Security Council

“This is not a time to be idle,” Robert Serry, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, told the Security Council today, stressing that the consequences of inaction in the Arab-Israeli conflict could be dire for everyone. Absent serious engagement, he said, opening a day-long debate that grappled with the range of interlocking challenges confronting that complex region, the peace process would remain on life support and stability on the ground would be put at further risk.

With French and Malian forces carrying out joint military operations to regain control of areas seized by armed extremists over the past 10 months, a senior United Nations official today said that the crisis in Mali could be at a potential turning point, and as the Security Council now prepared to consider long-term solutions, it must examine the deep-seated challenges that had led to the shocking eruption of violence in the once vaunted West African democracy.

The Security Council, condemning the launch by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on 12 December 2012, which used ballistic missile technology in violation of the sanctions imposed on it, today demanded that the country not proceed with any further such activities and expressed its “determination to take significant action” in the event it did so.

On 21 January 2013, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1521 (2003) concerning Liberia approved the inclusion of additional information concerning Mr. Richard Chichakli (travel ban and assets freeze lists). The additional information is reflected in bold text below.

At its thirty-fifth meeting, on 19 December 2012, the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict agreed, in connection with the examination of the second report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict in Colombia (document S/2012/171), to address a public statement to the parties to armed conflict in Colombia that were listed in annex II to the report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict (document A/66/782-S/2012/261).

Resolved to strengthen the United Nations central role in peacekeeping, the Security Council coalesced around a resolution — the first of its kind in 10 years — which recognized the importance of multidimensional peacekeeping and stressed that peacekeeping activities should be conducted in a manner that facilitated post-conflict peacebuilding, helped prevent a relapse into conflict and assisted progress towards sustainable peace and development.

The following statement was issued today by Council President Mohammad Masood Khan (Pakistan):

A senior United Nations official today applauded the “remarkable progress” made by Côte d’Ivoire in the 18 months following a violent post-electoral crisis, but cautioned that a recent wave of attacks against national security targets meant the “strong and sustained support” of the Security Council would be required as the Ivorian Government worked in the coming year to heal political divisions in the country’s “sensitive” security context.

“Nothing can justify terrorism — ever,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon declared at the opening of a high-level meeting of the Security Council today, capped by a presidential statement expressing that body’s deep concern over the terrorist threat and its determination to combat it by all means in all its forms and manifestations, in line with the United Nations Charter and international law.

On 14 January 2013, the Security Council Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee decided to remove the name of the individual below from the Al-Qaida Sanctions List after concluding its consideration of a delisting request submitted through the Ombudsperson established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1904 (2009), and after considering the Comprehensive Report of the Ombudsperson on this delisting request.