To break the deadlock over the long-standing Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the international community must focus less on political paradigms and more on what is happening on the ground, the representative of a leading think tank told the Security Council today, as members expressed grave concerns over rising tensions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

After unanimously adopting two draft resolutions pertaining to the Economic and Social Council and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) today, the General Assembly also concluded its debate on equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council.

The Security Council, through a presidential statement today, welcomed the Paris International Conference for Libya which was convened on 12 November 2021, as well as the Declaration issued by the participants and their commitment to the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement and supporting the United Nations-facilitated, Libyan-led and Libyan-owned political process.

Iraq’s recent national elections, held under the 2005 Constitution and conducted in a well-run, generally peaceful manner, marked a hard-won victory for the country, despite taking place in the shadow of an unprecedented wave of violent countrywide demonstrations in 2019 and 2020, the top United Nations official in the country told the Security Council today.

In his first appearance in the Security Council today, the new Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court called for a more robust partnership between the two bodies towards ending impunity for atrocity crimes committed in Libya and elsewhere.

With illicit trade in small arms and light weapons fuelling conflict, aggravating the humanitarian situation and undermining development, over 50 speakers during today’s open debate in the Security Council emphasized the need for political will and effective arms management to tackle the trafficking and diversion of weapons and ammunition to conflict zones.

Urgent steps must be taken to address the looming humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and stave off economic collapse, speakers in the Security Council said today, as delegates expressed concern about the recent uptick in terrorist attacks and reports of human rights violations.

Welcoming the completion of recent elections to the Upper House of Parliament in Somalia, a senior United Nations official in that country, along with an official of the African Union and a civil society representative, told the Security Council that more must be done to ensure the full inclusion and representation of women in the country’s political system, while also highlighting the serious threat by armed groups to Somalia’s security.

The General Assembly continued its debate on Security Council reform today, with delegates continuing to call for urgent action given the multitude of new and complex global challenges.

The Security Council, through a presidential statement today, highlighted the importance of preventive diplomacy, while reaffirming its commitment to the Charter of the United Nations and underscoring its primary responsibility to the maintenance of international peace and security.