Security Council

A spike in weapons proliferation, organized crime and terrorism — compounded by a massive influx of migrants returning from Libya — was exerting pressure on already-struggling countries across the Sahel region, the Security Council heard today as the senior United Nations political official briefed members on peace and security in Africa.

On 25 January 2012, the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011) approved the addition of the three entries specified below to its Al-Qaida Sanctions List of individuals and entities subject to the assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo set out in paragraph 1 of Security Council resolution 1989 (2011) adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations.

The international community must continue supporting the security and recovery priorities already identified by the Government of Côte d’Ivoire, as “remarkable progress” was being made towards restoring normalcy since the end of the violent post-election crisis last year, the Secretary-General’s representative told the Security Council this morning.

The following Security Council press statement was issued on 25 January by Council President Baso Sangqu (South Africa):

The following Security Council press statement was issued on 25 January by Council President Baso Sangqu (South Africa):

Faced with growing public frustration, armed clashes, diverse brigades, tight electoral schedules and proliferation of weapons, the Libyan authorities must be given “the space to address internal priorities” of the moment rather than the longer-term planning requested by international actors, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative in the country told the Security Council today.

Despite continuing tensions on the ground, preparatory meetings in Jordan between the Israelis and Palestinians presented an important opportunity for lasting peace that must be seized, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council today, ahead of a day-long debate involving some 45 speakers.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Baso Sangqu (South Africa):

Emphasizing the importance of the rule of law as one of the key elements of conflict prevention, peacekeeping, conflict resolution and peacebuilding, the Security Council today pledged its commitment to upholding international law, and reaffirmed its strong opposition to exempting from punishment those responsible for committing serious violations of humanitarian and human rights norms.

The Security Council this morning decided that an election to fill the vacancy on the International Court of Justice, created by the recent resignation of Judge Awn Shawkat Al-Khasawneh, will take place on 27 April 2012. Resolution 2034 (2012), adopted unanimously, notes with regret that the resignation of Judge Al-Khasawneh took effect on 31 December 2011.