Security Council

The Security Council met this morning the hear a briefing by the Chairperson-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Ian Borg, Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade of Malta.

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the Security Council’s open debate on the Middle East, in New York today:

The Security Council today blocked Palestine’s bid to become a full member of the United Nations due to a United States veto on a draft resolution that would have recommended the granting of such status.

Urging maximum restraint following recent escalations in the Middle East, the Head of the United Nations urged an end to the deadly cycle of retaliation and called on the international community to work together to avert a full-scale regional conflict, first by ending hostilities in Gaza and ultimately by realizing the two-State solution, as the Security Council today convened its quarterly open debate on the situation in the region.

The multifaceted challenges facing the Mediterranean amplify the region’s fragility and pose a fundamental obstacle to peace and security, the Security Council heard today as delegates underscored that the region’s youth are both the greatest victims of the security challenges and a key to resolving them.

The Head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) told the Security Council today that the Agency is the “backbone” of the humanitarian response in Gaza, noting that — while its mandate is supported by an “overwhelming” majority of Member States — it faces efforts to push it out of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

The obstinance of the rival Governments and other key players in Libya is exacerbating the country’s political impasse and obstructing plans to hold elections this year, risking further instability, the UN’s top official there told the Security Council today.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Vanessa Frazier (Malta):

While April 2024 marks two years since the United Nations-brokered truce — providing relief for the humanitarian situation long past its expiry — the crisis in and near the Red Sea continues to threaten progress and stability in Yemen, senior United Nations officials warned the Security Council today, as some delegates noted Iran’s role in supporting the Houthis and destabilizing the region.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Vanessa Frazier (Malta):