The devastating earthquake that struck Haiti on 12 January claimed the lives of more than 220,000 people, including 102 United Nations personnel—the single greatest loss of life in the history of the Organization. The United Nations mobilized and coordinated international support to help the Haitian people recover, reconstruct and stabilize their country. It also provided emergency humanitarian and/or disaster assistance to many other countries during the year, including Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, El Salvador, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Pakistan, Somalia and the Sudan. In the field of human rights, the General Assembly recognized the right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation, and also adopted a resolution on the right to education in emergency situations. The International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, which at year’s end had 21 parties, entered into force in December. The year was particularly significant in terms of United Nations engagement for issues concerning women. In order to strengthen institutional support for gender equality, the Assembly established the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) as the centre of the United Nations system gender architecture. The first Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict began her work during the year. The Security Council, in December, also adopted a landmark resolution calling on parties to armed conflict to make and implement specific and time-bound commitments to combat sexual violence.
With its comprehensive coverage of political and security matters, human rights issues, economic and social questions, legal issues, and institutional, administrative and budgetary matters, the Yearbook of the United Nations stands as the authoritative reference work on the activities and concerns of the Organization. Fully indexed, the Yearbook includes all major General Assembly, Security Council and Economic and Social Council resolutions and decisions, uniquely placing them in a narrative context of United Nations consideration, deliberation and action. This latest volume, the sixty-fourth, recounts
his sixty-fourth volume of the Yearbook of the United Nations records the work of the Organization in 2010 as it took up challenges and opportunities worldwide in maintaining international peace and security; fostering economic and social development, and providing humanitarian assistance; promoting and protecting human rights; and advancing international law.
how in 2010 the Organization helped resolve conflict situations and In a year in which acts of international terrorism resulted in the deaths of hundreds of innocent civilians, the General Assembly reiterated its condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, but also deplored violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as of international refugee and humanitarian law, committed in countering terrorism. The eighth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, held in May, adopted a 64-point action plan on nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear energy. It also called for a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East. The Convention on Cluster Munitions, which at year’s end was ratified by 49 States, entered into force in August. In other matters, the Twelfth United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, held in Salvador, Brazil, in April, adopted the Salvador Declaration on Comprehensive Strategies for Global Challenges, which called for strengthened cooperation to prevent, prosecute and punish crime, especially by enhancing national capacity through the provision of technical assistance. At the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Cancún, Mexico, Governments agreed to strengthen cooperation to substantially reduce global emissions by 2050. In addition to delivering three Judgments and making nine Orders in pending cases, the International Court of Justice, in July, rendered its advisory opinion relating to the declaration of independence of Kosovo.
build peace in countries worldwide, as well as reduce poverty, support national elections, counter terrorism and advance disarmament and non-proliferation. It also highlights the renewed commitment by world leaders to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015; the establishment of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women); and the United Nations response—one of the largest ever mounted—in mobilizing and coordinating humanitarian and economic assistance after the catastrophic 12 January earthquake in Haiti.
ISBN: 978-92-1-101276-7
as well as ordered from: United Nations Publications, Room 927A, 300 East 42nd Street, New York, New York 10017, United States of America, or: unp.un.org. All volumes of the Yearbook of the United Nations can be accessed in full online on the Yearbook website at: unyearbook.un.org.
The United Nations continued to assist Afghanistan, Iraq and Timor-Leste as well as other countries around the world in restoring peace and stability and rebuilding national institutions. The Security Council imposed further sanctions on Iran for its failure to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency and implement safeguards agreements related to its nuclear programme. The Panel of Inquiry established by the Secretary-General on Israel’s military operation against a humanitarian flotilla sailing to Gaza in May submitted its first progress report in September. In 2010, 15 peacekeeping operations served by some 121,000 uniformed and civilian personnel, along with 12 political and peacebuilding missions with more than 4,000 staff, were deployed worldwide.
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During the year, the United Nations experienced progress and setbacks in implementing peace agreements in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; supporting national elections in the Sudan; and consolidating peace and facilitating political processes in Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The Organization also strengthened international cooperation in fighting piracy off the coast of Somalia, and completed the mandate of the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad. The General Assembly established the United Nations Office to the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to better support that organization in addressing conflicts and managing peacekeeping operations.
World leaders participating in the High-level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in September—five years in advance of the 2015 target date for achieving the MDGs—put forward a road map outlining the remaining measures necessary for meeting the goals. In the first resolution adopted by the Assembly in its sixty-fifth session, entitled “Keeping the promise: united to achieve the Millennium Development Goals”, Heads of State and Government, concerned about the continuing impact of the global financial and economic crisis, called for scaling up successful approaches to achieving the MDGs, and reaffirmed their resolve to work together for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples.