Security Council: Meetings Coverage

The Security Council today, just hours before the expiration of the 90-day mandate of the United Nations observer mission in Syria, agreed on a resolution to keep the mission in place for a final 30 days, while indicating further renewals will be possible only if it can be confirmed that the use of heavy weapons has ceased and a reduction in violence by all sides was sufficient to permit it to implement its mandate.

Iraq has “much to be proud of” in the progress and achievements of recent years, but determined domestic leadership was needed in order to overcome challenges in governance, human rights and sustainable development, and the United Nations role was “more important than ever”, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General told the Security Council this afternoon.

Due to negative votes from two permanent members, the Security Council today failed to adopt a resolution that would have extended the mandate of the United Nations Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) and which would have threatened sanctions on the country if demands to end the spiralling violence were not met.

Urging the leaders of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities to work towards “decisive progress” on the core issues that divided them, the Security Council this morning extended the mandate of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) for a further period ending 30 January 2013.

As Cote d’Ivoire makes impressive strides on the path to peace but also faces significant challenges and threats, the United Nations must continue to assist the Government’s efforts to transition to a peacebuilding phase, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative told the Security Council this afternoon.

Briefing the Security Council on Libya in what he expected would be his last time as the Secretary-General’s Special Representative there, Ian Martin said this morning that the 7 July elections showed how far the country had come in the practice and spirit of democracy following the civil war that toppled Muammar Qadhafi, as he also outlined the challenges ahead.

The peacebuilding architecture designed to help country’s move from conflict to peace and development was beginning to show signs it has “come of age and is making a difference”, but much work remained to be done to enhance the effectiveness of those tools, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the Security Council today, as it held a day-long debate on the issue and heard from several other top officials.

Despite significant progress in consolidation of peace in West Africa, recent seizures of power, armed insurrection, piracy, terrorist threats and increased illicit drug traffic meant that the security situation was “precarious and reversible” and continued international assistance was critical in support of regional efforts, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative told the Security Council this afternoon.

Underscoring its commitment to seeing the world’s newest State become economically prosperous and living side by side with Sudan in peace and security, the Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) for one year, through 15 July 2013.

Burundi looked “immeasurably different” from the conflict-ravaged country of a few years ago, but “decisive and confident leadership” was required to consolidate governance that allowed dissent, shunned corruption and spurred development, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative told the Security Council this morning.