The General Assembly, acting on the recommendation of its General Committee, today adopted a work programme and agenda for its seventy‑fifth session, deciding to include the item “responsibility to protect” in its discussions over the coming months and to take note that the COVID‑19 pandemic will affect practical arrangements of forthcoming events.
The General Assembly concluded its seventy-fourth session on Tuesday, with outgoing President Tijjani Muhammad-Bande (Nigeria) praising delegates for their progressive action, most notably in passing a widely co-sponsored resolution at the outset of COVID-19 epidemic to ensure fair global access to medicines and vaccines.
The General Assembly convened today to hold the first meeting of its thirty-first special session on the COVID-19 pandemic, adopting one decision — and taking note of six others recently approved through the organ’s temporary silence procedure — related to the session’s leadership and other modalities.
The General Assembly adopted two resolutions today on the global response to COVID-19, nearly six months after the novel coronavirus outbreak was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), alongside a third resolution on the fight against malaria under way in Africa.
The General Assembly fleshed out the agenda of its upcoming seventy-fifth session today, deciding by recorded vote to include the situation in Ukraine and the responsibility to protect, on the second day of its first in-person proceedings since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-March.
The General Assembly adopted three resolutions today, as the world body held its first plenary meeting since the start of coronavirus-related restrictions at Headquarters, taking note of more than 70 texts it had adopted under its silence procedure since 27 March.
The General Assembly adopted 10 resolutions and decisions by its silence procedure from 6 to 12 August, including one extending its seventy-fourth session until mid-September and several postponing events and deadlines for report submissions, reflecting ongoing COVID-19 pandemic-related restrictions.
The General Assembly — operating under the silence procedure it has embraced amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic — adopted five decisions on 21 and 22 July, including one extending that procedure until 31 August and another setting out hybrid virtual and in-person modalities for its upcoming high-level general debate.
In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Nations General Assembly will mark Nelson Mandela International Day (18 July) with a virtual informal meeting on 20 July. The meeting will also feature official recognition of the laureates of the 2020 United Nations Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize.
The General Assembly on 10 July opened its thirty-first special session on the COVID-19 pandemic, the first special session convened in four years, with a general debate envisioned and questions remaining about the format and modalities for holding formal meetings on a virtual platform.
On the recommendation of its Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary), the General Assembly adopted two decisions on 13 July, one deferring financial discussions around the closure of the United Nations operation in Côte d’Ivoire, and the second keeping the issue of a global service delivery model — aimed at consolidating the Organization’s administrative services — under review.
With the Games of the XXXII Olympiad rescheduled from 2020 to 2021, owing to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the General Assembly on 6 July confirmed that the Olympic Truce will now be observed from 16 July to 12 September 2021, in line with the new schedule for the premier global sporting events.
The General Assembly elected Vice-Presidents for its seventy-fifth session and adopted a basket of resolutions and decisions from 23 to 30 June, including 21 on the recommendation of its Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) authorizing the United Nations peacekeeping budget for the 2020/21 fiscal year, taking action under its temporary silence procedure due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The General Assembly elected Volkan Bozkir, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, as President of its seventy-fifth session and filled vacancies on the Security Council and Economic and Social Council, with Member States voting at United Nations Headquarters on 17 and 18 June, in line with restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The General Assembly adopted on 18 June a resolution on peacekeeping operations and a decision extending its “silence procedure” through July, allowing it to continue its work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The General Assembly, taking up a recommendation from its Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) on the appointment of members to the Committee on Contributions (document A/74/525/Add.3) and acting through its temporary silence procedure amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, decided on 5 June to appoint Lin Shan (China) to the 18-member body.
The General Assembly, acting through its temporary silence procedure amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, adopted a resolution deciding to hold a special session in April 2021 on challenges and measures to prevent and combat corruption.
The General Assembly adopted a decision on 29 May to hold elections to fill vacancies in the Security Council, Economic and Social Council and its Main Committees amid current COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
The General Assembly proclaimed 9 September the International Day to Protect Education from Attack, adopting a resolution that reaffirms the right to education for all and the importance of ensuring safe, enabling learning environments in humanitarian emergencies.
The General Assembly adopted two decisions since 15 May, one on counter-terrorism and the other on extending the world body’s “silence procedure” until the end of June so it can continue its work amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
