On 20 March 2017, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1533 (2004) concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo met with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Burundi, Rwanda, United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda, the Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region and the Special Representative for the Democratic Republic of the Congo in pursuance of resolution 2293 (2016).
The High Representative for Disarmament Affairs briefed the Security Council today on the alleged chemical weapons attack in Khan Shaykhun, southern rural Idleb, Syria. If confirmed, he said, this would be the largest single chemical weapons attack in Syria since the Ghouta attack in August 2013.
The Security Council renewed the mandate of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) this morning, extending it until 31 March 2018 while reducing the operation’s troop ceiling by some 3,600 military personnel.
The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Matthew Rycroft (United Kingdom):
Parties to the conflict in Syria have reportedly reached an agreement to evacuate people from Madaya and Zabadani in Rural Damascus, and Foah and Kefraya in Idleb, known as the Four Towns. The United Nations was not part of the negotiations or the agreement, but is monitoring developments closely.
The following statement was issued today by Amr Abdellatif Aboulatta (Egypt), Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1533 (2004) concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo:
The Secretary-General visited the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan today in what he called a visit of solidarity. While there, he toured a number of projects run by UN agencies for some 80,000 residents of the camp. Addressing the press, he appealed to the parties to the conflict in Syria to understand that we must make peace.
Delays in holding elections and in implementation of the comprehensive and inclusive agreement signed on 31 December 2016 was prolonging the political uncertainty plaguing the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Security Council heard today, as briefers described the country’s deteriorating security and humanitarian situation as a source of major concern.
The Secretary-General spoke at the General Assembly’s meeting this morning commemorating the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. He expressed concern that migrants have become convenient scapegoats and that, far too often, hate speech, stereotyping and stigmatization are becoming normalized.
The Government of Iraq reports that 180,000 civilians have fled western Mosul since mid-February, when military operations to retake the city’s western districts began. Humanitarian agencies are bracing for the possibility of an additional 300,000 to 320,000 civilians fleeing in the coming weeks.
