Status Update

Ukraine

On 2 June, Russia called for consultations on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine. At that meeting Council members agreed to ask humanitarian chief Valerie Amos to brief, she did so on 16 June. On 17 June, the Council issued a press statement condemning the killing of two Russian journalists that day in Ukraine, marking the first statement Council members agreed to since the crisis began (SC/11442). On 24 June, the Council was briefed by Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ivan Šimonović and Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Tayé-Brook Zerihoun (S/PV.7205). Šimonović briefed on the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission and Zerihoun briefed on the ceasefire and peace plan proposed by President Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine.

Tribunals

On 5 June, the Council held a debate on the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda (S/PV.7192). The meeting focused on the completion strategy reports submitted by both Tribunals (S/2014/343 and S/2014/351) and the report from the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (S/2014/350).

Annual Meeting with the AU PSC Members

On 6 June, members of the Security Council and members of the AU Peace and Security Council held their eighth annual joint consultative meeting in New York. A joint communiqué was issued which discusses the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, Somalia, South Sudan, the AU-UN Hybrid Operation in Darfur, counter-terrorism in Africa and strengthening cooperation between the two bodies (S/2014/400).

Afghanistan

On 6 June, Council members issued a press statement condemning an attack in Kabul which caused a number of deaths and injuries to civilians and security personnel (SC/11431). On 25 June, the Council held its quarterly debate on Afghanistan (S/PV.7208) considering the most recent Secretary-General’s report (S/2014/420). Briefings were provided at the debate by Special Representative and head of UNAMA Jan Kubiš and Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime Yuri Fedotov. The Council also adopted two presidential statements on Afghanistan at the debate, one on counter-narcotics (S/PRST/2014/12) and another on the elections (S/PRST/2014/11).

Iran

On 9 June, the Council adopted resolution 2159 which renewed for 13 months the Panel of Experts assisting the 1737 Iran Sanctions Committee, without any changes to its mandate. The resolution requested the Panel to submit a mid-term report to the Committee by 9 November 2014 and a final report by 9 May 2015. On 25 June, the chair of the Committee, Ambassador Gary Quinlan (Australia), presented his 90-day report on the work of the Committee to the Council (S/PV.7211). He reported that the Committee had had one informal meeting and two “informal informal” meetings and had discussed the Panel’s final report (S/2014/394) as well as an incident report on an interception reported by a member state (in reference to the 5 March interception of the ship Klos-C in the Red Sea by Israel). Referring to the ongoing talks between Iran and the P5+1, Quinlan emphasised that all UN sanctions remained fully in effect and could only be altered through the adoption of a Council resolution. 

Liberia

In consultations on 16 June, the chair of the 1521 Liberia Sanctions Committee, Ambassador Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein (Jordan), briefed Council members on the Panel of Experts’ midterm report (S/2014/363) as well as the recent sanctions review that had been conducted with a view towards scaling back or ending the regime as mandated in resolution 2128. 

Peacekeeping

On 11 June, at the initiative of Russia the Council held an open debate on new trends in peacekeeping operations (S/PV.7196). The Secretary-General briefed and issues such as the use of force in peacekeeping, the use of new technology in peacekeeping operations and inter-mission cooperation and multidimensional mandates were discussed. 

Mali

On 11 June, Council members issued a press statement condemning an attack on MINUSMA in which four Chadian peacekeepers were killed (SC/11438). Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Hervé Ladsous briefed the Council on 18 June, presenting the most recent MINUSMA report (S/2014/403). The Foreign Minister of Mali, Abdoulaye Diop, also addressed the Council during the public session (S/PV.7202). Special Representative Albert Gerard Koenders briefed during the following consultations. On 25 June, the Council adopted resolution 2164 that established benchmarks for MINUSMA, renewed the mission for a year and granted Koenders greater political authority. 

Côte d’Ivoire

On 16 June, Special Representative and head of UNOCI, Aichatou Mindaoudou Souleymane, briefed the Council on the most recent UNOCI report (S/2014/342), followed by consultations (S/PV.7197). On 25 June, the Council adopted resolution 2162 renewing UNOCI for a year and introduced some changes to the mandate. The resolution reinforces the role of the Special Representative in supporting political processes underway in Côte d’Ivoire and envisions a reduction of UNOCI military and police components by 30 June 2015. The resolution also authorises all UNOCI and UNMIL military helicopters to be utilised in both countries. It calls for the establishment of a Quick Reaction Force within UNOCI for an initial period of one year and authorises its deployment by the Secretary-General without prior Council authorisation for up to 90 days, in case of serious deterioration of the situation there. 

Counter-Terrorism

On 17 June, the Council adopted resolutions 2160 and 2161. Resolution 2160 renewed, with minor adjustments, the 1988 Taliban sanctions regime. Resolution 2161 renewed the measures targeting Al-Qaida associated individuals and entities and extended the mandates of the Office of the Ombudsperson and the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team assisting the 1267/1989 Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee for 30 months. 

The Sahel

On 19 June, the Special Envoy for the Sahel, Hiroute Guebre Sellassie, briefed the Council on the implementation on the UN integrated Sahel strategy (S/2014/397). Sellassie highlighted the deteriorated situations in Libya, Mali and Nigeria and said that addressing security challenges in the Sahel requires a flexible geographic definition of the region. Sellassie also raised concerns about “competing” interventions and strategies within the UN and the need for greater coordination (S/PV.7203). 

Yemen

On 20 June, the Council met in consultations with Special Adviser Jamal Benomar on the worsening security situation in Yemen, as well as the implementation of the national dialogue outcomes and the economic challenges facing Yemen. 

Golan Heights

On 25 June, the Council adopted resolution 2163 renewing UNDOF for six months after considering the Secretary-General’s latest report on the observer mission during 18 June consultations (S/2014/401).

UNRCCA (Central Asia)

On 26 June, Miroslav Jenča, the Special Representative and head of UNRCCA, briefed Council members in consultations. In a press statement following the briefing Council members emphasised the importance of preventive diplomacy and commended UNRCCA’s efforts to assist countries in the region on issues such as trans-boundary water management, counter-terrorism and drug trafficking (SC/11457).