Security Council: Meetings Coverage

The Security Council held a discussion today with the military commanders of key United Nations peacekeeping operations in Africa and the Middle East, who highlighted their strategies for overcoming the challenges they faced in unpredictable settings impacted by everything from sporadic armed conflict and unfriendly local populations, to lingering political tensions, long–term humanitarian needs and inclement weather.

Determining that the situation in Côte d’Ivoire remained a threat to international peace and security in the region, the Security Council decided today to extend until 31 July 2012 the mandate of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the West African country. Unanimously adopting resolution 2000 (2011), the 15-nation body also decided to maintain the strength of the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) at 9,792 military troops, 1,350 police officers and 8 customs officers.

Without a credible path out of the profound, persistent deadlock in the Middle East peace process, coupled with far-reaching steps on the ground, theviability of the two-State solution and the Palestinian Authority’s state-building agenda was in jeopardy, the Secretary-General’s Personal Representative warned today.

The United Nations top political official in Darfur this morning hailed last week’s signing of a road map for peace in Darfur by the Sudanese Government and the opposition Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM), but warned today in a briefing to the Security Council that an enabling environment still must be created to ensure sustainable peace and stability in the strife-torn region.

The Security Council this afternoon expressed concern that the possible adverse effects of climate change could, in the long-run, aggravate certain existing threats to international peace and security and that the loss of territory in some States due to sea-level rise, particularly in small low-lying island States, could have possible security implications.

Real progress had been achieved in replacing Iraq’s ruthless dictatorship with institutions mandated by constitutional principles, which laid the ground for “cautious optimism” about the future, provided that determined national leadership and a stronger spirit of cooperation in the region prevailed, Ad Melkert, Special Representative of the Secretary-General told the Security Council today.

While efforts to achieve national reconciliation in Côte d’Ivoire, prepare for legislative elections later this year and make headway on economic recovery were moving in the right direction, a rapid restoration of law and order was of “primordial” importance in ensuring that all other tasks could be carried out, Choi Young-jin, Special Representative of the Secretary-General, told the Security Council today.

Hailing the recent independence of the Republic of South Sudan following decades of civil war, the Security Council today pledged its continued support to the poverty stricken country — which ranks at the bottom of nearly all human development indicators — just moments after recommending to the General Assembly that the world’s newest nation be admitted as a member of the United Nations.

The Security Council today recommended to the General Assembly that the Republic of South Sudan be admitted as a Member of the United Nations, adopting resolution 1999 (2011) without a vote. In a statement (S/PRST/2011/14) read out during a formal meeting by Guido Westerwelle, Foreign Minister of Germany, the 15-nation body noted with great satisfaction the Republic of South Sudan’s solemn commitment to uphold the purposes and principles of the Charter and to fulfil all the obligations therein.

Building on more than a decade of contributions towards a comprehensive framework for protecting children affected by conflict, the Security Council today declared schools and hospitals off limits for both armed groups and military activities, calling for all parties that attacked such facilities to be held accountable and placed on the Secretary-General’s annual list of those committing grave violations against children.