Security Council

Building on a “trajectory of unity” that had begun with the Security Council’s recent adoption of two important Middle East resolutions, Olof Skoog (Sweden), Council President for January, said the 15-member body would focus on issues ranging from Colombia to the Lake Chad Basin, hold a ministerial-level open debate on the maintenance of international peace and security and work to make its overall methods more results-oriented.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Olof Skoog (Sweden):

The Security Council today unanimously adopted a resolution supporting efforts by the Russian Federation and Turkey to end nearly six years of bloodshed in Syria and jump-start a political process.

At its 60th meeting, on 2 December 2016, the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict, in connection with the examination of the third report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict in the Central African Republic (S/2016/133), agreed to address the following messages through a public statement issued by the Chair of the Working Group:

On 23 December 2016, the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) concerning ISIL (Da’esh), Al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities adopted revised Guidelines for the Conduct of its Work (“Guidelines”).  The Guidelines were revised in compliance with paragraph 38 of Security Council resolution 2253 (2015), which directed the Committee to review its Guidelines.

The Security Council today authorized the Secretary-General to continue to maintain the escrow account authorized by resolution 1958 (2010), and to retain the funds contained therein until 30 June 2017, at which time all remaining funds would be transferred to the Government of Iraq.

On 28 December 2016, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1518 (2003) approved the removal of the entries specified below 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:

Despite the conclusion of efforts to evacuate the eastern districts of Aleppo, the situation in Syria remained catastrophic, a senior United Nations humanitarian official told the Security Council this morning.

The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) for a final period until 30 March 2018.

The Security Council voted this morning against imposing an arms embargo on South Sudan and targeted sanctions on three key Government and opposition figures whose dispute has spiralled into widespread violence in the young nation.