Security Council

Expressing deep regret that civilians continued to account for the vast majority of casualties in armed conflicts, the Security Council reaffirmed today its readiness to respond to the targeting of civilians and the blocking of humanitarian aid, as it opened a day-long debate on the matter.

The slide to war that had threatened Africa’s Great Lakes region last year had been reversed, but the underlying causes of repeated crises must be dealt with, Olusegun Obasanjo, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the region, told the Security Council this morning.

The following Security Council press statement on the Afghanistan elections was read out today by Council President Thomas Mayr-Harting (Austria):

Briefing the Security Council today, the Representative of the Secretary-General in Nepal, Karin Landgren, urged the parties in Nepal to make the most of the 11 weeks remaining in the mandate of the United Nations Mission in the country, and to break their deadlock.

Welcoming the peaceful presidential elections in Guinea-Bissau held on 28 June and 26 July, the Security Council today took note of the commitment of the new President of the country to combat impunity, foster national reconciliation and achieve socio-economic development.

This month’s President of the Security Council, Thomas Mayr-Harting from Austria, today briefed correspondents on November’s programme of work, which will include a debate on protection of civilians in armed conflict chaired by Austria’s Minister for Foreign Affairs.

The Security Council this afternoon condemned, in the strongest terms, the Taliban, which claimed responsibility for the 28 October terrorist attack that took the lives of several United Nations staff members and others in Kabul, Afghanistan.

The Security Council this morning adopted its annual report to the General Assembly for the period 1 August 2008 to 31 July 2009.

Noting with concern continuing human rights violations against civilians in Côte d’Ivoire, including numerous acts of sexual violence, the Security Council this morning renewed for another year its arms embargo and diamond trade ban in Côte d’Ivoire, as well as targeted sanctions restricting the travel of individuals that threatened the peace process in the West African country.

The following Security Council press statement on Afghanistan was read out today by Council President Le Luong Minh (Viet Nam):