In his first address to the General Assembly, the new head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said today he aimed to change the widespread perception of the Vienna-based body as simply the world’s “nuclear watchdog”, emphasizing instead a balanced approach to pursuing non-proliferation of atomic weapons and the peaceful use of nuclear energy, two of the three pillar objectives of the landmark 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Twenty-one Member States pledged approximately $470 million today at an event in support of United Nations development activities for 2011.

The General Assembly, through elections and appointments, today filled vacancies in the Committee for Programme and Coordination, the main subsidiary body of the Assembly and the Economic and Social Council for such work, as well as in the Committee on Conferences, which advises the Assembly on all matters pertaining to the organization of United Nations conferences.

This is the text of a message from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s for World Diabetes Day, to be observed 14 November:

This is the text of remarks by UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro today at the First Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, in Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic:

The General Assembly would request the Secretary-General to work towards convening a high-level meeting on ensuring accessibility for, and inclusion of, persons with disabilities in all aspects of development efforts, under the terms of a draft resolution approved by consensus today by the Third Committee.

This statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Security Council today was briefed on legal issues and options regarding implementation of successor arrangements for the Development Fund for Iraq — due to expire by 31 December — by the United Nations Controller and the Head of the Committee of Financial Experts of the Government of Iraq.

The following press statement was issued today by Security Council President Mark Lyall Grant (United Kingdom):

Bringing the United Nations another step closer to the official 1 January 2010 launch of “UN Women”, the Economic and Social Council today elected - by acclamation and by secret ballot – the 41 inaugural members to the Executive Board of the new entity established to meet the unique and often under-represented needs of women and girls worldwide.