The committee tasked with drafting a new Syrian constitution resumed its difficult deliberations this week, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy told the Security Council today, calling for urgent compromise to pave a peaceful path forward as the country marks 11 years of gruesome conflict.
The Security Council failed today to adopt a draft resolution that would have demanded civilian protection in Ukraine and called for unhindered access for humanitarian assistance, as several delegates rejected the text as an attempt by the Russian Federation to justify its aggression against its neighbour.
Against the backdrop of increasing donor fatigue and the spiralling economic repercussions of the war in Ukraine, the Security Council today adopted a presidential statement emphasizing the urgent need for funding to address ongoing crises in the Middle East and North Africa, while praising cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States in a range of critical areas.
Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ opening remarks at the Security Council briefing on the cooperation between the United Nations and the League of Arab States, in New York today:
Speakers in the Security Council today denounced Israel’s continued settlement activities, evictions and demolitions of Palestinian-owned structures, as the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process expressed regret that there had been “little progress” made by the sides in upholding obligations under the landmark resolution 2334 (2016).
The United Nations is still not aware of any biological weapons programme being conducted in Ukraine, the senior disarmament official told the Security Council today, responding to fresh allegations by the Russian Federation of the existence of such research.
The magnitude of the civilian casualties and destruction of civilian infrastructure in Ukraine cannot be denied, the head of United Nations political affairs told the Security Council today, demanding accountability and a thorough investigation.
The Security Council decided today to extend the mandate of the United Nations special political mission in Afghanistan for one year, shifting its priority tasks to better align with the evolving reality on the ground.
Libya is facing a crisis that could spark instability and lead to the formation of parallel Governments if left unresolved, the United Nations political affairs chief warned the Security Council today, as she laid out the significant efforts being deployed by the United Nations to foster agreement on a constitutional basis for the holding of elections as soon as possible.
After more than seven years of war, Yemen is becoming a chronic emergency, marked by hunger, disease and other miseries that are rising faster than aid agencies can reverse, United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths told the Security Council today, as the Special Envoy for the country called for joint efforts by Yemenis and the international community to break the entrenched cycle of violence.
