Security Council: Meetings Coverage

Senior United Nations officials warned of an appalling humanitarian situation in Yemen, amid intensifying conflict, famine and a fully-fledged cholera outbreak, as they briefed the Security Council this morning.

Several Security Council members insisted today that the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo hold free, fair, and inclusive elections by the end of the year and without further delay, as the head of United Nations peacekeeping briefed them on the situation in that country.

The Security Council today authorized the creation of a United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia to oversee the next phase of the 2016 peace agreement that ended half a century of fighting between the Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’s Army (FARC-EP).

Hailing the handover of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People's Army’s (FARC-EP) remaining weapons to a United Nations-backed team as a “true example” of courage and commitment to peace, Security Council members today pledged to support Colombia as it transitioned out of its five-decades-long civil conflict.

The transition of the United Nations mission in Haiti, cholera and issues of justice and impunity dominated discussions between the Security Council and stakeholders on the ground, the Council President for June said today as he gave an overview of the recent visit to the Caribbean nation.

The Security Council, in a presidential statement today, emphasized that the withdrawal of the 13‑year‑old United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) “does not mark the end of the support of the United Nations” to the West African nation.

Expressing its deep concern over the number of civilians killed or maimed by landmines, improvised devices and other deadly remnants of war, the Security Council today called on the international community to end the carnage by acceding to regulatory treaties and supporting physical removal of such explosives.

The Security Council today decided to extend the mandate of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) for one year, while maintaining its previous troop level and highlighting such priority tasks as the protection of civilians and support to the country’s defence and security forces.

The United Nation’s political chief this afternoon told the Security Council that the 2015 accord on Iran’s Nuclear Programme known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action remained on track, calling on all participants in the agreement to continue to commit to its full implementation.

The Security Council today renewed the mandate of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) until 30 June 2018, while deciding to draw down the mission’s troop and police strength in that western region of Sudan over the next year.