Stressing the grave and unprecedented challenges to peace and security, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees told the Security Council in a briefing today that 2024 is even worse than last year in terms of the number of refugees and internally displaced people worldwide.
With absent political progress, ongoing violence and a worsening humanitarian situation in Syria, terrible risks could be on the horizon for that beleaguered country and the global community, the Secretary-General's Special Envoy warned the Security Council, as he called for a de-escalation of hostilities, starting in Gaza, and a comprehensive engagement among all stakeholders to arrive at a lasting solution to the 14-year Syrian conflict.
The Security Council today extended for one year the sanctions regime — including asset freezes, travel bans and an arms embargo — imposed on South Sudan, reiterating its readiness to review arms embargo measures through modification, suspension or progressive lifting, in light of progress achieved on critical established benchmarks, as numerous speakers highlighted that the text fails to acknowledge Juba’s positive achievements and, instead, hinders its efforts to peace and stability.
Briefing the Security Council on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question, the Special Coordinator for that region’s peace process urged Member States to support Gaza’s political future, work with the new technocratic Palestinian Government and develop a framework of its recovery, as many speakers, condemning the recent strike on Rafah, renewed calls for a ceasefire to enable humanitarian aid deliveries to the Palestinian people.
From Gaza and Ukraine to Sudan and Afghanistan, women, youth and children are bearing the brunt of conflicts, war and an ever-increasing global rollback of human rights, the Security Council heard today, as speakers outlined best practices to improve the participation of women and young people in conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
The Security Council today unanimously adopted a presidential statement aimed at addressing security, political and humanitarian challenges in West Africa and the Sahel.
In the wake of a day-long open debate on protecting civilians in armed conflict that it held on 21 May, the Security Council today adopted a resolution calling on States to respect and protect United Nations and humanitarian personnel in accordance with their obligations under international law, recalling those established 75 years ago in the Geneva Conventions of 1949.
The Security Council today unanimously adopted a presidential statement aimed at strengthening the role of African countries in addressing global security and development challenges, as speakers debated the intricate and complex dynamics between peace and development in those States and across their continent.
Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the United Nations Security Council debate “Maintenance of International Peace and Security: Strengthening the Role of the African State in Addressing Global Security and Development Challenges”, in New York today:
On 3 May 2024, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2140 (2014) held informal consultations to consider the midterm update of the Panel of Experts, submitted in accordance with paragraph 3 of resolution 2707 (2023).
