Security Council: Meetings Coverage

While Côte d’Ivoire was on the right path to recovery, it was still plagued by violence and deep political divisions, requiring continued international support as it geared up for a new electoral cycle in 2015, the head of United Nations peacekeeping said today in a briefing to the Security Council.

Having paid the price for telling the truth, “they call me a dead man walking”, Mustafa Haji Abdinur, an Agence France-Presse reporter in Somalia told today’s Security Council open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, including journalists.

Beset by violence in neighbouring Syria and a political stalemate at home, Iraq had reached a “crucial phase” from where it could either continue to deepen its democratic roots or surrender to increased instability, the head of the United Nations mission in that country said today, as he delivered his final briefing to the Security Council in that capacity.

Reaffirming its concern at the alarming situation in Africa’s Sahel region, the Security Council today strongly condemned human rights abuses and violence committed against civilians there by terrorist and other extremist groups, vowing to address the complex security and political challenges that were linked to humanitarian and developmental issues as well as to climatic and ecological changes.

The world was not only watching the destruction of a country, but also that of a people, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs said today of the crisis in Syria, stressing in a briefing to the Security Council that the statistics “hide an unfolding humanitarian tragedy”.

Amid continuing doubts about the uniquely civilian character of Iran’s nuclear programme, the Security Council heard a briefing today by the Chairman of its 1737 Sanctions Committee, who reported that members were divided over whether recent ballistic missile launches were in violation of Council resolution 1929 (2010).

Underscoring the role of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan in protecting civilians, improving security and supporting peacebuilding efforts, the Security Council today decided to renew its mandate until 15 July 2014, authorizing it to use all necessary means to carry out its protection mandate.

West Africa had continued to face multiple political and security challenges, including elections-related tensions, transnational organized crime, piracy and terrorism, the United Nations envoy for the region told the Security Council today.

As the impact of the Syrian crisis on Lebanon’s stability “becomes more and more apparent”, the Security Council today expressed deep concern at the growing involvement of Lebanese parties and called on them to recommit to the policy of dissociation and to step back from any involvement in the neighbouring crisis, consistent with the Baabda Declaration of June 2012 aimed at safeguarding Lebanon.

Despite inter-communal violence and insecurity in the populous north-eastern State of Jonglei, South Sudan had made significant strides towards consolidating peace, creating an effective police force and establishing the rule of law, the senior United Nations official in that country told the Security Council today.