Security Council: Meetings Coverage

The Security Council adopted today its annual report to the General Assembly for the period 1 August 2012 to 31 July 2013.

While “slow and tortured” improvements had helped the Security Council gradually build greater transparency and efficiency, the 15-member body must urgently step up efforts to improve its working methods, including through the collective voluntary suspension of veto rights in cases involving mass atrocity crimes, speakers said today.

The Security Council today recognized the importance of strengthened cooperation with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), acknowledging the United Nations’ continued dialogue with the 57-member body in the areas of peacemaking, preventive diplomacy, peacekeeping and peacebuilding.

Three weeks after the Security Council expressed alarm at the significant and rapid deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Syria, urging all appropriate steps be taken to protect civilians, the international response on the ground remained “severely insufficient”, the top United Nations humanitarian official said today.

Expressing serious concern at the recent spate of attacks on peacekeepers and humanitarian personnel in Darfur, the top African Union-United Nations official there urged the Government of Sudan to do more to bring the perpetrators to justice and end restrictions on the delivery of relief assistance.

After 20 years of negative developments on the ground, the United Nations senior political official today urged taking advantage of the opening presented by resumed talks between Israel and Palestine to help resolve entrenched regional differences and achieve the long-desired vision of two States living side by side in peace and security.

Building on the momentum created during their latest round of talks in Kampala, Uganda, the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the 23 March Movement armed group needed to reach a peace accord based on the principles of sustainability and accountability, and must not allow amnesty for the perpetrators of war crimes, or crimes against humanity, the Security Council heard today.

Representatives of the four countries that led the Security Council’s recent mission to Africa’s Great Lakes region briefed the 15-member body today, underscoring the need for continued progress in the Kampala peace process and showcasing their support for the United Nations-brokered peace accord to stabilize the volatile area.

The Security Council today adopted a resolution that puts stronger measures in place for women to participate in all phases of conflict prevention, resolution and recovery, placing the onus of providing them with seats at the peace table on Member States, regional organizations and the United Nations itself.

The improved situation in Mali had “opened new prospects” for the West African country’s recovery from near collapse in 2012, but the security situation remained fragile amid asymmetric attacks by extremists and tensions within the Armed Forces, the senior United Nations official in the country told the Security Council today.