The Security Council today decided to extend its sanctions regime on the Central African Republic — including an arms embargo, travel ban and assets freeze — until 31 January 2020, while also extending the mandate of the Panel of Experts assisting the Central African Republic Sanctions Committee until 29 February 2020.
Fourteen new cases of Ebola were reported in north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the largest one-day increase since the beginning of the outbreak on 1 August 2018, United Nations humanitarian affairs officials reported yesterday. Nine of the new cases were detected near Butembo, a city of a million inhabitants.
The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) is continuing its operations in Bambari in Ouaka prefecture. It has established new check posts and resumed patrolling in Muslim neighbourhoods, in addition to conducting robust patrols in the other areas of town.
The High Commissioner for Human Rights today expressed concern after the approval in first reading of a bill to amend Guatemala’s National Reconciliation Law. If adopted, the amendment would result in a generalized amnesty for all cases of grave human rights violations committed during the internal armed conflict.
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development said global trade in creative goods and services, including the fashion, design, media and software industries, is expanding mostly because of China, doubling from $208 billion in 2002 to $509 billion in 2015. India, Singapore, Turkey, Thailand and Mexico also stimulated that growth.
The UN mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) is conducting an operation to restore order in Bambari, Ouaka Prefecture, in coordination with the country’s security forces. The operation is in response to attacks by Union pour la paix en Centrafrique against the local population and peacekeepers.
The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, Edward Kallon, expressed grave concern following the upsurge in violence in the country’s north-east that has led to massive displacement and created “a humanitarian tragedy”. Some 260 aid workers have been withdrawn from impacted areas since last November.
The World Health Organization reports that full operations in response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s North Kivu Province, which were disrupted by civil unrest in late December, have resumed across all locations. It warns that further interruptions could have serious consequences.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime released a report that says the number of human trafficking victims is on the rise and calls on countries to strengthen their cooperation to protect victims and bring criminals to justice.
On 7 December 2018, the Panel of Experts briefed the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2127 (2013) concerning the Central African Republic on its final report submitted pursuant to paragraph 32 (c) of resolution 2399 (2018).
