Security Council

The Security Council, acting through its temporary silence procedure today amid the ongoing COVID‑19 pandemic, decided to renew for six months the mandate of its long‑standing disengagement mission in the Golan Heights.

The Security Council, acting through its temporary silence procedure amid the ongoing COVID‑19 pandemic, decided today to extend for 12 months the mandate of the team monitoring sanctions against individuals and entities associated with the Taliban, emphasizing its serious concerns about ongoing violence in Afghanistan.

The Security Council could help strengthen the rule of law in matters of peace and security by better utilizing advisory opinions of the International Court of Justice and by urging all Member States to accept the Court’s mandatory jurisdiction, the chief justice of the judicial body mandated by the Charter of the United Nations told the 15-nation organ today in a 18 December videoconference open debate.

Reporting on promising developments in peace talks between the Government of Afghanistan and its Taliban opposition, the top United Nations official for the country warned the Security Council during a 17 December videoconference meeting that future progress is imperilled by a relentless upsurge in violence which requires urgent international attention.

A political solution to the conflict in Syria requires a nationwide ceasefire and progress on drafting a new constitution, the senior United Nations mediator told the Security Council during a 16 December videoconference meeting, as the 15-member organ also heard reports of the dire humanitarian situation in that country.

While sanctions remain a tool to promote peace and stability around the world, Member States must not lose sight of their humanitarian impact and foster greater trust to ensure their adequate implementation, the outgoing chairs of Security Council subsidiary bodies said during a 16 December videoconference meeting.

On 15 December 2020, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya updated its Implementation Assistance Notice no. 4 on the travel ban measure.

On 16 December 2020, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1518 (2003) approved the removal of the following entity from its List of Individuals and Entities subject to the assets freeze set out by paragraphs 19 and 23 of Security Council resolution 1483 (2003) adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations:

As Tropical Cyclone Yasa has intensified into a Category 5 storm and is expected to make landfall in Fiji on Friday morning, the United Nations office in Suva reports that it is liaising closely with the Government and stands ready to support national emergency response efforts.

After much progress in the peace process in South Sudan earlier in 2020, implementation is now lagging and needs urgent attention from the international community, the United Nations top official in that country told the Security Council today.