Inequality has become a defining issue of the present time that must be addressed through social protection policies, including progressive taxation in favour of low-income families as well as public spending to support vulnerable populations, delegates told the opening of the fifty-seventh session of the Commission for Social Development today.

Despite the decline in the number of international terrorist attacks in 2018, Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) continues to evolve into a global covert network, with access to hundreds of millions of dollars and the demonstrated ability to exploit new technologies, the top-ranking United Nations counter-terrorism officials told the Security Council today.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Anatolio Ndong Mba (Equatorial Guinea):

On 8 February 2019, the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) concerning ISIL (Da’esh), Al-Qaida, and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities removed the names below from the ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List after concluding its consideration of the delisting requests for these names submitted by designating States following the 2016 Annual Review conducted in accordance with paragraphs 80 and 81 of resolution 2253 (2015).

The World Health Organization (WHO) has scaled up efforts to support five western African countries as they respond to outbreaks of Lassa fever.  The largest outbreak thus far has affected 16 states in Nigeria, with 213 confirmed cases to date.

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations, concluding the first part of its 2019 session, today adopted a report that outlines the results of its substantive work over recent weeks, including its decision to recommend 236 groups for special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council.

On 21 January, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2127 (2013) concerning the Central African Republic met, via videoconference in Bangui, with a delegation of the Government of the Central African Republic led by the Minister of Defence.

Efforts to find and treat an additional 1.5 million undiagnosed, unreported and untreated tuberculosis patients by the end of 2019 have been showing signs of success, according to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, driven by six Asian countries bearing the world’s highest TB burdens.

Extending for 13 months the mandate of the expert panel charged with overseeing the arms embargo, travel ban and asset freeze imposed on those obstructing peace in Darfur, the Security Council today also heard from Sudan’s representative who called for an updated snapshot of the “reality of security” in his country.

Antagonistic gestures and accusations are prevailing over genuine efforts to resume political dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative told the Security Council today, calling on both sides to steady, rather than agitate, the atmosphere as a minimum requirement.