Meetings Coverage

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), entering its third day of examining applications for consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, today added 36 groups to the more than 3,500 it has accredited since its creation in 1946.

With French and Malian forces carrying out joint military operations to regain control of areas seized by armed extremists over the past 10 months, a senior United Nations official today said that the crisis in Mali could be at a potential turning point, and as the Security Council now prepared to consider long-term solutions, it must examine the deep-seated challenges that had led to the shocking eruption of violence in the once vaunted West African democracy.

The Security Council, condemning the launch by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on 12 December 2012, which used ballistic missile technology in violation of the sanctions imposed on it, today demanded that the country not proceed with any further such activities and expressed its “determination to take significant action” in the event it did so.

The General Assembly today adopted, by consensus, a decision establishing the composition of the 30-country Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals, as called for by the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (“Rio+20”) outcome document, entitled “The Future We Want”.

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), continuing its scrutiny of applicants seeking consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, today added 33 groups to the more than 3,500 accredited since it was established in 1946.

Resolved to strengthen the United Nations central role in peacekeeping, the Security Council coalesced around a resolution — the first of its kind in 10 years — which recognized the importance of multidimensional peacekeeping and stressed that peacekeeping activities should be conducted in a manner that facilitated post-conflict peacebuilding, helped prevent a relapse into conflict and assisted progress towards sustainable peace and development.

Opening its regular session for 2013, the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations today recommended 37 organizations for special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, and deferred action on the status of 11 others.

A senior United Nations official today applauded the “remarkable progress” made by Côte d’Ivoire in the 18 months following a violent post-electoral crisis, but cautioned that a recent wave of attacks against national security targets meant the “strong and sustained support” of the Security Council would be required as the Ivorian Government worked in the coming year to heal political divisions in the country’s “sensitive” security context.

“Nothing can justify terrorism — ever,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon declared at the opening of a high-level meeting of the Security Council today, capped by a presidential statement expressing that body’s deep concern over the terrorist threat and its determination to combat it by all means in all its forms and manifestations, in line with the United Nations Charter and international law.

The Secretary-General’s Special Representative reported to the Security Council this morning that agreements, including a ceasefire, had just been signed in Libreville to contain the latest wave of rebellion in the Central African Republic and define the modalities for power sharing and political transition.