Security Council: Meetings Coverage

In an emergency meeting today called by the Russian Federation, the Security Council assessed the true level of tensions between the two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina and debated how the proposed General Assembly resolution on the Srebrenica genocide remembrance could impact that country’s reconciliation and stability. The draft resolution in question, circulated by Germany and Rwanda, would designate 11 July as the “International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica”.

The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) for one year, until 30 April 2025, maintaining its force levels to cope with the continuing political, security and humanitarian challenges in the African country.

The Security Council met this afternoon to conclude its debate on the theme “Preventing conflict-related sexual violence through demilitarization and gender-responsive arms control”. 

Nineteen months on, the United Nations is not in a position to verify claims or reports made regarding attacks on the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea, two senior officials told the Security Council today, as many delegates — while condemning attacks against civilian infrastructure and calling for accountability — cautioned that any politicization or speculation on this case is detrimental to revealing the truth.

The Security Council met this morning to conclude its ministerial debate on the theme “the role of young people in addressing security challenges in the Mediterranean”.

The Security Council met this afternoon to continue its open debate on the situation in the Middle East, including the question of Palestine.  Nearly 30 Member States were expected to make remarks on the situation in Gaza.

Piecemeal measures to tackle Syria’s interlocking political, economic and humanitarian challenges cannot bring stability to the country and the region, the United Nations mediator for Syria told the Security Council today, calling for a new, comprehensive approach that addresses the full range of issues with the warring parties.

The Security Council today failed to adopt its first-ever resolution on outer space — one that would have affirmed the obligation of all States parties to fully comply with the Outer Space Treaty, including not to place in orbit around the Earth any objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction, install such weapons on celestial bodies or station such weapons in outer space in any other manner.

The security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is deteriorating as fighting escalates between the 23 March Movement (M23) rebel group and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC), and that country trades accusations with neighbouring Rwanda over alleged support for proxies in the ongoing conflict, the UN’s top official in the region warned the Security Council today.

The Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza urged the Security Council today to scale up assistance to meet the immense needs of the civilian population in Gaza, also warning that an Israeli military operation in Rafah would compound the existing humanitarian catastrophe in the Strip.