Meetings Coverage

With the United Nations peacekeeping machinery confronted by increasing demands and a range of emerging conflicts — and potentially poised to consider new engagements in Mali, Syria and the Horn of Africa — the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations opened its 2013 substantive session today amid discussion of critical and evolving issues, including reimbursements for troops and equipment, and civilian capacity in the aftermath of conflict.

The Economic and Social Council concluded the first part of its 2013 organizational session today, adopting seven draft decisions that detailed much of its agenda for the year, and outlined the arrangements for the body’s substantive session, set to open on 1 July, at the United Nations Office at Geneva.

The Security Council today welcomed the recent announcement by Yemen’s President of the launch of the National Dialogue Conference for 18 March, but expressed concern over reports of interference in the country’s transition by individuals of the former regime, the former opposition, and others, including the country’s former President and Vice-President, as well as over reports of money and weapons being brought in from outside to undermine the transition.

Calling strongly for concrete policy actions and targeted investments to enhance food security and scale up nutrition, top officials from the Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly’s Second Committee (Economic and Financial) stressed today that “hope, focus, pragmatism and determination” — bolstered by deeper cooperation — were crucial to ending hunger, a global challenge that was “eminently solvable”.

The Security Council this morning, as it was briefed by a top United Nations political official on the recent transformation in Somalia and the daunting challenges ahead, was told by the country’s Deputy Prime Minister that the Somali people, for the first time in more than two decades, spoke of new hopes, optimism and confidence, as well as strong faith in the new developments in the country.

Expressing concern that some technical assistance to Sudan could be used for military purposes by the Government, the Security Council today unanimously adopted a resolution that extended until 17 February 2014 the mandate of the Panel of Experts that monitors the arms embargo and sanctions against those impeding peace in Sudan.

Encouraging the Government of Burundi to work with its international partners to redouble its efforts to pursue structural governance reforms, promote human rights and improve national political dialogue, the Security Council today approved a one-year extension of the mandate of the United Nations Office in the country — known as BNUB.

The European Union harboured a strong belief in effective multilateralism and would remain a steadfast partner of the Security Council in its great responsibility of steering the international community away from conflict and confrontation towards a more peaceful and secure world, its High Representative pledged today, as she addressed the 15-member body.

Meeting briefly today, the Commission for Social Development took up a number of issues that would set the tone for its upcoming work and, more broadly, allow it to engage in more relevant ways within the United Nations system, especially the Economic and Social Council, whose principal role in the follow-up to major United Nations meetings was elevated by the landmark 2012 Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development.