Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message to mark the International Day for Disaster Reduction, observed Wednesday, 13 October:

The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization), guided by the fundamental and universal principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter, would have the General Assembly declare the period 2011-2020 as the Third International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism, by one of 12 draft texts approved today, capping its general debate on decolonization.

With developing countries having unfairly borne the brunt of the global economic and financial crisis while experiencing an effective worsening of their vulnerabilities, the international community must consider establishing a mechanism to help them overcome debt distress and achieve debt sustainability, several representatives stressed today, as the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) began its consideration of macroeconomic policy questions.

Pending a negotiated prohibition on the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons, controlling the fissile material holdings of key nuclear-weapon States, in a way that served the strategic interests of all concerned, would go far to curb nuclear weapons proliferation and prevent nuclear terrorism by non-State actors, the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) heard today, as it entered the second week of its general debate for the session.

Delegates warmly praised three achievements of the last session of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) as the Sixth Committee (Legal) today considered the Commission’s report of the session, held in New York from 21 June to 9 July. The Chairperson of the Commission, Ricardo Sandoval López (Chile), said it was one of the most fruitful sessions he could recall over the past 20 years.

Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message for the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, to be observed on 17 October:

Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks at the unveiling of the portrait of Kofi Annan, in New York, today, 12 October:

Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message for the International Day of Rural Women, to be observed on 15 October:

Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message for the tenth anniversary of the Global Network of Religions for Children (GNRC), delivered by Konrad Osterwalder, Rector of the United Nations University, in Chiba, Japan, today, 12 October:

In three rounds of voting, the General Assembly today elected Colombia, Germany, India, Portugal and South Africa as five non-permanent members of the Security Council for two-year terms beginning on 1 January 2011.