The Sixth Committee (Legal) met this afternoon to hear oral reports from co-facilitators on the thematic clusters that oriented the Committee’s discussion this week, as it considered the International Law Commission’s draft articles on “Crimes against humanity”.
Israel’s “live-streamed” genocide — supported by many Western States — must not go unpunished, participants heard in Geneva today during the second day of the two-day Conference of Civil Society Organizations working on the Question of Palestine — convened by the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People — with speakers discussing best practices to ensure accountability and Israel’s compliance with the rulings of the International Court of Justice.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Julie Bishop of Australia as his Special Envoy on Myanmar. Ms. Bishop succeeds Noeleen Heyzer of Singapore to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for her dedicated service.
Following Israeli airstrikes on 1 April that killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers in Gaza, a senior United Nations official briefing the Security Council urged immediate concerted action to investigate, prosecute and stop such violations of international humanitarian law and to give humanitarian staff unimpeded access to those in need, as delegates raised concern about the imminent famine in the occupied territory.
The response to the war in Gaza is the litmus test for the international justice system, participants heard in Geneva today, during the first day of the two-day Conference of Civil Society Organizations working on the Question of Palestine — convened by the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People — with many highlighting the role of civil society in preserving international law and ensuring accountability.
In Madagascar, the United Nations and its partners are supporting the Government’s response to Tropical Cyclone Gamane. According to the Government, the tropical cyclone — which hit the country on 3 April — killed 19 people, injured 3 others and left some 22,000 people displaced.
The Sixth Committee (Legal) continued its consideration of the International Law Commission’s draft articles on “Crimes against humanity” today, with delegates further illustrating the nuance required to approach international codification on such crimes as they debated provisions seeking to establish safeguards before turning to the larger issue — the Commission’s recommendation to elaborate a convention on this topic.
Bringing the multifaceted crisis in Myanmar to the fore, speakers urged the Security Council today to take decisive measures to end violence by that country’s military and address the deteriorating humanitarian situation, also calling for the swift appointment of a United Nations Special Envoy to enhance the Organization’s engagement on the matter.
The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) caution that the threat from explosive ordnance has increased significantly in the country since 2020. The Mission says that they recorded more than 190 incidents since 2020, including 78 last year alone.
Presented with data pointing to a spike in warring parties intentionally depriving life-saving humanitarian assistance to children living in conflict zones worldwide, speakers in the Security Council today proposed solutions to ensure aid reaches children in need, including in Gaza.
