Following is the text of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message, as delivered by Jarmo Sareva, Director, Conference on Disarmament Secretariat and Conference Support Branch, to the Fourth Conference of the High Contracting Parties to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons’ Protocol V on Explosive Remnants of War, in Geneva, today, 22 November:

The global economic and financial crisis had highlighted the need to reform the international financial system and architecture, and added a new impetus to ongoing international discussions on that subject, the General Assembly would stress, according to one of three draft resolutions approved without a vote by the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) today.

Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s address to the John C. Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations at Seton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey, today, 22 November:

On the eve of the completion of its work for this session, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) approved six resolutions today, including one that would have the General Assembly reaffirm that States must ensure that their efforts to combat terrorism comply with their international human rights obligations, and another that would have it emphasize that no religion should be equated with terrorism.

Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks at the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Summit Meeting on Afghanistan, in Lisbon, 20 November:

Expressing its deep concern at the continuing instability in Guinea-Bissau, in particular the lack of civilian oversight and control of the armed forces and the continued detentions without due process of law that followed the events of 1 April, the Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in that country, UNIOGBIS, until 31 December 2011.

Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks at the commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, in New York, today, 23 November:

Ahead of a debate on the Middle East that heard from some 40 speakers today, a top United Nations political official told the Security Council that, despite the impasse in direct peace talks, the international community must remain committed to the goal of an agreement on core issues within a year.

The following statement by the Chairman of the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict was issued in New York, 22 November:

Expressing deep regret that civilians continued to account for the vast majority of casualties in conflict situations, including as a result of deliberate targeting, indiscriminate or disproportionate attacks and sexual and gender-based violence, the Security Council today demanded that all relevant parties immediately end such practices, and reaffirmed its readiness to adopt appropriate measures.