Reporting on the financial situation of the United Nations to the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) this morning, the Organization’s top management official presented, once again, “a mixed picture”, while noting some improvements and stressing the importance of timely and full payment of Member States’ dues to the United Nations.

The strides made to ban chemical weapons was a “living example” of success when global efforts joined forces with clear goals, constructive dialogue, good will and a spirit of consensus, the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) heard today during its thematic debate on weapons of mass destruction.

Capping its three-day discussion on the promotion and protection of the rights of the child, members of the Third Committee (Social, Cultural and Humanitarian) discussed national programmes to nurture young citizens, saying the credibility of States “rested in their work for future generations”.

This is the text of a message from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to the third annual Roots of Peace “Harvest of Hope” programme in Greenwich, Connecticut, on 18 October 2009 (delivered by Under-Secretary-General Vijay Nambiar, Chef de Cabinet):

Following is a statement issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Bank Ki-moon:

Following is a statement issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Bank Ki-moon:

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message to the twenty-sixth General Assembly of the World Veterans Federation, in Copenhagen today, 19 October:

The United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) continued to play a vital facilitation role, despite the political realities in that province, Lamberto Zannier, the Head of the Mission and the Secretary-General’s Special Representative, told the Security Council today.

Another half billion people face food insecurity because of climate change, Margareta Wahlström, Assistant Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction told the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) today during a panel discussion on “Climate change: Impacts and threats".

Implementing the two-year-old United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples would both bring historical justice to that too-often ignored segment of humanity and develop stronger democratic, multicultural societies, the Special Rapporteur on indigenous issues told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today.