Meetings Coverage

The Human Rights Committee met today to consider its working methods, including proposals to name a case manager, add a second working group on communications, and draw up a master calendar.

On the penultimate day of its week-long session, members of the Preparatory Committee fine-tuned a draft report to be sent to the Second Review Conference on the Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons, to be held in New York from 27 August to 7 September 2012. Members held formal and informal discussions throughout the day to finalize the draft report of the Preparatory Committee.

The Security Council this morning extended the authorization of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for one year, until 23 March 2013, emphasizing that its renewed mandate took full account of the transition process and was in full support of the country’s full assumption of leadership and ownership in security, governance and development.

The head of the committee charged with monitoring sanctions imposed on Iran over its nuclear programme reported today on alleged violations of those measures, as Security Council members warned that Iran’s stonewalling of the United Nations nuclear-watchdog agency regarding the true nature of its nuclear activities had created an “unsustainable and dangerous status quo”.

Expressing its gravest concern at the deteriorating human rights and humanitarian situation in Syria and “profound regret” over the thousands of deaths, the Security Council this morning gave its full support to the efforts of the Joint Special Envoy for the United Nations and the Arab League to bring an immediate end to all violence and human rights violations, secure humanitarian access, facilitate a Syrian-led political transition and other measures.

Ending human suffering was the primary purpose of the United Nations Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons, a Nigerian doctor reminded delegates today as they prepared for an upcoming review conference. “I am here as a medical doctor,” said Hakeem Ayinde of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War — International Action Network on Small Arms. “Why are you here?

“Cape Verde was one of the rare African countries to have achieved all the Millennium Development Goals,” Antonio Pedro Monteiro Lima, Permanent Representative of Cape Verde, emphasized today, as he updated the Human Rights Committee on the situation in the country, in the absence of a State report.

As it concluded discussion on Guatemala’s third periodic report today, the Human Rights Committee commended the country for putting in place legislative measures to improve its compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, but added it had not done enough to protect human rights defenders, address the consequences from its 36-year internal armed conflict and protect indigenous rights.

Recent tragic incidents in Afghanistan must not derail progress or put off deadlines for the transition to Afghan leadership of the security, governance and development of the country, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative told the Security Council this morning.

Although national and regional efforts were being made to combat the illicit arms trade, more international assistance and cooperation was essential for the effective implementation of the relevant Programme of Action, delegations said today as they continued their thematic debate on all aspects of trafficking in small arms and light weapons.