Meetings Coverage

The Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process this morning called on the Security Council and the international community to maintain strong support for the recently revived direct talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. “Our collective task is to support these negotiations and maximize prospects for success,” said Robert Serry, who is also the Secretary-General’s Personal Representative, at the Council’s regular monthly briefing on the situation.

Reiterating its strong condemnation of mass rapes in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in late July and August, the Security Council today urged that country’s Government to ensure swift and fair prosecution of the perpetrators, and expressed its readiness to consider all appropriate actions, including targeted measures against those responsible.

Poverty eradication and other development issues, climate change and the international financial and trade systems were among key topics approved for consideration by the General Assembly’s Second Committee this afternoon as it adopted its organization of work for the sixty-fifth session.

Acting on the recommendations of its General Committee, the United Nations General Assembly this morning adopted the work programme and agenda for its sixty-fifth session, which contains nearly 124 items.

The growth of international terrorism, insurgency, piracy and human suffering in Somalia demanded an intensified, focused and coordinated response by the international community, the Secretary-General’s new Special Representative for the Horn of Africa country told the Security Council this morning. “Experience in Somalia has shown that the more delayed or inadequate the response is, the more complex the crisis becomes,” Augustine Mahiga said in his first appearance before the Council.

The Peacebuilding Commission established a country configuration for Liberia this morning to implement priorities set out in letters from the Government of Liberia and the Security Council dated 27 May and 19 July 2010, respectively.

Expressing deep concern at the recent tensions in Nepal, the Security Council today extended by four months the mandate of the United Nations Mission there, after which it would leave the country, as requested by the Government. Unanimously adopting resolution 1939 (2010), the Council decided to extend the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) until 15 January 2011.

The Security Council was briefed today by the Chairperson of its Committee to monitor sanctions against Iran, following which several Council members expressed concern at that country’s continuation of its nuclear activities and sanctions violations, while underscoring their commitment to a negotiated solution.

The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Liberia for one year, until 30 September 2011, authorizing it to focus on elections, security and other issues key to the Mission’s future drawdown.

With countries gradually recovering from the global economic and financial crisis, the General Assembly had the duty to deliver results in its pursuit of achieving the Millennium Development Goals, reforming United Nations power structures and promoting sustainable development, incoming Assembly President Joseph Deiss stressed today as he opened the 192-member body’s sixty-fifth session.