York today:

Urgent action is needed to address the abject conditions and intolerable suffering in Gaza, a senior humanitarian UN official told the Security Council today, as delegates expressed horror at the recent strike on a hospital that killed displaced persons sheltering there, amidst Israel’s intensifying operations in northern Gaza.

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for United Nations Day, observed on 24 October:

As the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) concluded its general debate today on decolonization and related items, speakers paid homage to the resilience and determination of those who continue to strive for freedom.

International security and strategic stability, far from stabilizing, has continued to deteriorate at an alarming pace, the representative of the Russian Federation today told the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security), as it continued its general debate.