Security Council: Meetings Coverage

The crafting of peacekeeping and peacebuilding mandates offered a “strategic opportunity” to support national rule-of-law priorities, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the Security Council this morning, ahead of a day-long open debate that explored the link between strong public institutions and conflict prevention.

The Security Council today commended the European Union’s involvement in international negotiation and mediation processes, as well as its commitment to international peacekeeping, peacebuilding, humanitarian assistance and financial and logistical support.

The Security Council today extended for 13 months the mandate of the Panel of Experts appointed to its Sudan Sanctions Committee, expressing its intention to review it and take appropriate action regarding further extension within one year.

The Security Council today extended until 31 December 2014 the mandate of the United Nations Office in Burundi (BNUB), also requesting the Secretary-General to prepare the Office’s transition and transfer of appropriate responsibilities to the United Nations country team by that date.

The Security Council punctuated its open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict today by reaffirming its commitment to the range of relevant measures it had adopted since 1999 to address that topic.

Serbia and Kosovo should build on the momentum created during 2013 towards the normalization of relations between them, speakers in the Security Council said today as the 15-member body held its quarterly debate on that situation.

The Security Council today renewed until 1 February 2015 the arms embargo and related sanctions imposed on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, also requesting the Secretary-General to extend the mandate of the Group of Experts monitoring the implementation of those measures.

The Security Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) until 31 July 2014 today, noting that the progress made so far had not yet resulted in a comprehensive and durable settlement between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot sides.

With divergent historical narratives often pitting communities against each other, igniting conflict both among and within States, the international community had a responsibility to help create conditions that would enable national actors to rebuild the trust and respect required to ensure permanent peace, the senior United Nations political affairs official told the Security Council today.

While Burundi had made substantial progress in overcoming formidable political, security and development challenges, the Government must show more “visionary leadership” than ever in protecting those gains as it worked to complete its peacebuilding process, the senior United Nations official in that country told the Security Council today.