Security Council

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Gert Rosenthal (Guatemala):

Amid the “new age of accountability” and growing demands for justice, the International Criminal Court and the Security Council must work together “in this new world”, where those contemplating horrific acts could no longer be confident that their heinous crimes would go unpunished, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, opening the Council’s day-long debate on the rule of law and the intertwined roles both entities played in the pursuit of peace and justice.

With Somalia’s nine-year transition complete, upholding its “remarkable” progress, new President, leaner Parliament and calmer security landscape required, now more than ever, urgent and sustained support to ensure further successes following two decades of conflict, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General told the Security Council this morning via a video link from Mogadishu.

On 9 October 2012, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya issued the following implementation assistance notice:

Given the “warning signs of a fading two-State solution”, the international community must not let the Syrian crisis and other changes in the Middle East divert its attention from a dangerous stagnation of the Israeli-Palestinian situation, the top United Nations political official told the Security Council this morning, ahead of a debate that heard from over 45 speakers.

With the humanitarian crisis in Mali deteriorating rapidly, the Security Council today adopted a resolution demanding that all armed groups cease human rights abuses and violations of humanitarian law, including targeted attacks against civilians, sexual violence, the recruitment of child soldiers and forced displacements.

Affirming “considerable strides” in Haiti’s recovery from the 2010 earthquake, as well as noting continued concern over security and institutional reforms, the Security Council this afternoon extended until 15 October 2013 the mandate of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the country, known as MINUSTAH, while reducing deployment levels of uniformed personnel.

The Security Council today commended the Special Court for Sierra Leone’s important contribution to international criminal justice, as well as its role in strengthening stability in West Africa and “bringing an end to impunity”, and also hailed the completion of trial proceedings against former Liberian President Charles Taylor for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Welcoming national assumption of security responsibilities in Afghanistan while acknowledging continued challenges in completing that process, the Security Council this afternoon decided to extend the authorization of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in that country for the twelve months ending 13 October 2013.

On 5 October 2012, the Security Council Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee removed the name of Mr. Yasin Abdullah Ezzedine Qadi from the Al-Qaida Sanctions List after concluding its consideration of the delisting request submitted by this individual through the Ombudsperson established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1904 (2009), and after considering the Comprehensive Report of the Ombudsperson on this delisting request.