The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has closed nine field offices since the peaceful transfer of power in the 2018 presidential elections, the Organization’s top official in that country told the Security Council today, reporting that a new strategy for the operation’s eventual closure recognizes and is tailored to differing realities on the ground and security needs in each province.
On 30 November 2020, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1718 (2006) approved updates to its seventh implementation assistance notice entitled “Guidelines for Obtaining Exemptions to Deliver Humanitarian Assistance to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea”, which was adopted by the Committee on 6 August 2018. The updated implementation assistance notice provides additional guidance on the humanitarian exemption mechanism and is available on the Committee’s website in all official languages of the United Nations (https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/1718/implementation-notices and https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/1718/exemptions‑measures/humanitarian-exemption-requests).
The Security Council today renewed for an additional 12 months its authorization for States and regional organizations cooperating with Somalia to use all necessary means to fight piracy off the coast of the East African country, with voting results announced virtually in accordance with the temporary silence procedure adopted for the COVID-19 pandemic.
Noting an improved security situation in Burundi, but also calling on its Government to address human rights violations and other continuing issues, the Security Council today ended mandatory reporting on the country and encouraged its international partners to continue dialogue towards resumption of development assistance.
Ahead of a high-level debate on cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union in peace and security, the Security Council today encouraged the two organizations to further strengthen their coordination in a mutually supportive manner across the range of possible responses to conflict.
The Security Council updated a resolution on security sector reform today, adding new provisions aimed at addressing gaps in implementing such transformation in fragile and post-conflict States, with the voting results announced virtually in accordance with the temporary silence procedure established during the COVID‑19 pandemic.
On 1 December 2020, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya decided to grant a humanitarian travel exemption, pursuant to paragraph 16(a) of resolution 1970 (2011), effective from 1 December 2020 through 31 May 2021, to the following three individuals:
On 1 December 2020, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1518 (2003) approved the removal of the following individual and entities from its List of Individuals and Entities subject to the assets freeze set out by paragraphs 19 and 23 of Security Council resolution 1483 (2003) adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations:
The Security Council’s agenda for December will feature a ministerial‑level debate on security sector reform, a high‑level meeting on cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union and a briefing on strengthening the rule of law, the organ’s President for the month said during a video press conference today.
The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Inga Rhonda King (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines):
