Status Update

Somalia

On 3 July, Council members issued a press statement condemning the assassination of parliamentarian Ahmed Mohamud Hayd (SC/11464). On 11 July, Ambassador Oh Joon (Republic of Korea), chair of the 751/1907 Somalia-Eritrea Sanctions Committee, briefed Council members in consultations. Among other issues, the discussion focused on implementation of the ban on charcoal exports from Somalia. Council members also received a briefing via video teleconference from Nicholas Kay, Special Representative and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia, regarding the security situation in Mogadishu. Following the meeting, Council members issued a press statement condemning recent attacks by Al-Shabaab on Villa Somalia, the parliament building and members of parliament (SC/11471).

UNOWA (West Africa)

Special Representative Said Djinnit briefed the Council on 8 July on the latest Secretary-General’s UNOWA report (S/2014/442), followed by consultations (S/PV.7213). The next day Council members issued a press statement welcoming Djinnit’s efforts in his capacity as UN High Representative to Nigeria and wider international efforts to address the threat of Boko Haram; expressing concern over the ebola outbreak in West Africa; and endorsing the establishment of a new analytical unit in UNOWA (SC/11466).

Israel/Palestine

The Council met several times in July to address the conflict in Gaza. On 1 July, Council members issued a press statement condemning in the strongest terms the killing of three Israeli teenagers and urging parties to refrain from steps that could further destabilise the situation (SC/11460). The following day, a Palestinian teenager from East Jerusalem was abducted and killed in an apparent retaliatory attack. Council members responded with another press statement expressing sorrow and condemnation for the killing and calling for immediate calm (SC/11462). Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon briefed on 10 July (S/PV.7214) and two days later Council members issued a press statement that called for de-escalation; reinstitution of the November 2012 ceasefire; respect for international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians; and support for the resumption of direct negotiations (SC/11472). The Council met again on 18 July in a debate at which Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman briefed (S/PV.7220). On 20 July, Council members met in consultations, after which agreed elements were read to the press that reiterated many of the views expressed in the 12 July press statement, as well as emphasising the need to improve the humanitarian situation, expressing serious concern at the growing number of casualties and calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities. On 22 July, the Council held its regular quarterly open debate on the situation with the Secretary-General briefing by video teleconference from Ramallah, and over 40 member states participated (S/PV.7222). The Council convened again on 28 July (S/PV.7225) to adopt the first formal Council outcome—a presidential statement—on Israel/Palestine since early 2009 (S/PRST/2014/13). The statement, among other things, called for respect of international humanitarian law; expressed support for an immediate and unconditional humanitarian ceasefire into the Eid al-Fitr period and beyond; called on parties to engage in efforts to achieve a durable ceasefire; emphasised that civilian and humanitarian facilities be respected and protected; and called for the full implementation of resolution 1860. On 22 July, Jordan, acting on behalf of the Arab League, circulated a draft resolution that also called for an immediate ceasefire but entailed a more comprehensive response to the crisis than the presidential statement. It called for renewed efforts to achieve a comprehensive peace based on the vision of two states based on pre-1967 borders; for the lifting of Israeli restrictions on the movement of persons and goods; for all parties to abide by international humanitarian law; and for the cessation of military reprisals, collective punishment and excessive use of force against Palestinians. Council members met to negotiate the text and a revised version was circulated on 25 July. While negotiations were continuing, at press time a vote on the text had not yet been scheduled. On 31 July the Council met for an urgent meeting on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, a day after Israel’s shelling of an UNRWA shelter. Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Valerie Amos and Comissioner-General of UNRWA Pierre Krähenbühl briefed the Council via video teleconference and telephone, respectively (S/PV.7232). The briefing was followed by consultations. 

Peacebuilding Commission 

The Council was briefed on 15 July (S/PV.7217) by Ambassadors Vladimir Drobnjak (Croatia) and Antonio de Aguiar Patriota (Brazil), the past and current PBC chairs, who presented the 2013 PBC annual report (S/2014/67). In the afternoon, Council members held an informal interactive dialogue with the country-configuration chairs of the PBC and representatives of the PBC agenda countries. A 25 July letter from Council President Eugène-Richard Gasana (Rwanda) and Patriota was circulated to Council members summarising the discussion. 

Afghanistan

Council members issued a press statement on 15 July that condemned attacks in Paktika and Kabul earlier that day that killed and wounded many civilians (SC/11476). 

Ukraine

On 18 July, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman briefed the Council at an emergency session following the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight 17 (S/PV.7219). The same day Council members issued a press statement expressing condolences to the families of those killed and calling for a thorough and independent international investigation (SC/11480). On 21 July, the Council unanimously adopted resolution 2166, which condemned the downing of flight 17 and called for an investigation of the crash (S/PV.7221).

Iraq

On 23 July, Special Representative Nickolay Mladenov briefed the Council on prospects of forming a government given the election of a prime minister was still outstanding following 30 April elections, the security implications of the seizure of north-western Iraq by the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), the fact that over a third of Iraq was outside government control, territorial consolidation of Kurdistan and the ongoing impasse between Irbil and Baghdad (S/PV.7224). He presented the Secretary-General’s reports on UNAMI (S/2014/485) and on Iraq/Kuwait missing persons and property (S/2014/480). He also discussed the humanitarian impact of the current crisis, reporting 1.2 million were displaced and that minorities were under attack as a result of the spread of ISIS. On 21 July, Council members issued a press statement expressing deep concern over reports of threats against religious and ethnic minorities in Mosul and other parts of Iraq controlled ISIS (SC/11484). Mladenov also reported that ISIS had taken control of oil fields and pipelines, increasing its access to financial resources. On 28 July, the Council adopted a presidential statement prohibiting illicit oil trade as a source of revenue for terrorists in Iraq and Syria (S/PRST/2014/14). On 30 July, the Council adopted resolution 2169 renewing UNAMI for a year and increasing the reporting period to every three months versus every four months. There were significant changes to the preambular paragraphs of the resolution to reflect the current situation, however there were no substantive changes in the operational paragraphs which form the mission’s mandate.

Cyprus 

On 24 July, Council members were briefed in consultations by Lisa Buttenheim, the Special Representative and head of UNFICYP and Acting Special Adviser, on the latest Secretary-General’s report (S/2014/461). On 30 July the Council adopted resolution 2168 extending the mandate of UNFICYP for another six months.

Mali 

On 28 July, the Council adopted a presidential statement (S/PRST/2014/15) welcoming the commencement on 16 July of the inter-Malian negotiation process in Algiers which led to the consensual adoption of a roadmap (Feuille de route des négociations dans le cadre du processus d’Alger) by the parties (S/PV.7227). On 1 July, Council members issued a press statement condemning a 30 June improvised explosive device explosion, which killed a MINUSMA peacekeeper and injured six other peacekeepers (SC/11461).

Peacekeeping 

On 28 July, the Council held an open debate on “UN peacekeeping: regional partnerships and their evolution” which included briefings by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, EU Deputy Secretary General for External Action Service Maciej Popowski and the Permanent Observer of the AU to the UN, Ambassador Téte António (S/PV.7228). Resolution 2167, covering the political, operational and financial aspects of these partnerships, was adopted.