The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) until 30 May 2015, authorizing it to use “all necessary means” to carry out its civilian protection, human rights and humanitarian assistance duties, and to support the 2014 Cessation of Hostilities Agreement between the new Government and Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM).
The Security Council this morning extended the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Peace Building Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNIOGBIS) for three months until 28 February 2015, as it awaits an assessment report to decide on mandate adjustments.
In a briefing to the Security Council today, the Chair of the “1591” Committee on Sudan detailed recent discussions aimed at identifying information gaps and capacity-building requirements related to the travel ban, assets freeze and arms embargo in place against the North African country since 2005.
International efforts to keep weapons of mass destruction out of the hands of non-State actors must be continually strengthened through stepped‑up engagement by Member States, the outgoing head of the Security Council’s subsidiary body on the issued, known as the 1540 Committee, said this afternoon.
While reiterating grave concern about the unprecedented extent of the Ebola outbreak in Africa, the Security Council today noted the international community’s “considerable” efforts to scale up its coordinated response, which had led to important progress on the ground.
The Security Council this morning resolved to make policing an integral part of the mandates of United Nations peacekeeping operations and special political missions, where appropriate, in its first-ever stand-alone resolution on the topic.
With thousands of foreign terrorist fighters traveling to conflict countries, and groups such as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant/Sham (ISIL/ISIS) garnering hefty revenues from new illegal sources, the Security Council today urged States, the United Nations and other partners to target the root causes of terrorism as they redoubled efforts to eradicate that scourge in all its forms and manifestations.
Praising Guinea-Bissau for having restored constitutional order, making its public institutions more legitimate and forming an inclusive Government, top United Nations officials and other partners briefing the Security Council today also cautioned that the West African nation had reached a critical stage in its path towards stability and required sustained international support.
The United Nations top official for Iraq today urged continuance of, and support to, the new unity Government’s efforts to push forward reconciliation and security efforts that he said were beginning to succeed in countering the brutal onslaught of terrorist forces.
The Security Council, meeting independently from but concurrently with the General Assembly, today elected the final judge for the International Court of Justice. The vacancy had to be filled in February 2015, when the terms of five members would expire.
