Meetings Coverage

Affirming a leadership role for the United Nations in international efforts to support a nationally led process aimed at building a democratic, independent and united Libya, the Security Council decided this afternoon to establish a support mission in that country.

Pointing to the approach of general elections in Liberia and recognizing the “significant challenges” that remained across all sectors there despite the efforts of the Government in national reconciliation and recovery, the Security Council this afternoon extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in the country (UNMIL) for one year, until 30 September 2012.

A calm but fragile security situation underscored the need to extend the mandate of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), the Secretary-General’s Special Representative in that country told the Security Council today, even as speakers emphasized that any drawdown of its presence must be gradual.

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) met this morning to fill vacant positions on its Bureau for the upcoming sixty-sixth session of the General Assembly.

The Second Committee (Economic and Financial) met this morning to fill vacant positions on its Bureau for the upcoming sixty-sixth session of the General Assembly.

The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) met this morning to fill vacant positions on its Bureau for the upcoming sixty-sixth session of the General Assembly.

The United Nations General Assembly this morning adopted the agenda for its sixty-sixth session during a meeting which required two recorded votes to allow representatives of Libya’s National Transitional Council to stand for the strife-torn North African country in the world body’s work for the coming year.

The Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations appealed this evening to authorities in Serbia and Kosovo to maintain calm and avoid exacerbating tensions over a plan to hand over authority on boundary crossing points to the European Union mission with the presence of Kosovo customs officials.

Declaring the present a “remarkable moment” for Somalia following recent broad-based agreements, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the east African country appealed to the Security Council today to send an unequivocal message of encouragement to its leadership while firmly opposing any return to political bickering or further extension of the political transition.

The Security Council this morning decided to reappoint Serge Brammertz as Prosecutor of the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia until 31 December 2014.