Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary), in New York today:
Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the Theophano Foundation, in Thessaloniki, Greece, today:
Heightened geopolitical tensions, retrenchment of a deteriorating security environment with few tangible gains, the enduring war in Ukraine and troubling events rapidly unfolding in the Middle East framed debate today in the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security).
As the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) took up more than a dozen reports relating to sustainable development today, delegates spotlighted the importance of promoting renewable, sustainable and affordable sources of energy, also calling for more support for developing and least developed countries to sustain progress.
Obstacles remain to realizing the full rights of Indigenous Peoples, but initiatives meant to empower them offer opportunities for social and economic growth as well as healing from past wounds, the Third Committee (Social Humanitarian, Cultural) heard today as it took up the rights of Indigenous Peoples.
The United Nations senior management official told delegates in the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today that the deteriorating liquidity situation of the Organization’s regular budget could persist into 2024 if the collection rates of unpaid assessments from Member States does not pick up.
The World Food Programme (WFP) has begun rolling out food distributions to nearly 900,000 refugees in Ethiopia following a full revamp of the safeguards and controls at its refugee operations, with refugee camps across five regions receiving food parcels for the first time since WFP paused food distributions in June.
Continuing its general debate on decolonization and related items, speakers in the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) today called for special attention to be given to the vulnerability of small island Non-Self-Governing Territories, including the impact of climate change.
Member States must demonstrate in their actions, not just in words, their commitment to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, particularly the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all States, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council today as she detailed last week’s attacks on the Ukrainian village of Hroza and the city centre of Kharkiv.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres launched his Advisory Group on Local and Regional Governments, through its first hybrid meeting among its 20 members. The meeting offered an opportunity to exchange on strategic topics pertaining to local and regional governments’ engagement and action in relation to recovery measures from multiple and overlapping crises and advancing international agreements and standards, including on sustainable development, gender equality, social inclusion, climate action, the new urban agenda, and human rights.
