Security Council

Despite ongoing clashes and shifting front lines, the five-month-old war between Government and opposition forces in Libya had basically stalled behind the posturing of both sides, and a ceasefire tied to transitional arrangements was still the only sustainable political solution to the crisis, the Security Council heard today.

Reaffirming the importance of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) in helping the Iraqi people and Government strengthen democratic institutions, advance inclusive political dialogue and national reconciliation and facilitate regional dialogue, the Security Council today decided to extend its mandate for 12 months, unanimously adopting resolution 2001 (2011).

The head of United Nations peacekeeping operations reported to the Security Council today that the initial rollout of the newly authorized security force for Abyei was under way, with some 500 Ethiopian troops headed to the disputed area straddling Northern and Southern Sudan, the flashpoint for recent violence between the two sides.

The Security Council held a discussion today with the military commanders of key United Nations peacekeeping operations in Africa and the Middle East, who highlighted their strategies for overcoming the challenges they faced in unpredictable settings impacted by everything from sporadic armed conflict and unfriendly local populations, to lingering political tensions, long–term humanitarian needs and inclement weather.

Determining that the situation in Côte d’Ivoire remained a threat to international peace and security in the region, the Security Council decided today to extend until 31 July 2012 the mandate of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the West African country. Unanimously adopting resolution 2000 (2011), the 15-nation body also decided to maintain the strength of the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) at 9,792 military troops, 1,350 police officers and 8 customs officers.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Peter Wittig (Germany):

Without a credible path out of the profound, persistent deadlock in the Middle East peace process, coupled with far-reaching steps on the ground, theviability of the two-State solution and the Palestinian Authority’s state-building agenda was in jeopardy, the Secretary-General’s Personal Representative warned today.

The following Security Council statement was issued today by Council President Peter Wittig (Germany):

At its thirty-first meeting, on 22 June 2011, the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict agreed, in connection with the consideration of the second report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict in the Central African Republic (document S/2011/241), to address the following message to all parties to the conflict in the Central African Republic, through public statements by the Chairman of the Working Group:

The following Security Council press statement was issued on 23 July by Council President Peter Wittig (Germany):