Security Council: Meetings Coverage

The Governments of Chad and the Central African Republic were doing their best to take over the tasks of the United Nations Mission there, known as MINURCAT, but needed continued support in that effort, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council today. “We must not let MINURCAT’s hard-won achievements fade because of lack of funding and support,” said Youssef Mahmoud, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of MINURCAT.

Timor-Leste was entering a crucial period that would help determine whether the country had overcome the political and institutional weaknesses that had contributed to the violent events of 2006, the Head of the United Nations Mission there told the Security Council today.

Ahead of a debate on the Middle East that heard from some 40 speakers today, a top United Nations political official told the Security Council that, despite the impasse in direct peace talks, the international community must remain committed to the goal of an agreement on core issues within a year.

The horrific attacks in Democratic Republic of the Congo’s restive North Kivu province in late July and early August, clearly underscored the importance of civilian protection and had provoked a “major internal review” of the protection programmes being carried out by the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission there, the head of that operation told the Security Council today.

Noting with concern the persistence of human rights violations, including sexual violence, in Côte d’Ivoire, the Security Council this morning renewed for six months ending 30 April 2011 its arms embargo and diamond trade ban on the country, as well as targeted sanctions restricting the travel of individuals that threatened the peace process there.

Noting with deep concern the increase in violence and rising inter-tribal fighting in Darfur, the Security Council this afternoon extended the mandate of the Panel of Experts that monitors the arms embargo and sanctions on those who impede peace in Sudan, for one year, ending 19 October 2011.

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict told a Security Council meeting this afternoon that the body must seize the opportunity provided by the arrests of perpetrators of recent mass rapes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to “begin turning the tide of impunity”. “The arrests must serve as a warning to perpetrators of sexual violence everywhere,” Margot Wallström said as she briefed the Council.

The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) until 15 October 2011, with the intention of further renewal. Unanimously adopting resolution 1944 (2010), the Council decided to maintain current Mission force levels and called on the Secretary-General to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the security environment following the election and transfer of power to a new Government in 2011.

The political impasse in Nepal remained, the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs told the Security Council today, and despite continued efforts towards achieving the objectives of the caretaker Government and the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (UCPN-M), no breakthrough had been achieved.

The Security Council must remain united in its support for the timely holding of the referendum in South Sudan and ensure compliance with all agreements concerning the region, leaders of the Security Council’s 4 to 10 October mission to Sudan and Uganda affirmed in a public briefing in the Council Chamber today.