The Security Council today decided to extend the mandate of the expert panel assisting the committee overseeing its sanctions against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea until 30 April 2024.

​​​​​​​While urging one another to end their five-year impasse and unite to counter the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s repeated launchings of ballistic missiles, Security Council members argued over the best approach to accomplish that, as a senior United Nations official briefed the 15-nation organ on Pyongyang’s latest round of projectiles.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

Following the two cyclones that hit Vanuatu in March, the United Nations resident coordinator has met with Government ministers, the Disaster Management Office and Organization staff to understand challenges, needs and ways the United Nations can further support recovery.

Syria’s full cooperation with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is essential to closing all outstanding issues related to its initial and subsequent declarations, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council today during its monthly briefing on implementation of resolution 2118 (2013) on elimination of the country’s chemical weapons programme, highlighting that long-standing identified gaps, inconsistencies, and discrepancies remain unresolved.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, through the Resident Coordinator in Fiji, offered support to Vanuatu amid a state of emergency sparked by Tropical Cyclone Judy. A second storm system is now bearing down on the country, and may impact 95 per cent of the population.

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message to for the International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness, observed on 5 March:

The General Assembly adopted five consensus resolutions today on Africa’s development and durable peace across the continent, sustainable development, global health and chemical weapons, with the latter surviving a challenge by a competing resolution put forth by the Russian Federation, which also issued a litany of amendments to the text.

​​​​​​​The latest launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is dangerously heightening tensions in the region, a United Nations senior official stressed as he briefed the Security Council today, urging it to show unity in bringing Pyongyang back into dialogue to end its escalating weapons programme.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres: