Opening its 2023 session today, the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization heard from speakers debating the propriety of sanctions, the Committee’s working methods and consideration of proposals, as well as its role of supporting Member States in the peaceful settlement of disputes.
While the International Criminal Court’s trial stemming from the Security Council’s first-ever referral of a situation has progressed swiftly with an intended close by February, Sudan has not met its commitments, the Court’s top prosecutor told the 15-member organ today, urging it to not allow those who wish to frustrate accountability to run down the clock.
In the Central African Republic, the United Nations peacekeeping mission there launched a countrywide campaign on 16 January to promote efforts to protect civilians and to build confidence between the internal security forces and the population.
The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:
The Secretary-General has extended the mandate of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon from 1 March until 31 December to complete non-judicial residual functions and ensure its orderly closure. Mandated to conduct the trials of those accused of carrying out the 14 February 2005 attacks in Beirut, its work is coming to an end.
Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the Security Council open date, “Promotion and Strengthening of the Rule of Law in the Maintenance of International Peace and Security: the Rule of Law among Nations”, in New York today:
Briefing the Security Council today on the significant progress and tangible results in its core judicial cases, the President of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals called for the international community’s continued support of its functions as it shifts from an operational to a residual court that safeguards the legacy of the Tribunals for war crimes committed in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, as well as the Mechanism itself.
The World Health Organization released data showing that, in 2021, countries around the world held the line against further setbacks to malaria prevention, testing and treatment services, with an estimated 619,000 malaria deaths globally in 2021, compared to 625,000 in the first year of the pandemic.
The General Assembly today elected judges to the United Nations Appeals Tribunal and United Nations Dispute Tribunal as well as appointed members of eight subsidiary bodies, taking up several reports of its Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) on the matter.
The Security Council today, meeting independently from, but concurrently with the General Assembly, elected Leonardo Nemer Caldeira Brant (Brazil) to the International Court of Justice until 5 February 2027.
