The Security Council requested today that the Secretary-General establish the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) on 16 October for an initial one-year period, following the drawdown of the Organization’s current presence in that country.
Despite efforts to introduce a ceasefire in north-west Syria, fighting continues unabated, with air strikes reportedly affecting 55 communities in Idlib, Hama and Aleppo Governorates between 21 and 23 June, the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator told the Security Council today, amid questions about whether the system established to protect medical facilities is actually doing so.
The reduction of violence in South Sudan, while fragile, has revealed a “glimmer of what’s possible with peace”, the senior United Nations official in that country told the Security Council today, as delegates urged the belligerents to use the time afforded by the extended period in which to form a transitional Government to resolve thorny outstanding issues.
With nearly 6,000 housing units advanced, approved or tendered, recent weeks have seen the largest expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank in two years, the senior United Nations official coordinating the Middle East peace process official said today, as he briefed the Security Council on the flagging implementation of its resolution 2234 (2016).
Acting unanimously today, the Security Council adopted its first-ever resolution calling upon Member States and parties to armed conflict to protect persons with disabilities in conflict situations and to ensure they have access to justice, basic services and unimpeded humanitarian assistance.
While the 6 February signing of the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic gave rise to much hope for an end to the decades-long crisis in that country, the accord’s ultimate success will depend on the parties’ willingness to end the violence and engage in dialogue, the Special Representative told the Security Council today.
The road to peace in Afghanistan is still long, but with united support for the country’s ownership of the peace process, there is reason for cautious optimism, the Special Representative told the Security Council today, stressing that ongoing talks between the United States and the Taliban offer hope for ending years of fighting in the Central Asian country.
Sudan is legally obliged to transfer former President Omer Hassan Ahmed al‑Bashir and two other suspects detained in the Darfur situation to the International Criminal Court, the Chief Prosecutor told the Security Council today, outlining her willingness to engage with authorities to ensure they face impartial justice — either in The Hague or in the politically volatile country.
Senior United Nations officials sounded alarms in the Security Council today over increased fighting in north-west Syria among parties trying to advance their military interests, pointing to “unimaginable” consequences if critical players do not exert the political will needed to end the protracted conflict.
The Force Commanders of peacekeeping missions in Darfur and Cyprus briefed the Security Council today on their cooperation with host countries, focusing on civilian protection, improving personnel performance and navigating complex sociopolitical shifts — including those currently unfolding in Sudan.
