The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Nicolas de Rivière (France):

The international community “seems incapable of coming together” to respond to intensifying crises, pushing the multilateral system into dysfunction and deadlock in a more fragmented world, the United Nations Secretary-General warned this September at the annual high-level General Assembly debate.

In the Central African Republic, where, following a violent attack two weeks ago that caused the death of 23 civilians in the Lim-Pendé prefecture, United Nations peacekeepers are continuing to provide protection to the population and helping to secure the area to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid.

On 15 December 2023, the Group of Experts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo transmitted its midterm report to the President of the Security Council (document S/2023/990).

Following attacks on the MSC United and Maersk Hangzhou in late December 2023 — the latest in a series of incidents threatening maritime safety in the Red Sea — senior United Nations officials told the Security Council today of the imperative to safeguard global supply chains and avoid exacerbating regional tensions.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The Security Council in January will focus on Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan and other hotspots, its President for the month said at a Headquarters press conference today.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Major General Erdenebat Batsuuri of Mongolia as Force Commander of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda of Zimbabwe as Deputy Executive Director for Normative Support, United Nations System Coordination and Programme Results at the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women).

In Syria, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs today expressed concern about the impact on civilians of escalating hostilities in the north-west of the country — as well as the potential for the violence to jeopardize cross-border missions by United Nations staff.