This morning, the Security Council adopted a resolution imposing sanctions on Eritrea. The text bans weapons sales to and from the country and imposes travel restrictions on the country’s political and military leadership. It also freezes their assets.

The General Assembly concluded the main part of its substantive session early this morning. The Secretary-General expressed his appreciation to Member States for the approval of the programme budget of $5.156 billion for the biennium 2010-2011.

The Secretary-General and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS have welcomed the removal of travel restrictions based on HIV status by the Republic of Korea and by the United States. The lifting of the restrictions took effect on 1 January in the Republic of Korea, and the United States change took effect today.

It was particularly important this month for the Security Council to strengthen coordination with regional organizations, as it considered the next steps in situations such as Somalia, Ambassador Zhang Yesui of China, whose country holds the body’s presidency for January, told correspondents at Headquarters today.

The World Food Programme has suspended its operations in much of southern Somalia due to rising security threats and attacks on humanitarian operations. WFP offices in half a dozen locations in the south have been temporarily closed, and food supplies and equipment have been moved out of these areas. Staff have also been moved to safer areas to ensure that food assistance reaches as many vulnerable people as possible.

A United Nations human rights expert, at a Headquarters press conference this morning, called for an independent investigation into war crimes and other grave violations of human rights law in Sri Lanka, based on an examination he commissioned to determine the authenticity of a video that apparently depicts the shooting of naked, bound prisoners on the island.

The Secretary-General discussed the forthcoming two intensive rounds of substantive negotiations that the Cypriot leaders will have this month. And he encouraged both leaders to remain committed and to show flexibility and leadership. He is convinced that a win-win solution in many different areas is available, and he is confident that together both leaders have the political courage and vision required to make progress.

Offering highlights from the United Nations budget at Headquarters today, Angela Kane, Under-Secretary-General for Management, described a changing United Nations landscape marked by the steady growth of special political missions and more than half the Organization’s staff involved in peacekeeping.

The Secretary-General is now at a round-table meeting with heads of international organizations dealing with disarmament to discuss major challenges, existing gaps and ideas on how to foster greater understanding and cooperation towards the common goal of a world free of weapons of mass destruction.