Continued violence in parts of Sudan, particularly sexual and ethnically targeted violence, risks engulfing the country in a prolonged conflict with regional spillover, senior United Nations officials told the Security Council today, as they warned that the country’s descent into a full-blown humanitarian catastrophe continues to deepen.
The Technical Secretariat of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons’ (OPCW) efforts to organize the next round of consultations with Syria continue to be unsuccessful, a senior official of the United Nations for Disarmament Affairs told the Security Council today, stressing that full cooperation by Damascus is essential to closing its chemical weapons file.
On 20 July 2023, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2140 (2014) held informal consultations to consider the midterm update of the Panel of Experts, submitted in accordance with paragraph 3 of resolution 2675 (2023). The Committee heard a presentation via VTC by the Panel of Experts. The presentation was followed by an interactive discussion between Committee members and the Panel. Subsequently, the Committee discussed the recommendations contained in the midterm update.
Adopting a presidential statement today, the Security Council reiterated its commitment to address conflict-induced food insecurity in situations of armed conflict during a day-long open debate on the matter, in which 80 speakers voiced alarm and urged unity to address the growing scale of food insecurity and human suffering due to conflict and violence.
Amid Colombia’s ongoing efforts to establish peace with several domestic armed groups, the Security Council today expanded the mandate of the United Nations Verification Mission in that country to monitor and verify the implementation of a ceasefire between the Government and the National Liberation Army (ELN).
Addressing conflict-induced famine and food insecurity will be the top priority of the Security Council in August, its President for the month told reporters at a Headquarters press conference today.
On 30 June 2023, members of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2653 (2022) concerning Haiti held informal consultations, during which the Chair of the Committee briefed its members on his most recent visit to Haiti and the Dominican Republic held from 12 to 16 June 2023.
The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Barbara Woodward (United Kingdom):
Ukraine is forced to choose between its legitimate right to self-defence and its annihilation, several delegates told the Security Council today, as they contested the pretext under which today’s meeting was convened, noting its detrimental effect on the 15-member organ’s work.
The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Barbara Woodward (United Kingdom):
