Presidential elections on 29 July must lay the foundation for consolidating democracy in Mali, with the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) continuing to play an active role in the unfolding peace process, the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations told the Security Council this afternoon.
The Security Council received an update today on the recent activities of the Sudan sanctions committee, including detailed information about a visiting mission to the country undertaken from 13 to 20 April.
The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) by 10 months until 31 May 2019, adopting a streamlined text that would advance the Mission’s role in the Middle East nation’s post‑conflict reconstruction and reconciliation.
In an emergency meeting, the General Assembly today adopted a resolution deploring the use of excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate force by Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and particularly the Gaza Strip.
The General Assembly today elected 18 members of the Economic and Social Council to serve three-year terms beginning 1 January 2019. Those elected were Angola, Armenia, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Jamaica, Kenya, Luxembourg, Mali, Netherlands, Pakistan, Paraguay, Saudi Arabia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and the United States. The 18 outgoing members were Afghanistan, Algeria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Czechia, Guyana, Iraq, Italy, Lebanon, Nigeria, Peru, Republic of Moldova, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, United States and Viet Nam.
The international community must have a coordinated response to the serious political and security challenges in Central Africa, which included armed conflict, terrorism, poaching, organized transnational crime and maritime piracy, the Security Council heard today as it was briefed on recent developments in the region.
Having made considerable progress in reducing the rates of new HIV infections and expanding the availability of antiretroviral drugs, the global community must resist the temptation to “rest on its laurels” and instead redouble efforts to completely eradicate the virus, the General Assembly heard today, as delegates outlined national progress towards meeting testing and treatment benchmarks to that end.
Continuing its 2018 coordination and management segment, the Economic and Social Council today adopted four resolutions and one draft decision on women’s empowerment, and four draft decisions on myriad topics as it took up issues including sustainable development, population and development, and human rights.
With the security situation in Darfur remaining largely stable, now was the time for the United Nations — in partnership with the African Union — to closely couple the drawdown of its hybrid peacekeeping mission in the Sudanese province with the build-up of a peacebuilding effort that would focus on addressing the root causes of conflict, the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations told the Security Council this afternoon.
The Security Council today renewed measures designed to implement the arms embargo on Libya for another year, in particular those authorizing Member States to inspect vessels on the high seas off the country’s coast when reasonable grounds existed to believe they violated the ban.
