The political situation in the Central African Republic remains fragile amid the announcement of a constitutional reform — with a referendum scheduled for 30 July 2023 — senior United Nations officials told the Security Council today as members voiced disappointment that historic local elections have been deprioritized and delayed in favour of a referendum that risks destabilizing the country.
In progress at UNHQ
Security Council
A senior United Nations official today told the Security Council — intent on ensuring Libya’s progress towards elections later this year to unify the country’s divided Government — that success hinges on a legal framework and a political agreement involving all stakeholders.
On 2 June 2023, the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolution 751 (1992) concerning Al-Shabaab held informal consultations to hear the presentation of the midterm update by the Panel of Experts on Somalia.
Amid a worrying security situation, especially endless violence against civilians unleashed by Da’esh in the north-east of Mali, the renewal of MINUSMA’s mandate ‑ which expires on 30 June — is essential for the region’s stability, the Organization’s senior official in that country told the Security Council today, as he highlighted the significance of the coming referendum for advancing the political transition.
Briefing the Security Council today, the Chair of the committee concerning the sanctions regime for Somalia gave an overview of its activities, including concerns regarding the confidentiality of its proceedings and follow-up actions on the Panel of Expert’s recommendations on humanitarian matters.
The worsening violence in Darfur would not have happened if resolution 1591 (2005) — which has undermined the strength and sovereignty of the State and the protection of civilians — had not been implemented, Sudan’s representative asserted to the Security Council today as the head of its Committee established pursuant to that resolution presented her quarterly update.
On 2 June 2023, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1718 (2006) approved updates to its seventh implementation assistance notice (IAN) entitled “Guidelines for Obtaining Exemptions to Deliver Humanitarian Assistance to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea”, which was initially adopted by the Committee on 6 August 2018.
Recognizing that hate speech, racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, intolerance, gender discrimination and acts of extremism can contribute to conflict, the Security Council today unanimously adopted a resolution that, among other things, urged Member States to publicly condemn violence, hate speech and extremism and encouraged them to prevent the spread of intolerant ideology and incitement to hatred.
The declaration “Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together” — co-authored by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed Al-Tayeb — is a model for compassion and human solidarity, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council today, as speakers warned against a groundswell of xenophobia, racism and intolerance, anti-Muslim hatred, virulent antisemitism and attacks on minority Christian communities.
Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the Security Council on “The Values of Human Fraternity in Promoting and Sustaining Peace”, in New York today: