While Bosnia and Herzegovina was largely stable and had made considerable political strides, its continued progress must not be taken for granted, the senior United Nations official in the country warned the Security Council today, while expressing concern over divisive trends that risked reopening the Federation’s “wounds of the past”.
Somalia’s peaceful election of a new President had opened a unique opportunity to surmount entrenched insecurity, political and humanitarian challenges and create a functional State in the coming four years, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council today.
Despite numerous challenges, the parties to Colombia’s six-month-old peace agreement were committed to “stay the course” in order to preserve the impressive gains already made, the co-leads of the Security Council’s recent mission to that country said this afternoon as they recapped their visit.
The situation in Kosovo was “generally stable” although fluctuating tensions remained in the Balkans region, the senior United Nations official there told the Security Council today.
The Security Council today decided to extend until 15 November 2017 the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force for Abyei (UNISFA) — including its tasks in support of the disputed territory’s Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism — while warning that that support would be withdrawn unless Sudan and South Sudan complied fully with their obligations.
Shame and stigma were integral to the logic of using sexual violence as a tactic of war, torture or terrorism, the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide told the Security Council today, amid demands that survivors be recognized as legitimate victims of conflict entitled to equality before the law as well as reparations.
Following its recent three-day visiting mission to Colombia, the Security Council today adopted a presidential statement paying tribute to that country’s people for embarking on the path to peace after more than 50 years of conflict.
The Chairs of three terrorism-related Security Council subsidiary bodies briefed members today, reporting on the activities of the Committees concerning counter-terrorism, Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh), Al-Qaida and associated groups, and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
Describing the European Union as an indispensable partner of the United Nations, the bloc’s senior-most diplomat told the Security Council today that it was ready to move beyond the current international uncertainty and join the Organization in building a more cooperative world order.
State cooperation with the International Criminal Court was crucial to ensuring justice for victims of mass atrocity crimes committed during 2011 events in Libya, its Chief Prosecutor said today, pressing the Security Council for assistance in the arrest and surrender of those allegedly responsible.
