It was the world’s responsibility to ensure that the “fruits of the marvellous progress of science” benefitted the poor around the world, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) heard this morning.

Violence against society’s most vulnerable, in all its forms, needed to be uprooted and eradicated in order to pave a sure path towards sustainable development, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) heard today as it continued its debate on the rights of children, and concluded its consideration of the advancement of women.

Sounding a note of optimism about the progress of African development, the international community should guard against complacency that might lead to backsliding on gains already made, the General Assembly was told today as it debated the New Partnership for Africa’s Development as well as the ongoing battle against malaria. 

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President María Cristina Perceval (Argentina):

PRESS CONFERENCE BY PRESIDENT OF BOLIVIA ON INTERNATIONAL MOTHER EARTH DAY

The primary cause of the twenty-first century should be the recognition of the rights of Mother Earth, Bolivian President Evo Morales Ayma declared hours after the General Assembly passed a resolution designating 22 April as “International Mother Earth Day”.

PRESS CONFERENCE BY special representative on children and armed conflict

A senior United Nations child protection official today provided highlights from the Secretary-General’s latest annual report on children and armed conflict ahead of next week’s open Security Council debate on the topic.

DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of toady’s noon briefing by Marie Okabe, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

PRESS CONFERENCE on global financial crisis by civil society organizations

The best stimulus plan to address the global economic crisis was to invest in the poor, Roberto Bissio of Social Watch told correspondents today.

DAILY PRESS BRIEFING BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s noon briefing by Marie Okabe, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Good afternoon.

** Durban Review Conference

PRESS CONFERENCE ON SITUATION IN SRI LANKA

 

Representatives of four non-governmental organizations today called on the United Nations to speak out on the situation in northern Sri Lanka and urged the Security Council to take up the matter under the concept of “responsibility to protect”.