The era of accountability and rule of law upon which to build the future of Libya may be within reach of its people, Fatou Bensouda, Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, told the Security Council this morning as it addressed the situation in that country.
Libya’s leaders had a unique opportunity to reach a political settlement that would spare their people further bloodshed, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative in that country told the Security Council today, emphasizing that the recently negotiated Political Agreement sought to create a viable middle ground upon which all stakeholders could meet.
The Security Council this morning underscored the importance of increased coordination, cooperation and interaction among the principal organs of the United Nations, in particular the Council, the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council, other relevant bodies including the Peacebuilding Commission, and regional organizations, including the African Union.
The Security Council today voiced its deep concerns about the growing insecurity, the continued rise in violence, and the persisting political impasse in Burundi, marked by a lack of dialogue among Burundian stakeholders.
The overall security situation in Darfur remained precarious and unpredictable, the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations told the Security Council this morning, stressing that a comprehensive resolution of the Darfur conflict, which would allow for the return of over 2.6 million displaced persons, required first and foremost a political settlement between the Government and the armed movements.
Libya presented fertile ground for Al-Qaida and the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant/Sham (ISIL/ISIS) to exploit an already difficult situation, the Chair of the sanctions committee monitoring those militant groups told the Security Council this afternoon.
Following recent delays, warring parties in Yemen had agreed to take part in United Nations‑sponsored peace talks aimed at ending the fighting based on the framework set out in resolution 2216 (2015), the Secretary‑General’s Special Envoy in that country told the Security Council today, underlining the importance of its support to both sides, as positions remained “very divergent”.
The Security Council this morning extended the arms embargo on Somalia until 15 November 2016 while reaffirming the country’s sovereignty over its natural resources. It also reaffirmed the arms embargo on Eritrea.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict had entered a “dangerous” phase amid a fresh wave of violence in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza, the Deputy Secretary-General told the Security Council today as he pressed leaders from both sides to publicly take a stand against extremism and incitement, as failure to do so left the door open to promote destructive extremist agendas.
The use of the veto, cooperation with the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council, as well as with regional organizations and troop- and police-contributing countries, and procedures to appoint the new Secretary-General were among topics addressed by speakers at today’s Security Council’s open debate on that body’s working methods.
