A profound political crisis engulfing Iraq was paralysing the work of the Government and Council of Representatives at a time when terrorist attacks were spiking along with civilian deaths and a grave humanitarian situation was unfolding, the chief of the United Nations mission in that country told the Security Council today.
The transition process would undoubtedly be challenging, yet Bosnia and Herzegovina could move forward if all parties worked together and fully respected the Dayton Peace Agreement, the High Representative for that country told the Security Council this morning.
The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Amr Abdellatif Aboulatta (Egypt):
On 29 April 2016, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2127 (2013) concerning the Central African Republic received briefings by the Deputy Head of Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations and a representative of the European External Action Service of the European Union (via video teleconference) regarding the establishment of the European Union training mission in the Central African Republic.
Indiscriminate bombardments, harrowing attacks targeting civilians and medical facilities, and widespread carnage had left Aleppo a shell of its former self, with “no corner of the city” spared, the ranking United Nations political and humanitarian affairs officials told a Security Council meeting this afternoon.
The Chairs of three terrorism-related Security Council subsidiary bodies briefed members this morning, reporting on the activities of its Committee’s concerning Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant/Al-Qaida and associated groups, counter-terrorism and sanctions.
Strongly condemning attacks on medical personnel in conflict situations today, the Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution demanding an end to impunity for those responsible and respect for international law on the part of all warring parties.
The Security Council would hold two open debates this month, the first on the issue of counter-terrorism and the other concerning cooperation on peace and security matters between the United Nations and the African Union, Amr Abdellatif Aboulatta (Egypt), the 15-member organ’s President for May, said at a Headquarters press conference.
The Security Council today extended until 30 April 2017 the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), reaffirming its commitment to help the parties achieve a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution that would provide for self-determination.
Concerned by escalating violence and political gridlock in eastern Ukraine, senior officials of the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) called on all parties to the two-year old conflict to immediately lay down their weapons and make good on their commitments under the Minsk agreements, during a Security Council meeting this afternoon on the subject.
