Welcoming the completion of the transition process in Afghanistan and the launch of its 2015-2024 Transformation Decade, the Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in that country (UNAMA) for another year, until 17 March 2016, until and decided that it and the Secretary-General’s Special Representative would continue to lead and coordinate international civilian efforts on achieving established priorities.

SENDAI, JAPAN, 16 March — Speakers in Sendai today called for a paradigm shift to avert the calamitous effects of disasters from a top-down approach to a bottom-up approach that drew on contributions from local leaders and communities, districts and villages, during a discussion titled “Governing Disaster Risk:  Overcoming Challenges”.

SENDAI, JAPAN, 15 March — Building back better after earthquakes, cyclones and other destructive forces and international cooperation in reducing harm from future crises were the focus of high-level discussions today in Sendai, Japan, as the Third United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction continued.

SENDAI, JAPAN, 14 March — “Sustainability starts in Sendai,” United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon declared at the opening of the Third World Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction in Japan, asserting the largest-ever high-level meeting on the subject was “the first stop on our journey to a new future”.

Following are the closing remarks of UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson, as prepared for delivery, at the Commission on the Status of Women Intergenerational Dialogue on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment, held in New York today:

Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) delegates today expressed concerns about the costs and efficacy of implementing a flexible workplace environment at United Nations Headquarters and welcomed the development of a long-term capital maintenance programme for the Organization as they scrutinized the Secretary-General’s proposals on both topics.

The senior officials of the United Nations humanitarian system expressed their horror, outrage and frustration today as the crisis in Syria enters its fifth year.  They restated their commitment to help people in need and urged world leaders to set aside their differences and use their influence to bring about meaningful change in that country.

Gender equality and women’s empowerment must be at the heart of efforts to address the world’s most critical emerging challenges, including climate change, delegates told the Commission on the Status of Women today.

The eleventh round of Informal Consultations of States Parties to the United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement will be held at the United Nations on 16 and 17 March.

The plight of women in situations of armed conflict should remain at the forefront of the international community’s agenda, the Commission on the Status of Women heard today as it continued its general debate.