Informing a world audience about the story of the United Nations required correcting the imbalances of information between developed and developing countries, for which the United Nations Information Centres -- the hosting of which was a “sign of distinction” –- played a crucial part, the Fourth Committee heard today.

Following is the statement by UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro to the Intergovernmental Meeting of the Programme Pilot Countries on “Delivering as One”, in Kigali yesterday, 19 October:

Paths diverged today over how to address the issue of conventional weapons as the quest unfolded to find a delicate balance between security and humanitarian concerns in the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security), which continued its thematic debate on conventional weapons and heard the introduction of two resolutions dealing with arms stockpiles and military spending.

The following Security Council press statement on the terrorist attack in Iran was read out today by Council President Le Luong Minh (Viet Nam):

Space technology applications to combat and even forecast the spread of disease were fundamental instruments in ensuring the health of current and future generations -– one of the major challenges to meeting the Millennium Development Goals –- the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) was told today, as it began its consideration of international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space.

This is the text of remarks by UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro at the Civil Society Development Forum, 2009, in New York, on 15 October:

As international partners helped the struggling African economies sustain a growth cycle curbed by the current global economic crisis, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) was slowly, but surely, carving out its role as the African continent’s primary blueprint for development, said delegates gathered today for the General Assembly’s annual debate.

In an exchange of views with three of the United Nations’ top watchdogs on torture, speakers in the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) expressed support for proactive measures taken by United Nations treaty bodies to prevent torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and said the Convention against Torture was a “new generation treaty” that placed value on prevention over a cure.

Discussing a variety of questions involving the United Nations common system this morning, the Fifth Committee considered, among other things: proposed introduction of end-of-service severance pay for staff on fixed-term contracts; possible changes to the mandatory retirement age; salary adjustments in New York and other duty stations; job evaluation standards for General Service and related categories; base/floor salary scale and evolution of the margin; and gender balance in staffing.

Acting without a vote, the Sixth Committee this morning approved a resolution on the administration of justice at the United Nations while also opening debate on the scope and application of the principle of universal jurisdiction.