Security Council: Press Release

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks at the Security Council open debate on “Challenges of Maintaining Peace and Security in Fragile Contexts”, in New York today:

Outstanding issues related to Syria’s initial declaration of its chemical weapons stockpile and programme still cannot be considered “accurate and complete”, the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs told the Security Council today via video‑teleconference, during her regular monthly briefing on the implementation of resolution 2118 (2013).

The Security Council, acting through its temporary silence procedure amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, adopted a resolution today encouraging Member States to engage more actively with its committee overseeing sanctions on individuals and groups related to Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) and Al-Qaida.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Jerry Matthews Matjila (South Africa):

The Security Council decided during a 22 December videoconference meeting to terminate the mandate of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) on 31 December 2020, withdrawing all uniformed and civilian personnel other than those needed for liquidation by 30 June 2021.

Iran must refrain from further steps to reduce its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on its nuclear programme, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council during a 22 December video‑teleconference meeting of the 15-nation organ, during which several members acknowledged a possible United States return to that landmark agreement.

The Security Council reaffirmed today its ongoing commitment to fostering interaction with the International Court of Justice, as it took note of the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Charter of the United Nations and the 100^th anniversary of the Statute of the Permanent Court of International Justice.

The United Nations official on Middle East peace updated the Security Council today on developments in the region, highlighting continued violence, including against civilians and children, as well as Israel’s ongoing settlement-related activity in the occupied West Bank.

Welcoming wide participation in the 2020 review of the United Nations peacebuilding architecture, the Security Council today called on the Peacebuilding Commission to continue strengthening its advisory and liaison roles in support of the national priorities of countries emerging from conflict.

The Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict, in connection with the examination of the seventh report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (S/2020/1030), agreed to convey the following messages through a public statement by the Chair of the Working Group: