The Syrian Government and its partners — currently poised at the brink of a massive military strike against the north‑west province of Idlib — must urgently rethink its strategy, the Security Council heard today, as delegates sounded the alarm about such repercussions as mass civilian casualties and the flood of up to 700,000 refugees into neighbouring countries, Europe and beyond.
Despite progress being made, not only was the international community’s confidence in Syria’s full elimination of its chemical weapons programme dependent upon the United Nations being able to close outstanding issues, but the lack of an accountability mechanism was a missing step in taking to task those responsible for using chemical weapons, a senior United Nations disarmament official told the Security Council today.
The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Nikki R. Haley (United States):
The United Kingdom’s delegate, in an emergency session today, briefed the Security Council on her country’s decision to bring charges against two nationals of the Russian Federation in connection with the reported Salisbury nerve agent attack, prompting the latter to reject those allegations as a vehicle for “anti‑Russian hysteria” and part of a “post-truth world” crafted by Western countries.
As the United Nations Mission for Justice Support in Haiti (MINUJUSTH) prepares for the transition to a non-peacekeeping presence, beginning in October 2019, challenges, including the recent protest against planned fuel price hikes, continue to impede progress made, exposing the fragility of that country’s security and socioeconomic situation and demonstrating the need for strong rule of law legislation, a senior official told the Security Council today.
A fragile peace is in place in Libya following the recent outbreak of violence in Tripoli and the brokering of a ceasefire agreement, the senior United Nations official in that country said today while briefing the Security Council.
Delegates expressed deep concern today about violence allegedly perpetrated by paramilitary “shock force” in Nicaragua, while continuing to diverge as to whether that escalating crisis merits consideration by the 15-member Security Council.
During its informal consultations on 27 August 2018, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2206 (2015) concerning South Sudan discussed the Chair’s report on her visit to South Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda in June 2018.
The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Nikki R. Haley (United States):
A briefing on corruption and conflict and a debate on United Nations peacekeeping operations are among the highlights of the Security Council’s work in the month ahead, Nikki R. Haley (United States), the organ’s President for September, said at a Headquarters press conference today.
