Status Update
Recent developments on the situations covered in our April Forecast are covered in the relevant briefs in this issue. However, other interesting Council developments in April included:
-
Threats to International Peace and Security: On 12 and 13 April the Council condemned the recent terrorist attacks in Algeria (S/PRST/2007/10) and Iraq (S/PRST/2007/11).
-
Georgia: On 13 April the Council adopted resolution 1752 extending UNOMIG’s mandate until 15 October and encouraging the resumption of dialogue and the implementation of confidence-building measures as recommended in the Secretary-General’s most recent report (S/2007/182).
-
North Korea: On 16 April, Ambassador Marcello Spatafora of Italy, chair of the 1718 Sanctions Committee, reported to the Council that the implementation of sanctions on North Korea was proceeding smoothly.
-
Energy, Security and Climate: On 17 April the Council held a ministerial-level debate on the relationship between energy, security and climate, initiated by the April presidency of the UK and chaired by its Foreign Secretary (S/PV.5663 and Res. 1). It was the first time the Council addressed the potential impact of climate change on security. There was no formal outcome (SC/9000). Both NAM (S/2007/203) and the G77+China (S/2007/211) sent letters to the Security Council expressing concern about Council encroachment on prerogatives of the General Assembly and ECOSOC. (Please see our 12 April Update.)
-
Liberia: The Council reviewed the Liberian diamond sanctions on 18 April. On 27 April the Council adopted resolution 1753 ending the six-year ban and calling for a review of its decision in ninety days to ensure that Liberia continues to meet the requirements of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. (Please see our 26 April Update.)
-
Western Sahara: In April both Morocco (S/2007/206) and the Polisario Front (S/2007/210) transmitted their respective proposals to the Security Council for a solution for Western Sahara. At press time, the Council was expected to renew MINURSO’s mandate, which expires on 30 April, for a further six months and possibly support negotiations between the two sides as recommended by the Secretary-General in his latest report (S/2007/202). (Please see our 18 April Update.)
