Slavery and other grave human rights abuses affecting migrants and refugees travelling to North Africa and beyond constituted an abomination that could no longer be ignored, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees told the Security Council today.
In progress at UNHQ
Libya
On 27 November 2017, the Committee enacted the amendment specified with strikethrough and underline in the entry below on its List of individuals and entities subject to the assets freeze, travel ban and other measures relating to attempts to illicitly export petroleum, including crude oil and refined petroleum products, from Libya (the Libya Sanctions List), set out in paragraphs 15 and/or 17 of Security Council resolution 1970 (2011) and/or paragraph 19 of resolution 1973 (2011), or paragraph 10 of resolution 2146 (2014) as extended and modified by paragraph 2 of resolution 2362 (2017), adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations.
The following statement by UN Secretary-General António Guterres was issued today:
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that the number of Rohingya refugees having fled Myanmar for Bangladesh since 25 August has now reached 621,000. As of this morning, the Rohingya Refugee Crisis Response Plan has received nearly $140 million, or 32 per cent of requirements. Donors had pledged $360 million for the October response.
On 10 November 2017, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1591 (2005) concerning the Sudan‑held first‑ever joint informal consultations with the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya and the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2206 (2015) concerning South Sudan.
Two months since the launch of the Action Plan for Libya, the United Nations mission in that country had simultaneously started working to amend the Libyan Political Agreement, organizing a national conference, preparing for elections and providing humanitarian assistance, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative told the Security Council today.
Secretary-General António Guterres called for continued calm in Zimbabwe. Closely following developments, he underlined the importance of resolving political differences through peaceful means, including through dialogue and in conformity with the country’s Constitution.
Today is World Diabetes Day, and the World Health Organization (WHO) is highlighting women’s right to a healthy future. The agency says there are some 422 million people living with diabetes, 205 million of whom are women. More than half are in the Western Pacific and South-east Asia regions.
Detailing two additional arrest warrants for grave crimes in Libya, the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court reaffirmed to the Security Council today that her Office continued its crucial work in the strife-filled country, despite challenges arising from security constraints and insufficient resources.
Among today’s highlights from the Climate Change Conference in Bonn, Germany, were a pledge by HSBC Bank to mobilize $100 billion in sustainable financing and investment in support of the transition to a low-carbon economy and green growth around the world, and the release of a report by the European Union saying it is on track to meet its 2020 emissions-reduction target.