Investment, strong leadership, as well as sustained support for State-building and tackling poverty were critical ingredients in crafting a peaceful, prosperous future for countries of Africa’s Great Lakes, the Security Council heard today during an open debate marking the official launch of the United Nations Regional Strategic Framework for the region.
Speakers in the Security Council, including high-level United Nations officials, expressed deep concern today that the situation in Burundi risked relapsing into civil war, and called upon the country’s Government to address the continuing violence and the impunity that fuelled it.
At a critical crossroads in a democratization process characterized by a troubled electoral process, charges of fraud and security concerns, Haitian stakeholders must exhibit a strong spirit of compromise and commitment to consensus-building in order to restore constitutional order, the highest-ranking United Nations official in that country told the Security Council today.
The Security Council expressed deep alarm today at the situation in South Sudan, calling upon the Government to uphold its responsibility for the protection of civilians.
The completion of Liberia’s security transition on 30 June would be one of the most significant milestones for the country and the international community since the end of the civil war and the signing of the peace agreement in 2003, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative there told the Security Council today.
Members of the Security Council briefed the 15-nation organ today on their visiting missions to Guinea-Bissau, Mali and Senegal, providing a closer examination of the current situations in those West African countries and the wider region.
Facing a fragile economic, political and security situation, Afghanistan must overcome several hurdles to ensure the survival of its National Unity Government and a peaceful future, the Security Council heard today as it unanimously adopted a resolution extending the mandate of the United Nations mission in that country by one year.
The Security Council today decided to extend until 15 June 2016 the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), under the leadership of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, and in full accordance with the principles of national ownership.
The Security Council, expressing its deep concern over allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by United Nations peacekeepers, today asked the Secretary-General to replace all military or police units from any contributing country that had failed to hold perpetrators accountable.
Briefing the Security Council today, Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon laid out a number of steps to address “the shameful issue” of sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers, amid disagreement over a draft resolution aimed at addressing the matter.
