Press Conference

The Security Council would hold two thematic debates, including — for the first time — one on the role of human rights in the maintenance of international peace and security, said Nikki Haley (United States), its President for April, at a Headquarters press conference today.

The Security Council would organize its work in March around the theme “Preventing conflict in Africa”, Matthew Rycroft (United Kingdom), its President for that month, said at a Headquarters press conference today.

The following is the full transcript of the joint press conference on the humanitarian crises in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres; Helen Clark, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); Stephen O’Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator; Ertharin Cousin, Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP); Carla Mucavi, Director of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Liaison Office in New York; and Justin Forsyth, Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), held in New York today:

With the situation in eastern Ukraine escalating and the humanitarian situation there deteriorating further, the Security Council would focus on peace and security issues pertaining to Europe, including his own country, in the coming month, Volodymyr Yelchenko (Ukraine), its President for February, said at a Headquarters press conference today.

Building on a “trajectory of unity” that had begun with the Security Council’s recent adoption of two important Middle East resolutions, Olof Skoog (Sweden), Council President for January, said the 15-member body would focus on issues ranging from Colombia to the Lake Chad Basin, hold a ministerial-level open debate on the maintenance of international peace and security and work to make its overall methods more results-oriented.

Following is a transcript of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s press conference, held in New York today:

Debates on international judicial cooperation, the sanctions regime surrounding nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, and human trafficking would be the major topics to be addressed this month by the Security Council, Román Oyarzun Marchesi (Spain), Council President for December, said at a Headquarters press conference today.

Open debates on “water, peace and security” and asymmetrical threats to peacekeeping would be highlighted by the Security Council this month, along with a range of items of ongoing concern, Fodé Seck (Senegal), Council President for November, told correspondents at Headquarters this afternoon.

The Security Council would focus on Africa, the Middle East and the selection of the next Secretary-General, Vitaly Churkin (Russian Federation), Council President for October, said at a Headquarters press conference today.

Following is a transcript of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s press conference, held in New York today: