Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message for the International Day of Older Persons, to be observed on 1 October:

Amid their efforts to mitigate and adapt to the adverse, often destructive effects of climate change, individual countries were unable tackle the vast, far-reaching challenges alone, making it vital for the international community to develop a coordinated approach to the issue, leaders of small island developing States stressed today as the General Assembly continued its annual general debate.

Sierra Leone had made great strides from civil war to stability, but required continued international support in the coming critical period to ensure maintenance of stability and crucial economic advancement, the Secretary-General’s Executive Representative told the Security Council this morning.

The following Security Council press statement was read out today by Council President Ertuğrul Apakan (Turkey):

A regional United Nations workshop on implementing United Nations Security Council resolution 1540 (2004) will be held from 28 September to 1 October 2010 in Hanoi, Viet Nam.

Acting without a vote this afternoon, the Peacebuilding Commission adopted the draft review of the outcome of its 10 June 2009 High-level Special Session on Sierra Leone.

Conflict resolution and peacebuilding in places as diverse as the Middle East, Kashmir, Cyprus and the Balkans emerged as major themes as the General Assembly continued its annual general debate today, alongside calls for reforms to make the Security Council more representative of the United Nations membership, 65 years after the founding of the Organization.

Following is the joint United Nations-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) press statement following the UN-ASEAN ministerial-level meeting in New York, 24 September:

The Security Council this morning ended an arms embargo and other sanctions imposed on Sierra Leone during its brutal civil war, while, in a separate text, it extended the mandate for the Integrated Peacebuilding Office in the country (UNIPSIL) for one year, until 15 September 2011.

The Security Council this morning decided to authorize a temporary increase of 500 personnel for the military and police contingents of the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI), recalling its intention to do so to contribute to security before, during and after elections.