Security Council

The Security Council will turn to technology in April to tackle the humanitarian crises in Yemen and Syria, address conflict-induced hunger, promote the youth, peace and security agenda, and respond to the threat of COVID-19, its President for the month said today.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President José Singer Weisinger (Dominican Republic):

While Israeli and Palestinian authorities have shown exemplary cooperation in protecting their populations from the COVID-19 pandemic, there are no clear signs indicating a return to sorely needed negotiations towards a two-State solution, the Secretary-General’s Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process told the Security Council, which met via videoconference on 30 March 2020.

With 10 cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Syria, including one death, the virus could have potentially devastating consequences for vulnerable communities across the country, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator told the Security Council in a videoconference meeting on 30 March 2020.

On 30 March 2020, the Security Council decided unanimously that the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) will maintain its current troop and police ceilings until 31 May 2020.

Emphasizing the importance of enhancing the safety and security of United Nations peacekeepers, the Security Council requested on 30 March 2020 that Member States which host peacekeeping missions fulfil their obligations to facilitate access and freedom of movement for the “blue helmets”, including casualty and medical evacuation.

The Security Council decided unanimously on 30 March 2020 to extend the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) until 30 June 2020.

On 30 March 2020, the Security Council extended until 30 April 2021 the mandate of the panel of experts assisting the committee overseeing sanctions against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Wu Haitao (China):

On 24 March 2020, the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) concerning ISIL (Da’esh), Al‑Qaida and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities removed the name below from the ISIL (Da’esh) and Al‑Qaida Sanctions List after concluding its consideration of the de‑listing request for this name submitted through the Office of the Ombudsperson established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1904 (2009), and after considering the Comprehensive Report of the Ombudsperson on this delisting request.