Security Council

Peace and security in Africa, as well as ongoing situations of concern elsewhere, will top the agenda of the Security Council in October, Jerry Matthews Matjila (South Africa), Council President for the month, told correspondents at a Headquarters press conference today.

Sketching out the contours of a newly agreed Constitutional Committee for Syria today, the senior United Nations official in that country urged all parties there, as well as Security Council members, to seize that new development as a “sign of hope for the long-suffering Syrian people”.

Applauding the cooperation between the United Nations, the African Union and various subregional organizations, speakers at a ministerial debate in the Security Council meeting today highlighted African-led efforts to lift the continent out of conflict, including the “Silence the Guns 2020” initiative, while underscoring the urgent need for dedicated sources of funding for peace support operations.

Ministers and other high‑level officials welcomed counter‑terrorism cooperation between the United Nations and Central Asian security organizations, while stressing that all regional efforts must be pursued under the Organization’s founding principles.

On 6 September 2019, the Coordinator of the Panel of Experts on the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2127 (2013) concerning the Central African Republic briefed the Committee and Member States, including regional States, in connection with the midterm report of the Panel of Experts (S/2019/608).

On 11 September 2019, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2048 (2012) concerning Guinea-Bissau held informal consultations to consider the Secretary-General’s report on progress made with regards to stabilization and restoration of constitutional order in Guinea-Bissau (S/2019/696), submitted pursuant paragraph 28 of resolution 2458 (2018).

On 12 September 2019, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya, met with a delegation from the Libyan Investment Authority (LIA), an entity subject to the assets freeze measures imposed in resolutions 1970 (2011) and 1973 (2011), as modified by resolution 2009 (2011).

Relentless settlement building, threats to annex land and change the status quo of holy sites, along with worsening conditions in Gaza and persistent violence — including during civilian protests — all threaten to destroy the tenuous peace process between Israelis and Palestinians, delegates told the Security Council today.

The Security Council today decided to extend until 21 September 2020 the mandate of the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da’esh/Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (UNITAD).

The Security Council failed to adopt two draft resolutions on the situation in Syria today — one tabled by Belgium, Germany and Kuwait; the other by China and the Russian Federation — amid heated debate on their content and concern over the fate of civilians in Idlib Governorate.