Security Council

With the Darfur peace process moving forward on two fronts — two-year-old negotiations in Doha, Qatar, and newly-launched broad-based political talks under way in Sudan — a senior peacekeeping official told the Security Council today that all efforts should be focused on reaching agreement through the upcoming “All Darfur Stakeholders Conference”, which would be an ideal venue for comprehensively addressing outstanding issues.

Following the successful completion of the Southern Sudan self-determination referendum, it was imperative to quickly overcome remaining challenges in implementing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, a senior peacekeeping official told the Security Council today.

Civilian protection initiatives, such as in Libya, would not be comprehensive unless they systematically included “efforts to end sexual violence before it has begun”, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict told the Security Council today. “Even in the ‘tyranny of the emergency’, before hard evidence emerges, and though it may not be obvious what gender has to do with ‘arms embargoes’ or ‘no-fly zones’, we must remember women,” Margot Wallström said.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Néstor Osorio (Colombia):

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Néstor Osorio (Colombia):

Critical challenges in Côte d’Ivoire following the surrender of recalcitrant former President Laurent Gbagbo — whose greed brought on an utterly unnecessary four-month, post-electoral crisis — included restoration of order, prevention of further human rights abuses, national reconciliation and rebuilding and completion of the peace process, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General told the Security Council this morning.

On 30 March 2011, the Security Council, by paragraph 12 of resolution 1975 (2011), decided that the following five individuals (as cited in annex I of the resolution) shall be subject to financial and travel measures imposed by paragraphs 9 to 11 of resolution 1572 (2004):

Underlining the importance of prosecuting suspected pirates operating off the coast of Somalia as armed robbery and other maritime violence continued unabated, the Security Council this morning decided to urgently consider the establishment of special Somali courts operating in the country, as well as the East African region.

While Iraqi political leaders had formed a power-sharing Government in December 2010, ending a nine-month stalemate following national elections in March of last year, the Iraqi people were still concerned over the country’s lack of adequate employment, basic services and accountability, the United Nations top political official on Iraq told the Security Council today.

Recognizing the interconnected nature of earthquake-devastated Haiti’s long-term recovery and development challenges and expressing concern for the most vulnerable groups of Haitian society, the Security Council today called on the international community to continue supporting Haitian authorities strengthen core governance structures and ensure that vulnerable people had access to basic social services, justice and protection.