With the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change exacerbating world hunger, speakers emphasized the need to boost agriculture, empower farmers, preserve biodiversity and protect ecosystems, as the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) took up agriculture development, food security and nutrition today.
Multilateralism and international cooperation are needed to ensure less developed countries can adequately address the enormous challenges posed by the COVID‑19 pandemic, experts told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today, as delegates engaged with them in animated virtual discussions covering the right to development and the use of unilateral coercive measures.
The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Vassily Nebenzia (Russian Federation):
Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed’s remarks, as delivered at the Women Leaders in Global Health Conference, today:
While dubbing the New Urban Agenda an engine for economic growth, poverty reduction and environmental protection, especially during the COVID‑19 pandemic, delegates also lamented insufficient funding to keep its wheels turning, as the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) took up the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN‑Habitat) today.
Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the Y20 Summit, being held from 15-17 October:
The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) tackled broad questions of torture, counter‑terrorism and judicial independence today, as delegates engaged with United Nations experts in addressing eroded prison conditions, underfunding of the treaty body system, and at times, outright denial of international humanitarian law, frequently triggered by COVID‑19.
The following statement by UN Secretary-General António Guterres was issued today:
Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message on the International Day of Rural Women, “Building Rural Women’s Resilience in the Wake of Covid-19”, observed today:
Following is UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed’s video message to promote the Secretary-General’s report on the Implementation of the United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy, on 13 October:
