Senior United Nations officials today highlighted the need to improve the safety, security and mental health of peacekeepers while also ensuring accountability, improving strategic communications in the field and bolstering the participation of women, as the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) began its general debate of all aspects of peacekeeping operations.

​​​​​​​Delegates voiced sharp differences today about the work of the Human Rights Council as the General Assembly took up the intergovernmental body’s annual report.  While some praised its efforts over the past year to curb human rights violations through the creation of special mechanisms and emergency sessions, other delegates said the Geneva-based intergovernmental body applies double standards that ignore their impact on developing countries.

The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) today approved a wide-ranging draft resolution, entitled “Steps to building a common road map towards a world without nuclear weapons”, which drew extensive debate and 18 separate recorded votes for approval.

The twenty-first iteration of the Republic of Korea–United Nations Joint Conference on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Issues will take place in Seoul on 3 and 4 November.

​​​​​​​The Security Council’s programme of work for November will feature two signature events, which will build on the “clear African focus” towards addressing threats against peace and security of the just-concluded Gabonese presidency, its President for the month told a United Nations Headquarters press conference today.

The United Nations Secretariat at the Joint Coordination Centre reports that the Ukrainian, Turkish and United Nations delegations agreed not to plan any movement of vessels in the Black Sea Grain Initiative for 2 November.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Harold Adlai Agyeman (Ghana):

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks at the opening of the Local2030 Coalition Secretariat and celebration of the World Cities Day, in Bilbao today:

Children of African descent are disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system, experts told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today, as delegates engaged in a series of interactive dialogues on the link between systemic racism and the global ecological crisis, elimination of contemporary forms of racism and the right of people to self-determination.

Delegates today commended the work of the International Criminal Court as the body marks 20 years since its inception, with many speakers emphasizing that the mechanism’s expanding workload requires resources and support from Member States in order to fulfil its mandate.