Security Council: Meetings Coverage

The Security Council today stressed the importance of triangular consultations among the 15-nation body, the troop- and police-contributing countries and the Secretariat to improve the United Nations peacekeeping operations.

The Security Council today welcomed the 17 December signing of the Libyan Political Agreement to form a Government of National Accord, and called on its new Presidency Council to form that Government within 30 days and finalize interim security arrangements required for stabilizing the country.

The non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction was a global challenge and, therefore, the response had to be global, the Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) stated as he briefed the Security Council today, stressing that it was much more economical to invest in preventing non-State actors obtaining those arms than dealing with the consequences of their use.

Despite deep remaining divisions, the latest round of peace negotiations between parties to the conflict in Yemen had provided a solid foundation for resumed talks in January and a renewed, strengthened cessation of hostilities, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy told the Security Council in today.

The Security Council, adopting resolution 2256 (2015) by a recorded vote of 14 in favour to none against, with 1 abstention (Russian Federation), today decided to extend the term of office for 17 permanent and ad litem judges of the Trial Chambers and the Appeals Chamber at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia.

In efforts to ensure that humanitarian assistance reached people in need throughout Syria by the most direct routes, the Security Council today unanimously adopted resolution 2258 (2015), thus renewing for a period of 12 months two decisions taken in its resolution 2165 (2014) that authorized passage of aid into that country.

The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) for six months, until 30 June 2016, underscoring the need for the Force to have at its disposal all necessary means to carry out its mandate safely and securely.

With 2015 drawing to a close, Syria continued to sink “deeper and deeper into violence and brutality”, top United Nations officials told the Security Council today, urging parties to the conflict to allow humanitarian aid to enter and the international community to fund a $3.2 billion appeal for 2016.

The Security Council today extended and adjusted its sanctions regime against individuals and entities affiliated with the Taliban – clarifying exemptions to travel bans and asset freezes, as well as language on the need to combat the financing of terrorism – deciding to review the implementation of those and other measures in 18 months.

Stressing the need for a bilateral diplomatic solution, the top United Nations official for political affairs today called on Iraq and Turkey to exercise restraint and defuse tensions arising from the increased presence of Turkish forces in Iraq as part of the fight against Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) terrorist group.