Calling for the world to avoid the “suicidal mistake” of nuclear conflict, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres stressed that while humanity has been extraordinarily lucky so far, “luck is not a strategy”, and the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons is as crucial as ever, as the month-long Tenth Review Conference of that accord began at Headquarters today.
The Security Council today extended its arms embargo against the Central African Republic — as well as a travel ban and assets freeze imposed on certain individuals and entities, as designated by its sanctions committee — for one year, eased some of the embargo’s restrictions and renewed for 13 months the mandate of the Panel of Experts tasked with assisting that body.
While the newly signed deal to resume grain exports through Ukrainian ports offers a “beacon of hope” for countries in increasingly desperate need, close coordination among the parties involved will be critical to its success, the United Nations political affairs chief stressed today, as delegates in the Security Council both welcomed its potential for staving off famine and condemned the strike on the port of Odesa less than 24 hours later that threw that likelihood into jeopardy.
With 161 votes in favour and 8 abstentions, the General Assembly adopted a landmark resolution today recognizing the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment as a human right and calling for greater global efforts to ensure that principle is upheld.
The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) for three months — until 31 October 2022 — as members underscored the urgent need to appoint a Mission Head to enable it to offer support to the country and debated the need to extend the mandate for a longer period of time.
Extending the mandate of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) until 31 January 2023, the Security Council today expressing concern over unauthorized activities in the buffer zone separating Greek and Turkish communities in the northern and southern regions of the Mediterranean island since 1974 and condemned the 21 May attack on an UNFICYP vehicle patrolling the zone.
The Peacebuilding Commission — an advisory body to both the General Assembly and the Security Council — has proven to be a valuable voice in advancing intergovernmental coherence and supporting countries emerging from conflict in establishing the foundations for stronger societies, Council members stressed today as they evaluated gains made over the last year.
Addressing tensions between Israelis and Palestinians as they arise cannot replace efforts to resolve core issues driving the conflict, a senior United Nations official for the region told the Security Council today, as Council members stressed the need to implement a two-State solution while other delegates criticized the organ’s inability to meaningfully resolve a crisis that has persisted for over 70 years.
Briefing the Security Council today on the recent attack in Dohuk Governorate in the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, a senior United Nations official for the country stressed that such an attack on civilians demonstrated a disregard for international humanitarian and human rights law.
Despite the creation of a road map to bring Libya closer to essential presidential elections, the conflict-torn country remains enmeshed in a volatile environment fuelled by dire economic conditions, demonstrations and clashes between armed militias, a United Nations senior official told the Security Council today.
