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Wrapping up the General Assembly’s annual high-level debate today, the 192-member body’s President today welcomed the “new era of engagement” based on respect among Member States, underscoring that the vision of nations coming together to tackle common challenges is at the heart of the United Nations.

A three-day comprehensive review of United Nations efforts to prevent nuclear, biological, chemical and other weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) from falling into the hands of terrorists and other so-called non-State actors opens in New York tomorrow.

Botswana – where nearly one quarter of people between the ages of 15 and 49 are living with HIV – is taking steps with the help of international assistance to combat the devastating AIDS pandemic, an official from the Southern African nation told the General Assembly today.

Sixty-four countries took 103 treaty actions at this year’s General Assembly General Debate – the highest participation in four years – in what has become an annual United Nations event to muster support for a whole raft of conventions ranging from protecting human rights to fighting terrorism to fighting climate change.

Moves to prevent the criminal use and abuse of young boys and girls recruited into armed groups around the world took a step forward today as eight more countries endorsed a United Nations declaration aimed at ending the scourge and bringing to justice those who violate children in armed conflict.

Strengthening the rule of law is the critical factor to effectively tackling piracy in the Indian Ocean, Seychelles told the General Assembly today, saying the world’s countries have a shared responsibility to deal with the problem.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today strongly condemned an attack on an African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) convoy that resulted in the death of a peacekeeper, and appealed to Sudanese authorities to ensure that those responsible are held to account.

With a “dictatorship” having taken over Honduras, the recent coup d’état is oppressing the people of the Latin American nation, ousted President Jose Manuel Zelaya has told the General Assembly, calling for the assistance of the United Nations in restoring the rule of law.

The head of the United Nations fact finding mission into the Gaza conflict today urged an end to impunity for human rights violations committed there earlier this year, given evidence that both Israeli forces and Palestinian militants are guilty of serious war crimes and breaches of humanitarian law, which may amount to crimes against humanity.

The meetings of world leaders at the General Assembly over the past week have made progress on major issues including climate change, nuclear disarmament and the global financial crisis with the United Nations playing a pivotal role, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today.