Somalia

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President José Singer Weisinger (Dominican Republic):

The High Commissioner for Human Rights calls on Bahrain to immediately and unconditionally release human rights defender Nabeel Rajab and ensure that all Bahrainis are able to exercise their rights to freedom of opinion and expression without fear of arbitrary detention.  She urges Bahrain to stop criminalizing dissenting voices.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

While Somalia has maintained a positive trajectory — marked by a “far‑reaching” reform agenda and expanded domestic revenues — ongoing political turbulence could throw it off course, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for that country warned the Security Council today.

In Myanmar’s central Rakhine State, some 2,500 people were forced to flee fighting between the Arakan Army and the Myanmar military that began last month.  The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs led a team to the area to look into what the uprooted people and host communities need.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo announced today that the first ever multi-drug trial for the treatment of Ebola has begun.  World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called it an important step to finding a treatment that will save lives.

Following the adoption of resolution 2444 (2018) on 14 November 2018, by which the Security Council lifted the arms embargoes, travel bans, asset freezes and targeted sanctions imposed on Eritrea in resolutions 1907 (2009), 2023 (2011), 2060 (2012) and 2111 (2013), the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolution 751 (1992) concerning Somalia, formerly known as the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 751 (1992) and 1907 (2009) concerning Somalia and Eritrea, began its work under a modified mandate.

Hailing the recent and historic rapprochements in the Horn of Africa, the Security Council today decided to lift the arms embargo, travel ban, assets freeze and targeted sanctions previously imposed on Eritrea, while simultaneously renewing its sanctions imposed against neighbouring Somalia.

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Ma Zhaoxu (China):