Africa

Following is UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s message to the closing of the eighteenth session of the Regional Coordination Mechanism for Africa (RCM), delivered by Frank Schroeder, in Dakar on 26 March:

Following is UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed’s briefing to the Security Council on the Lake Chad Basin, in New York today:

Briefing on the heels of the Security Council’s recent visit to Africa’s Lake Chad Basin — beset by development challenges, looming famine and the brutal tactics of Boko Haram — the mission’s co-Chairs emphasized today the need for an enhanced and holistic response to the subregion’s largely neglected crisis.

The Secretary-General’s new report “Special Measures for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse: A New Approach” focuses on victims’ rights and dignity; more transparent reporting and investigation; multi-stakeholder network support for prevention and response efforts; raising awareness and sharing best practices.

The Central African Convention for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, their Ammunition and all Parts and Components that can be used for their Manufacture, Repair and Assembly (Kinshasa Convention) enters into force today, today.

The UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, in a statement issued today, condemned the firing yesterday of a rocket from Gaza towards Israel. This is the third such incident in the past 30 days after a period of almost four months of quiet.  Such provocations seek only to undermine peace, he said.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

On 17 February 2017, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2127 (2013) concerning the Central African Republic held informal consultations to consider the progress update of the Panel of Experts, submitted in pursuance of paragraph 23(d) of resolution 2262 (2016).

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Volodymyr Yelchenko (Ukraine):

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today announced the appointment of Major General Tesfay Gidey Hailemichael of Ethiopia as Force Commander for the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).