Broad Agreement in Security Council Wrap-Up on Strong Push to Overcome Divisions, as Members Strive to Abandon Outdated ‘Logic’ in Favour of Ethical Options

The Security Council had rallied to consensus on several important issues in December, the Permanent Representative of Chad and President of that body said in a monthly wrap-up meeting, as members stressed the need to press ahead on issues and areas where they had failed to produce results.

The open debates on strengthening the partnership between the United Nations and the African Union and on the linkages between terrorism and transnational organized crime provided the basis for the international community to bolster action, Mahamat Zene Cherif said.

With the adoption of eight resolutions and four presidential statements on diverse and crucial issues of the day, the month’s session was not only busy but also condensed.  Further, by inviting the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs to closed consultations, the Council demonstrated that human rights were not ignored behind closed doors, he added.

Several representatives lauded the Council’s achievements during the month, including the first resolution on transborder organized crime and terrorism and humanitarian relief in Syria.  They also specified areas where progress had been lacking, including in Ukraine and South Sudan.  Some described the Council’s failure to achieve a political solution to the Syrian crisis as a “dark chapter”.

The representative of the United States said the Council had been productive in a growing number of areas, which underscored the importance of maintaining focus and identifying priorities.  The body should focus on Syria in both its security and humanitarian dimensions and address the crises in Ukraine, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Yemen through greater collective efforts.

As a committed “pen holder”, France had sometimes become “hyperactive”, that country’s representative said, adding that members had always responded with faith in their values and taken decisions with great skill.  He expressed hope that the Russian Federation would engage in de-escalating tensions in both words and deed.

The Russian Federation representative said the Council should express concern and take action in “genuine” areas such the threat of Syrian chemical weapons falling into the hands of terrorists and the humanitarian obstacles posed by their increased territorial control. 

The representative of Argentina said the Council often seemed to be stuck in the logic of the twentieth century and driven by geopolitical considerations rather than those of ethics, even in situations of massive violations of human rights and international law.

It was important for the Council to engage more in regional approaches to resolving crises, the representative of the Republic of Korea said, adding that the open debate on strengthening the partnership between the United Nations and the African Union had been an important opportunity for strategic collaboration.

The representative of Rwanda said his delegation had worked hard to fulfil the pledges it had made while campaigning for a Council seat and expressed hope that lessons learned from initiatives on peacekeeping, improving working methods, and preventing violence against women would be heeded.

The representative of Chile, the incoming Council president, said his country would focus on the deep-seated causes of conflicts and achieving broad solutions in the Middle East, the Democratic People’S Republic of Korea and other areas.

Also speaking today were the representatives of Australia, China, Jordan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

The meeting began at 10:07 a.m. and ended at 12:18 p.m.