Security Council

With Afghanistan set for a mid-July launch of its two-year transition process — covering security, governance and efforts to bring opposition groups into the political mainstream — the top United Nations official in that country told the Security Council today that the “train was on track and moving forward”, but to be successful, it must be underpinned by the socio-economic development that the Afghan people so desperately needed and deserved.

Acting on the request of the President of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, the Security Council decided this morning that, notwithstanding the relevant articles of the court’s Statute, ad litem judges may be eligible to stand for, and vote in, elections for its presidency.

With the independence of South Sudan due in a matter of days, the Security Council would be paying particular attention to the world’s newest country, as well as larger regional issues and dynamics, Peter Wittig (Germany), Council President for July, said at a Headquarters press conference today.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Alfred Moungara Moussotsi (Gabon):

Expressing grave concern about the serious events that had occurred in the area of operations of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) on 15 May and 5 June, jeopardizing the long-standing ceasefire between Israel and Syria, the Security Council today renewed the mandate of the Force charged with supervising the ceasefire since 1974 for six months, until 31 December 2011.

On 30 June 2011, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1988 (2011) deleted the entry specified below from the Committee’s List (the 1988 List).

The Security Council this morning extended the terms of office of eight permanent and nine ad litem judges serving in the Trial Chambers of the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia until 31 December 2012, or until the completion of their assigned cases.

The Security Council today extended the temporary redeployment of infantry and aviation units from the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) to the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI).

Stressing the significant challenges posed by the ongoing presence of armed groups in the restive eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Security Council today decided to extend for one year the mandate of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in that country, while demanding that the groups demobilize.

On 24 June 2011, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya approved the addition of the entries specified below to its List of Individuals and Entities subject to the travel ban and/or assets freeze.