Security Council

The Security Council today unanimously adopted its annual report to the General Assembly covering the period from 1 January to 31 December 2022.

Avoiding a nuclear accident at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant — the largest nuclear power station in Europe — is possible, the Head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stressed to the Security Council today as he outlined, to that end, five concrete principles to ensure that plant’s nuclear safety and security.

The Security Council today extended for one year the sanctions regime imposed on South Sudan, including assets freezes, travel bans and an arms embargo, numerous members stressed that instead of sanctions, the country needs a carefully managed support system to facilitate its transitional journey and overcome its security issues.

The Security Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) today for another year until 31 May 2024, retaining its core tasks.

On 26 May 2023, the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolution 751 (1992) concerning Al-Shabaab updated its Implementation Assistance Notice (IAN) 2: “Summary of notification requirements and the no-objection process related to the partial lifting of the arms embargo in relation to Somalia”.

African Union-led peace support operations need predictable, adequate and sustainable support in light of a demonstrably inadequate current international peace architecture, senior officials from both the United Nations and the African Union told the Council today, as members discussed how best to leverage the latter organization’s regional expertise to address current and future crises in a context-specific manner.

The recent deadly escalation between Israeli security forces and Palestinian armed groups in Gaza was yet another reminder of the volatile security situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the United Nations senior official for Middle East peace told the Security Council today, as members urged parties to observe the recent ceasefire and voiced alarm over the continued violence, settlement activities and inflammatory rhetoric.

The world is failing to live up to its commitments to protect civilians in armed conflict, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned the Security Council today, urging greater respect for international humanitarian law through action and accountability, as speakers, during a day-long open debate, outlined priority action areas for ensuring civilians’ survival, security and dignity.

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the Security Council’s open debate on “Protection of civilians in armed conflict”, in New York today:

The continuing military hostilities in Sudan that began on 15 April between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces could have dire consequences for both the country, its people and the region, briefers told the Security Council today, as the members of the 15-nation organ voiced support for the recent seven-day truce, which aims to safeguard civilians and provide humanitarian access.