Holding to its long-standing tradition of approving texts without a vote, the Sixth Committee (Legal) concluded the work of its seventy-first session today by taking action on 10 resolutions, one request for observer status and a draft decision on programme planning.
Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, at the eleventh meeting of Heads of United Nations Police Components, in New York today:
The new Permanent Representative of Rwanda to the United Nations, Valentine Rugwabiza, presented her credentials to United Nations Secretary‑General Ban Ki‑moon today.
The new Permanent Representative of Somalia to the United Nations, Yusuf‑Garaad Omar, presented his credentials to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today.
The new Permanent Representative of Brazil to the United Nations, Mauro Vieira, presented his credentials to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today.
Huge challenges faced United Nations Police in protecting civilians, and there was a need to assess how the environment for police work could be improved and what tools were required, the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations told the Security Council today.
The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) approved a resolution today on the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, as well as heard the introduction of seven texts on issues ranging from combating the glorification of Nazism and neo-Nazism, to realizing the right to food.
The General Assembly today filled more than 20 vacancies in subsidiary bodies, acting on the recommendation of its Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary), and also appointed new members to the Committee on Conferences, Joint Inspection Unit and the Economic and Social Council.
The Security Council today extended the arms embargo on Somalia until 15 November 2017, while reaffirming that country’s sovereignty over its natural resources. It also reaffirmed its arms embargo on Eritrea.
In Geneva, Jan Egeland, Special Adviser on Syria told the press that reports from east Aleppo were saying that the last food rations were being distributed, with nothing more to distribute next week. There was now a four-part United Nations initiative aimed at delivering food and other urgent supplies to that city.
