New perspectives emerged in the Security Council on United Nations policing, peacekeeping and sanctions during the month of November amid attention to a range of urgent crises, the Permanent Representative of Australia and President of the body said in a monthly wrap-up meeting.
The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) concluded its work today, approving a total of 62 draft resolutions, which were expected to be taken up by the General Assembly the following month.
The Security Council this morning extended the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Peace Building Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNIOGBIS) for three months until 28 February 2015, as it awaits an assessment report to decide on mandate adjustments.
In the four months since the adoption of resolution 2165 (2014), the United Nations had sent humanitarian aid to nearly all hard-to-reach locations in Syria’s four governorates, primarily through cross-border deliveries, but “considerable” challenges remained in accessing the most besieged areas, the Security Council heard today.
As the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) approved 18 draft resolutions, with 14 without a vote, delegations voiced concerns regarding four texts including one on the report of the Human Rights Council, debating whether that body had been politicized, thus undermining its legitimacy and credibility.
The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) until 30 May 2015, authorizing it to use “all necessary means” to carry out its civilian protection, human rights and humanitarian assistance duties, and to support the 2014 Cessation of Hostilities Agreement between the new Government and Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM).
By the terms of one of six draft resolutions that the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) approved this afternoon, the General Assembly would express serious concern at the lack of progress in the Doha Round of World Trade Organization negotiations and would reiterate the call for the necessary flexibility and political will needed to break the current impasse in the negotiations.
Offering a range of solutions for moving the Middle East peace process forward, while regretting the steps backward due to escalation of violence in recent months, the General Assembly adopted six draft resolutions today by recorded vote on the question of Palestine and the situation in the Middle East overall.
Sanctions regimes have been proven to be a valuable tool for the maintenance of international peace and security, but continuous improvement was needed for better targeting, awareness, respect for rights and partnership, the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs told the Security Council today.
Approving a new draft resolution on protecting children from bullying, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) took action on and sent a total of 14 draft texts to the General Assembly.
