Press Conference

An open debate on children and armed conflict on 2 August and a high-level briefing on international humanitarian law on 13 August will be among the highlights of the Security Council’s programme for August, Joanna Wronecka (Poland), Council President for the month, said today.

Gustavo Meza-Cuadra (Peru), Security Council President for July, outlining the month’s programme of work at Headquarters today, said a debate on the links between terrorism and organized crime is of particular importance for his country.

The Security Council aims to adopt its first-ever resolution on missing persons in situations of armed conflict when it debates the issue during a high-level meeting on 11 June, Mansour Alotaibi (Kuwait), Council President for the month, said at a Headquarters press conference today.

The Security Council’s programme of work for May will feature two open debates, the first on peacekeeping and the other on protection of civilians in armed conflict, Dian Triansyah Djani (Indonesia), Council President for the month, said at a Headquarters press conference today.

Following is a transcript of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks at a press conference at the launch of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) statement on the State of the Global Climate in 2018, with General Assembly President, María Fernanda Espinosa and WMO Secretary-General, Petteri Taalas, held in New York today:

The Security Council Presidents for March and April presented the programmes of work for those months during a Headquarters press conference today, focus on four priority areas:  disarmament; women in conflict situations; international humanitarian law; and combating the financing of terrorism.

Despite ongoing discussions about items on the Security Council’s draft programme of work for February — which have delayed its formal adoption — the 15‑member organ will proceed to convene several high-level debates in the first days of the month, Anatolio Ndong Mba (Equatorial Guinea), its President for February said at a Headquarters press conference today.

Following is a transcript of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ press conference, held in New York today:

José Singer (Dominican Republic) said at a Headquarters press conference today that his country’s January presidency of the Security Council will be guided by the United Nations principles of peace, social justice and the rule of law, as it assumes its two-year non-permanent membership.

The Security Council’s focus in December will be on the role of dialogue as a priority instrument for the settlement of disputes, the 15-member organ’s President for that month said at a Headquarters press conference today.