Security Council

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict told a Security Council meeting this afternoon that the body must seize the opportunity provided by the arrests of perpetrators of recent mass rapes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to “begin turning the tide of impunity”. “The arrests must serve as a warning to perpetrators of sexual violence everywhere,” Margot Wallström said as she briefed the Council.

The political impasse in Nepal remained, the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs told the Security Council today, and despite continued efforts towards achieving the objectives of the caretaker Government and the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (UCPN-M), no breakthrough had been achieved.

Noting with deep concern the increase in violence and rising inter-tribal fighting in Darfur, the Security Council this afternoon extended the mandate of the Panel of Experts that monitors the arms embargo and sanctions on those who impede peace in Sudan, for one year, ending 19 October 2011.

The Security Council this morning decided to extend the authorization of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan for one year, ending 13 October 2011, while stressing the importance of comprehensively building the Afghan security sector to ensure the rule of law throughout the country.

The Security Council today encouraged a more coordinated, coherent and integrated approach to peacebuilding, including stronger partnerships among the Peacebuilding Commission, regional organizations, the World Bank, civil society and other partners with a focus on greater impact on the ground.

The Security Council’s programme of work for October would include a mission to Uganda and Sudan, as well as two public debates — the first, at the ministerial level, on women and peace and security to mark the tenth anniversary of the first Council resolution on that subject, and the second on the Middle East — Ruhakana Rugunda (Uganda), Council President for the month, said today at Headquarters.

The following Security Council statement was issued today by Council President Ruhakana Rugunda (Uganda):

On 29 September 2010, the Committee approved the changes specified with strikethrough and underline in the entry below to its Consolidated List of individuals and entities subject to the assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo set out in paragraph 1 of Security Council resolution 1904 (2009) adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations.

A number of key events in Afghanistan, including the Consultative Peace Jirga, the 20 July international Kabul Conference and the holding of parliamentary elections on 18 September, were stepping stones towards the full exercise of that country’s sovereign authority, the top United Nations official in Afghanistan told the Security Council today.

The Security Council this morning ended an arms embargo and other sanctions imposed on Sierra Leone during its brutal civil war, while, in a separate text, it extended the mandate for the Integrated Peacebuilding Office in the country (UNIPSIL) for one year, until 15 September 2011.