The International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, set up to continue the vital legal work of bringing to justice the perpetrators of atrocities committed in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, made significant progress over the past year, despite obstacles due to the global health crisis, its President said today as he briefed the General Assembly on developments during the residual courts’ fourth year of functioning.
The General Assembly today elected 18 Member States to the Human Rights Council, the United Nations body responsible for promoting and protecting all human rights around the globe, and paid tribute to Abdelaziz Bouteflika, a former President of Algeria and of the Assembly during its twenty‑ninth session.
Speakers in the General Assembly today discussed the best way to move the United Nations forward over the next 25 years as Member States work to revitalize the Organization and better equip its main organs to address pressing global challenges faster and more efficiently.
Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the high‑level meeting of the General Assembly to commemorate the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, held today:
Enduring challenges to international peace and security in the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere took centre stage today — along climate change and the COVID‑19 pandemic — as major issues which demand robust global action as the General Assembly concluded its annual general debate.
With just over a month to go before a major United Nations climate change conference in Scotland, leaders of small island developing States took centre stage before the General Assembly today, saying their nations are facing an existential threat if rich countries fail to make good on their promises to turn the tide on global warming.
World leaders appealed to the United Nations to facilitate resolutions to longstanding disputes, human displacement, and climate disaster, as the General Assembly continued its general debate today.
The issue of vaccine equity animated day three of the General Assembly’s annual general debate today, with leaders from nations large and small hailing the development of COVID-19 vaccines as a testament to human ingenuity, as well as pointing to the vast fissure between the haves and have nots in their availability and rollout.
Following are Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks at the General Assembly commemoration of the twentieth anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, held today:
Developing countries are suffering the brutal economic effects of COVID-19 disproportionately and require more comprehensive financing assistance in the wake of the pandemic, the General Assembly heard today as it continued its general debate with in-person and pre-recorded video messages from 29 Heads of State and Government.
World leaders, gathering at United Nations Headquarters today, vowed to accelerate the fight against racism in their respective countries, also renewing their commitment to implement the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action – a landmark anti‑discrimination framework adopted 20 years ago.
Secretary-General António Guterres issued a wake-up call that the world is on the edge of an abyss and “moving in the wrong direction”, as he called on leaders gathered for the annual General Assembly high-level debate today to urgently restore trust and act in unison to tackle myriad challenges.
Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ address to the General Assembly today:
The General Assembly today adopted its work programme for the seventy-sixth session, deciding to include a range of new items on its agenda, also noting that practical arrangements will still be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The General Assembly concluded its seventy-fifth session on Tuesday, with outgoing President Volkan Bozkir (Turkey) making recommendations to strengthen the 193-member organ’s ability to meet key global challenges and give voice to those most in need.
The General Assembly today opened its seventy-sixth session, with its newly elected President imploring Member States to embrace hope and initiate a new narrative after a challenging year of climate disasters, conflict and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks at the closing of the seventy-fifth session of the United Nations General Assembly, held today:
The General Assembly today adopted two annual resolutions — one on durable peace and sustainable development in Africa and the other on eradicating malaria.
The General Assembly adopted two resolutions today, including an omnibus text on the revitalization of the 193-member organ, as speakers argued that time has come to have a woman lead the United Nations as the Secretary-General beginning in 2027.
The General Assembly adopted six texts today, the first postponing the closing date of its seventy-fifth session to 14 September 2021, with others more broadly addressing issues in Africa and the Caribbean, and deciding that the United Nations Ocean Conference co-hosted by Kenya and Portugal will take place in Lisbon from 27 June to 1 July 2022.
