Press Conference

Security Council visits to Myanmar and Iraq had been approved by the respective Governments and were in the process of being formalized, said Gustavo Meza-Cuadra (Peru), Council President for the month, as he laid out the 15-member organ’s programme of work for April at a press briefing at Headquarters today.

The Security Council would organize several of its March meetings to correspond with important international events, including International Women’s Day and World Water Day, said Karel J.G. van Oosterom (Netherlands), Council President for the month, as he presented his delegation’s priorities during a Headquarters press briefing today.

Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, would attend the Security Council’s meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the question of Palestine, on 20 February, Mansour Ayyad Sh. A. Alotaibi (Kuwait), Council President for the month, said at a press briefing at Headquarters today.

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

The non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, Afghanistan and Central Asia, and the Middle East would be the focus of the Security Council in January, Kairat Umarov (Kazakhstan), Council President for the month, said at a press briefing at Headquarters today.

Priorities of Japan’s December presidency of the Security Council would include non‑proliferation, small arms and current challenges to maintaining peace and security, the country’s Permanent Representative said this afternoon.

Refugees, trafficking in persons and other effects of current conflicts would be a thematic focus of the Security Council in November, Sebastiano Cardi (Italy), Council President for the month, said at a press briefing today at Headquarters.

Three priorities — the terrorist threat in the Sahel, peacekeeping and the ongoing crises in Myanmar and the Middle East — would be the focus of the Security Council’s work in the coming weeks, François Delattre (France), Council President for the month, said at a press briefing today at Headquarters.

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

The Security Council on 20 September would hold a high-level open debate on United Nations peacekeeping reform to consider recommendations contained in the report of the High-level Independent Panel on Peace Operations, Tekeda Alemu (Ethiopia), Council President for the month, said at a Headquarters press conference today.