Security Council

6853^rd Meeting (PM)

With New York City Paralysed by Storm, Security Council Meets under ‘Exceptional

Circumstances’ to Authorize Brief Extension of African Union Mission in Somalia

 

The Security Council this afternoon, meeting briefly in the wake of the storm that paralysed New York City and closed United Nations Headquarters for three days, authorized the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to maintain deployment until 7 November under the terms of its existing mandate.

Unanimously adopting resolution 2072 (2012) under the Charter’s Chapter VII, the Council’s text noted the “exceptional circumstances” in New York City arising from Hurricane Sandy, and, recognizing the need for a short extension of the Mission, authorized it to take all necessary measures to carry out its mandate as set out in resolutions 1772 (2007) and 2036 (2012).

Prior to its adoption, Council President Gert Rosenthal of Guatemala said that if the Council failed to approve “this rollover”, the Mission would be “left literally bereft of a mandate as of midnight”.  Everyone had in their hands the provisional text, and once translated, they would have the final version, he said.

The Council was meeting under very unusual circumstances, he said, expressing the solidarity of the 15-member body with the host city and country, given the “magnitude of the disaster”.  His presidency was very disappointed that it had been unable to conclude its planned activities, such as the open debate scheduled for Monday on women and peace and security.  It had also been impossible to convene the briefing scheduled for this morning.  Having been unable to “wrap up” as planned, his colleagues from India, whose delegation held the next presidency, “will have a whole series of issues to deal with”, he said.

United Nations Headquarters “has also been considerably damaged”, he told Council members.  It had been very difficult to come together today.  There were problems translating the text and he expected the coming handover of “the baton” to the Indian delegation would not be as smooth as usual.

In some personal remarks before adjourning, Mr. Rosenthal noted that the residents in his building were without electricity and water, which was why he was in “battle dress”.  What had been discovered through this event, he added, was that the world without Internet and electronic communications “just doesn’t work”.

The meeting was called to order at 3:39 p.m. and ended at 3:44 p.m.

Resolution

The full text of resolution 2072 (2012) reads as follows:

“The Security Council,

“Recalling all its previous resolutions and statements of its President concerning the situation in Somalia, in particular resolutions 1772 (2007), 2010 (2011) and 2036 (2012),

“Noting the exceptional circumstances in New York City arising from Hurricane Sandy,

“Recognizing, in those exceptional circumstances, the need for a short extension of the mandate of the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM),

“Determining that the situation in Somalia continues to constitute a threat to international peace and security in the region,

“Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,

“Decides to authorize the Member States of the African Union to maintain the deployment until 7 November 2012 of AMISOM, which shall be authorized to take all necessary measures to carry out its existing mandate as set out in paragraph 9 of resolution 1772 (2007) and paragraph 1 of resolution 2036 (2012).”

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For information media • not an official record