Escalating attacks in recent weeks on Ukraine have cause civilian deaths and destruction to surge, a senior United Nations disarmament official said today, as he briefed the Security Council on the rise in military assistance and transfers of arms and ammunition to that country, stressing that such activity must adhere to international law.
As the United Nations and its humanitarian partners prepare for a vaccination campaign in Gaza to deal with the polio outbreak, speakers in the Security Council urged Israel to refrain from military operations and evacuation orders to ensure that those delivering and receiving services can do so safely.
Amidst a recent escalation in hostilities, the casualty count in Ukraine continues to grow — with July being the deadliest month for civilians in almost two years — a senior United Nations official told the Security Council today, as speakers condemned Moscow’s massive aerial attacks.
The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) until 31 August 2025, stressing the importance of — and the need to achieve — a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East.
Violence this last month in Syria and the surrounding region has not only taken a toll on civilians but has also presented new threats to international peace and security, United Nations officials warned the Security Council today as they expressed deep concern about the ongoing tense situation across many fronts in that country.
The General Assembly today adopted an oral decision reaffirming its central role concerning the question of equitable representation and increased Security Council membership, as delegates underscored that the organ’s composition no longer reflects today’s political landscape.
With polio beginning to spread through the Gaza Strip, and humanitarian and health agencies overextended, an immediate humanitarian pause and a long-term peace deal are imperative, the Security Council heard today during an open briefing on the Palestinian question.
The United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization, currently chaired by Menissa Rambally (Saint Lucia), will undertake a visiting mission to the British Virgin Islands from 26 to 27 August.
Holding an open debate centred on preventing conflict and building and sustaining peace today, the Security Council heard that the principles contained in the UN Secretary-General’s “A New Agenda for Peace” must be translated into concrete action on the ground while speakers, to that end, spotlighted the central role of inclusive development and State-owned strategies in defusing cycles of violence around the world.
As the political, economic and security situation in Libya deteriorates, ordinary people live in fear of war erupting again, even as they prepare for local elections, the Organization’s senior official in the country reported to the Security Council today.
