Ahead of an all-day debate on the Middle East today, a top United Nations political official called on Israelis and Palestinians to end a cycle of actions and rhetoric that were pulling them further away from negotiations for a lasting two-State solution to their conflict.
Recognizing peacebuilding as an important element of United Nations efforts in countries emerging from conflict, the Security Council today both underlined the primary responsibility of national Governments and other stakeholders towards such successful peacebuilding, and emphasized the importance of inclusivity in advancing relevant processes to ensure that the needs of all segments of society were being taken into account.
Côte d’Ivoire was making progress towards sustainable peace and economic recovery, but hurdles remained to improve security, reintegrate former soldiers, punish human rights abuses and carry out electoral reform ahead of presidential elections later this year, the head of the United Nations operation in that country told the Security Council today.
West Africa’s political landscape remained delicate as nations across the region continued to grapple with insecurity, terrorist threats and tensions ahead of a busy election cycle, the United Nations senior official there told the Security Council this afternoon.
The Security Council this afternoon called for immediate military action by the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in cooperation with United Nations peacekeepers, to “neutralize” a Rwandan armed group that continued to threaten civilians in the eastern part of the country after a 2 January deadline to disband.
As serious fighting continued among warring armed groups in Mali, resulting in heavy casualties among both civilians and peacekeepers alike, the strife-torn nation’s ongoing peace talks had reached a crucial stage and must move forward, the head of United Nations peacekeeping told the Security Council this afternoon.
The Security Council today failed to adopt a draft resolution calling for Israel, within three years, to withdraw from Palestinian territory occupied since 1967 and, within one year, for the parties to reach a negotiated solution to the conflict.
The Security Council had rallied to consensus on several important issues in December, the Permanent Representative of Chad and President of that body said in a monthly wrap-up meeting, as members stressed the need to press ahead on issues and areas where they had failed to produce results.
Concerted action by the international community was needed following a Human Rights Council report on appalling, systematic abuses in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, high United Nations officials told the Security Council today, following a procedural vote of 11 in favour to 2 against (China, Russian Federation), with 2 abstentions (Chad, Nigeria) that put the situation on the body’s agenda.
During an all-day open debate presided over by the Foreign Minister of Chad, the Security Council called for international action to prevent terrorists from benefiting from transnational organized crime, through securing borders and prosecuting illicit networks.
