Concluding a two-day high-level thematic debate today, speakers in the General Assembly urged greater political will and the strengthening of partnerships to swiftly put in place improvements to the international peace and security architecture proposed recently by key United Nations panels.

Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks at the United Nations project visit:  Conseil de développement d’Andohatapenaka, in Madagascar today:

High suicide rates among indigenous youth related directly to the severe — and often invisible — discriminatory pressures they confronted in reconciling past colonial injustices with their search for a better future, the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues heard today amid strong calls for education, health care and job opportunities that honoured their traditional heritage.

Winding up a visit to Madagascar today, the Secretary-General met with the President to discuss the country’s political situation and encourage continued dialogue and national reconciliation.  He also addressed a joint congress, urging parliamentarians to fight corruption and endangered species’ trafficking.

Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s address to the Joint Congress of Senate and Assembly, including the launch of the Report on the Cost of Hunger in Madagascar, in Antananarivo today:

Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’ message, as delivered by Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, to the United Nations-Organization of Islamic Cooperation Meeting, in Geneva today:

With 37 Member States having paid all their assessments so far this year, speakers in the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today emphasized the need for all countries to fulfil their financial obligations to the United Nations — and warned of the impact on peacekeeping if they failed to do so.

Holding a day-long open debate on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts, the Security Council today requested that the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee present a proposal for a “comprehensive international framework” to counter terrorist narratives used in recruitment and incitement to violent acts.

The collective rights of indigenous communities must be preserved and respected the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues heard today, as speakers took stock of progress made in the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Identifying key threats and engaging in a strategic reflection about today’s challenges to international peace and security, speakers discussed the means available and institutions required for an effective collective security architecture as the General Assembly convened a high-level thematic debate on the topic.