Security Council

The Security Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) until 31 July 2014 today, noting that the progress made so far had not yet resulted in a comprehensive and durable settlement between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot sides.

With divergent historical narratives often pitting communities against each other, igniting conflict both among and within States, the international community had a responsibility to help create conditions that would enable national actors to rebuild the trust and respect required to ensure permanent peace, the senior United Nations political affairs official told the Security Council today.

While Burundi had made substantial progress in overcoming formidable political, security and development challenges, the Government must show more “visionary leadership” than ever in protecting those gains as it worked to complete its peacebuilding process, the senior United Nations official in that country told the Security Council today.

The Security Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in the Central African Republic (BINUCA) for one year today, deciding also to expand sanctions imposed on individuals to include a travel ban and an assets freeze, and authorizing the deployment of a European Union intervention force in the country.

Important progress had been made in Côte d’Ivoire’s political reconciliation process, but security remained fragile, the head of the United Nations operation in that country told the Security Council today.

The Security Council today called upon all Member States to prevent terrorists from benefiting directly or indirectly from ransom payments or political concessions, and further, to secure the safe release of hostages.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Zeid Ra’ad Zeid al-Hussein ( Jordan):

The Security Council today welcomed the successful holding of peaceful and transparent legislative elections in Mali on 24 November and 15 December 2013, underlining that, in addition to the previously conducted presidential polls, they marked a further step towards restoring democratic governance and the full return of constitutional order in the West African country.

The ongoing conflict in South Sudan could potentially undo efforts to resolve the crises in Darfur and, more broadly, efforts to normalize Sudan-South Sudan relations, the head of United Nations peacekeeping told the Security Council today.

The Central African Republic was trapped in a “spiral of vengeance” that had destroyed the social fabric and undermined trust among communities for generations to come, senior United Nations officials told the Security Council today, calling for a stronger international response to alleviate the human suffering in that country.