Security Council

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Samantha Power (United States):

On 14 December 2015, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1533 (2004) concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo held an exchange of views on the midterm report of the Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (S/2015/797) with the representatives to the United Nations of Angola (on behalf of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region), Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania.

The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) for six months, until 30 June 2016, underscoring the need for the Force to have at its disposal all necessary means to carry out its mandate safely and securely.

The non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction was a global challenge and, therefore, the response had to be global, the Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) stated as he briefed the Security Council today, stressing that it was much more economical to invest in preventing non-State actors obtaining those arms than dealing with the consequences of their use.

Despite deep remaining divisions, the latest round of peace negotiations between parties to the conflict in Yemen had provided a solid foundation for resumed talks in January and a renewed, strengthened cessation of hostilities, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy told the Security Council in today.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Samantha Power (United States):

In efforts to ensure that humanitarian assistance reached people in need throughout Syria by the most direct routes, the Security Council today unanimously adopted resolution 2258 (2015), thus renewing for a period of 12 months two decisions taken in its resolution 2165 (2014) that authorized passage of aid into that country.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Samantha Power (United States):

The Security Council, adopting resolution 2256 (2015) by a recorded vote of 14 in favour to none against, with 1 abstention (Russian Federation), today decided to extend the term of office for 17 permanent and ad litem judges of the Trial Chambers and the Appeals Chamber at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia.

The Security Council today extended and adjusted its sanctions regime against individuals and entities affiliated with the Taliban – clarifying exemptions to travel bans and asset freezes, as well as language on the need to combat the financing of terrorism – deciding to review the implementation of those and other measures in 18 months.