In a region grappling with escalating threats due to violent non-State actors, civic restrictions, political transitions and heightened humanitarian needs, the head of UN efforts in West Africa and the Sahel called on the Security Council for scaled up support within regional frameworks, as speakers welcomed more signs of progress on the democratic front.
The Security Council today adopted a resolution highlighting the need for sustainable child protection capacities in United Nations peace operations and the importance of their smooth, responsible transfer to the Organization’s country teams during mission transitions or withdrawals.
Meeting again today to discuss Western arms supplies to Ukraine, the Security Council heard that civilians there continue to be killed and injured by a panoply of deadly munitions, while the organ’s members alternately urged a diplomatic end to the violence and condemned Moscow’s initial — and continued — aggression.
On 20 December 2024, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) removed the following entry from its Sanctions List of individuals and entities.
The Security Council today extended for one year the mandate of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), expressing grave concern over the ongoing offensive by the 23 March Movement (M23) in North Kivu, in violation of the ceasefire, and the unauthorized presence of external forces from a neighbouring State in the eastern part of the country.
Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the Security Council meeting on artificial intelligence and the maintenance of international peace and security, in New York today:
Rapidly evolving artificial intelligence (AI) is outpacing human ability to govern it, even threatening human control over weapons systems, the United Nations chief warned during a Security Council briefing today, urging Member States to swiftly establish “international guard-rails” to ensure a safe, secure and inclusive AI future for all.
As indiscriminate killings, sexual violence and famine deepen the crisis in Sudan, the Security Council must rise to the challenge of delivering lasting peace in that country, that body heard today from both humanitarian officials and Member States.
The collective punishment of the Palestinian people and the relentless bombardment of Gaza by Israeli forces is horrific and unjustifiable, a high-level United Nations official told the Security Council today, which also heard from the brother of an Israeli hostage held by Hamas, who implored the 15-member organ not to let his brother’s life to be “used as a bargaining chip”.
Following reports of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s troops killed in the Russian Federation’s war against Ukraine, the Security Council today examined growing military ties between Pyongyang and Moscow amid ongoing disputes over sanctions on the East Asian country.
