While Somalia has made significant progress across multiple sectors over recent months, collective engagement was still critical to ensure the country was not only prepared to assume responsibility for its own security alongside the drawdown of international presence on the ground, but also supported in tackling a looming and complex humanitarian crisis, speakers told the Security Council today.
Providing encouraging news about the decline in piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea, briefers from both the United Nations and regional organizations also stressed the need to address obstacles hindering the complete implementation of the interregional maritime security mechanism — the Yaoundé Architecture — as the Security Council took up the matter of peace and security in Africa today.
With women and girls facing “gender apartheid” in Afghanistan, excluded from all aspects of education and public life, speakers today urged the Security Council and the international community to compel the Taliban de facto authorities to cease its despotic and inhumane measures or remain isolated from global affairs.
The United Nations top official for South Sudan today warned the Security Council of a series of challenges impeding progress of the country’s Revitalized Peace Agreement, chief among them an influx of returnees from Sudan, escalating violence in Malakal and the need to establish civic and political space before conducting credible elections.
The political situation in the Central African Republic remains fragile amid the announcement of a constitutional reform — with a referendum scheduled for 30 July 2023 — senior United Nations officials told the Security Council today as members voiced disappointment that historic local elections have been deprioritized and delayed in favour of a referendum that risks destabilizing the country.
A senior United Nations official today told the Security Council — intent on ensuring Libya’s progress towards elections later this year to unify the country’s divided Government — that success hinges on a legal framework and a political agreement involving all stakeholders.
Amid a worrying security situation, especially endless violence against civilians unleashed by Da’esh in the north-east of Mali, the renewal of MINUSMA’s mandate ‑ which expires on 30 June — is essential for the region’s stability, the Organization’s senior official in that country told the Security Council today, as he highlighted the significance of the coming referendum for advancing the political transition.
The worsening violence in Darfur would not have happened if resolution 1591 (2005) — which has undermined the strength and sovereignty of the State and the protection of civilians — had not been implemented, Sudan’s representative asserted to the Security Council today as the head of its Committee established pursuant to that resolution presented her quarterly update.
Briefing the Security Council today, the Chair of the committee concerning the sanctions regime for Somalia gave an overview of its activities, including concerns regarding the confidentiality of its proceedings and follow-up actions on the Panel of Expert’s recommendations on humanitarian matters.
The declaration “Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together” — co-authored by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed Al-Tayeb — is a model for compassion and human solidarity, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council today, as speakers warned against a groundswell of xenophobia, racism and intolerance, anti-Muslim hatred, virulent antisemitism and attacks on minority Christian communities.
