The head of conference management for General Assembly and Economic and Social Council Affairs briefed journalists today on those bodies? new work programme decided upon in the wake of last week?s disruptive hurricane that had caused flooding damage to the United Nations New York Headquarters and forced its closure for three days. Speaking at […]
?Winning Hearts and Minds? of Local Populations, Triangular Cooperation, Civilian Protection Mandates, Timely Reimbursement to Troop Contributors Discussed Debate today in the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) amplified a wide range of issues underpinning improvement in both the operational and doctrinal aspects of peacekeeping, including the need to address deficiencies in staff, funding […]
More than 40 Speakers Describe National Efforts to Meet Human Rights Obligations All human rights and freedoms were inter-dependent and indivisible, Member States told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today, as it completed its debate on the promotion and protection of human rights. ?There are no first-class or second-class rights,? said the […]
The General Assembly today elected 18 members of the Economic and Social Council to serve three-year terms beginning 1 January 2013. Those elected today were: Albania, Benin, Bolivia, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, Haiti, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Mauritius, Nepal, Netherlands, San Marino, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan and the United States. The 18 outgoing members were: Argentina, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Canada, […]
The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon: The Secretary-General is saddened by the loss of life, and the damage to homes and infrastructure in Guatemala as a result of the earthquake that struck off the coast of the country near the border with Mexico on 7 November. […]
Chair, Thanking Delegations, Says ?If We Do Not Hang Together, We Hang Separately? As the sixty-seventh session of the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) drew to a close today, Committee Chair Desra Percaya of Indonesia thanked delegations for ?hanging with? him and the Committee during the session?s challenges since, as Benjamin Franklin said, […]
Speakers Commend Efforts by UNRWA; Israel Says Mandate ?Undeniably Political?, Designed ?to Keep Refugee Issue Alive? The rapidly growing number of refugees was complicating the task of finding a solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) heard today during the conclusion of its debate on the United Nations Relief […]
Ant ónio Guterres, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Presents Report; Some 40 Speakers Express Strong Support for Agency?s Work, Professionalism As new conflicts multiplied in 2011 – especially in Africa and the Middle East ? the collective capacity to respond to people uprooted by violence and persecution was ?being put to the test in […]
The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon: The Secretary-General warmly congratulates President Barack Obama on his re-election as President of the United States. The Secretary-General looks forward to continuing to work with President Obama and his Administration in the spirit of the enduring partnership between the United States […]
Working Group on UNRWA Financing Says Funds Used to Offset Shortfalls Virtually Exhausted, Meeting December Payroll at Risk It was not only politically risky but also morally wrong to reduce the services provided by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the Fourth Committee (Special Political […]
