Security Council

Despite extreme poverty, rampant unemployment and isolated violent incidents, Burundi’s overall political and security landscapes were “calm” with much anticipated for the Government’s long-term vision, the top United Nations official in that country told the Security Council today.

The withdrawal of United States forces in Iraq by the end of the year would be an important milestone that entailed many challenges even as it provided all Iraqis the opportunity to prove to themselves that they could build a peaceful and better future and gave the country’s political and elected officials the chance to consolidate democratic and economic gains, the Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) told the Security Council this morning.

Concerned at the potential use of the Eritrean mining sector as a financial source to destabilize the Horn of Africa region, the Security Council today reinforced the sanctions regime on that country to prevent mining funds from contributing to its continued violations of those measures. Adopting resolution 2023 (2011) by a vote of 13 in favour to none against, with 2 abstentions (China, Russian Federation), it demanded that Eritrea cease all direct or indirect efforts to destabilize States.

The Security Council work programme for December would contain 18 open meetings — including 2 debates, 11 briefings and 5 meetings to adopt draft resolutions — as well as 20 closed consultations, Council President Vitaly Churkin (Russian Federation) said at Headquarters today.

Stressing the importance of continued United Nations support for Libya’s transitional Government in addressing immediate priorities, the Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) until 16 March 2012.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Vitaly Churkin (Russian Federation):

Improving transparency, interaction with non-Security Council Member States and the efficiency of its activities were some of the issues addressed by speakers during a day-long debate in the chamber today on the body’s working methods — the fourth ever held on the subject.

On 30 November 2011, the Security Council Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee removed the name of Mr. Abu Sufian al-Salamabi Muhammed Ahmed Abd al-Razziq from the Al-Qaida Sanctions List after concluding its consideration of the de-listing request submitted by this individual through the Ombudsperson established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1904 (2009), and after considering the Comprehensive Report of the Ombudsperson on this de-listing request.

On 30 November 2011, the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011) amended the entry specified below to its Al-Qaida Sanctions List of individuals and entities subject to the assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo set out in paragraph 1 of Security Council resolution 1989 (2011) adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations:

Condemning the continuing illicit flow of weapons within and into the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Security Council today renewed until 30 November 2012 the arms embargo and related sanctions on that country, and requested the Secretary-General to extend the mandate of the Group of Experts monitoring those measures.