HomeNews / DocumentsPress StatementsPress Statements 2015
Press Statements 2015

Press Statements 2015 (128)

20 APRIL 2015

SC/11867-AFR/3118

 

Security Council Press Statement on Murder of Over 30 Ethiopian Christians

 

The members of the Security Council strongly condemned the heinous and cowardly apparent murder in Libya of over 30 Ethiopian Christians by an affiliate of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh).  This crime once again demonstrates the brutality of ISIL, which is responsible for thousands of crimes and abuses against people from all faiths, ethnicities and nationalities, and without regard to any basic value of humanity.

 

The members of the Security Council expressed their deep sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, to the Government of Ethiopia, as well as to the families of all victims of ISIL.  The members of the Security Council reiterate their strong condemnation of the persecution of individuals and entire communities on the basis of their religion or belief.

 

The members of the Security Council stressed again that ISIL must be defeated and that the intolerance, violence and hatred it espouses must be stamped out.  The members of the Council further emphasized that such continued acts of barbarism perpetrated by ISIL do not intimidate them, but rather stiffen their resolve that there has to be a common effort amongst Governments and institutions, including those in the region most affected, to counter ISIL, groups that have pledged allegiance to ISIL, Ansar Al Shari’a entities, and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida, as the Council resolved in United Nations Security Council resolutions 2170 (2014), 2199 (2015) and 2214 (2015).

 

The members of the Security Council demanded the immediate, safe and unconditional release of all those who are kept hostage by ISIL, groups that have pledged allegiance to ISIL, Ansar Al Shari’a entities, and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida.

 

The members of the Security Council underlined the need to bring perpetrators of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice.  The members of the Security Council stressed that those responsible for these killings shall be held accountable, and urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with Libya, Ethiopia and all other relevant authorities in this regard.

 

The members of the Security Council further recalled that ISIL is included on the Al-Qaida Sanctions List, and is thus subject to the asset freeze and arms embargo in resolution 2161 (2014), and further recalls that any individual or entity that provides financial or material support to the group, including the provision of arms or recruits, is eligible to be added to the Al-Qaida Sanctions List and subject to sanctions measures.  The members of the Security Council underscored the need for full implementation of resolution 2199 (2015), adopted on 12 February, to cut off ISIL’s support networks, and resolution 2214 (2015) that focuses on countering ISIL, groups that have pledged allegiance to ISIL, Ansar Al Shari’a entities, and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida operating in Libya.

 

The members of the Security Council reaffirmed grave concern about ISIL, groups that have pledged allegiance to ISIL, Ansar Al Shari’a Benghazi and Ansar Al Shari’a Derna and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida operating in Libya, and about the negative impact of their presence, violent extremist ideology and actions on stability in Libya, neighbouring countries, and the region, including the devastating humanitarian impact on the civilian populations.

 

The members of the Security Council reaffirmed the need to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts, and that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed.

 

The members of the Security Council reaffirmed their full support for Special Representative of the Secretary-General Bernardino León and urged all parties in Libya to engage constructively with his efforts to continue an inclusive political process aimed at addressing the political and security challenges facing the country.  Council members also reaffirmed that only through national unity and dialogue, with a view to finding a peaceful solution, can Libyans build their State and its institutions so as to defeat terrorism and prevent such grave crimes.

22 JANUARY 2015

SC/11749

 

Security Council Press Statement on Killing of Civilians at Public Transport Stop in City of Donetsk

 

The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the killing of as many as 15 and injuring of more than 20 civilians, among them women and children, as a result of shelling of a public transport stop in the city of Donetsk on 22 January 2015.

 

The members of the Security Council expressed their deep sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and wished a swift recovery to those injured.

 

The members of the Security Council underlined the need to conduct an objective investigation and bring perpetrators of this reprehensible act to justice.

The members of the Security Council underlined the need for full implementation of the Minsk Protocol of 5 September and the Minsk Memorandum of 19 September, and welcomed the Berlin Joint Statement of the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany, the Russian Federation and Ukraine on 21 January 2015.

31 DECEMBER 2015

SC/12188-AFR/3296-L/3249

 

Security Council Press Statement on Closure of International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda

 

The members of the Security Council mark the closure on 31 December 2015 of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) established by its resolution 955 (1994) of 8 November 1994.

 

The members of the Security Council acknowledge the substantial contribution of the ICTR to the process of national reconciliation and the restoration of peace and security, and to the fight against impunity and the development of international criminal justice, especially in relation to the crime of genocide.

 

The members of the Security Council emphasize that the establishment of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals pursuant to resolution 1966 (2010) was essential to ensure that the closure of the ICTR does not leave the door open to impunity for the remaining fugitives.

 

The members of the Security Council call upon all States to cooperate with the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals and the Government of Rwanda in the arrest and prosecution of the eight remaining ICTR-indicted fugitives, and further call upon States to investigate, arrest, prosecute or extradite, in accordance with applicable international obligations, all other fugitives accused of genocide residing on their territories.

 

The members of the Security Council reaffirm their strong commitment to justice and the fight against impunity.

23 DECEMBER 2015

SC/12184

 

Security Council Press Statement on Situation in Yemen

 

The members of the Security Council welcomed the participation of Yemeni parties in peace consultations from 15 to 20 December 2015, held under the auspices of the United Nations.  They expressed their appreciation and reiterated their full support for the efforts of the United Nations and the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen.

 

The members of the Security Council recalled Security Council resolutions 2014 (2011), 2051 (2012), 2140 (2014), 2201 (2015) and 2216 (2015), emphasizing the need for a peaceful, orderly, inclusive and Yemeni-led transition process.  The members of the Security Council reiterated their demand for the full implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions, and reiterated their call from resolution 2216 (2015) on all Yemeni parties to resume and accelerate United Nations-brokered inclusive political consultations.

 

The members of the Security Council commended the parties and the Special Envoy for a productive round of talks, which provided a foundation for the next phases of the peace process.  They welcomed the agreement of the parties to a cessation of hostilities, expressed deep concern at the number of violations of the cessation of hostilities committed during the talks, and emphasised that the cessation of hostilities and compliance with related Security Council resolutions should lead to a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire.  In this regard, the members of the Security Council welcomed the commitment of the parties to continue the work of the Coordination and De-escalation Committee established at the talks in order to proactively reduce the number of violations, and urged all parties to adhere to the cessation of hostilities and to exercise maximum restraint if violations or reports of violations emerge.

 

The members of the Security Council welcomed the commitment of the parties at the talks to ensure safe, rapid and unhindered access for humanitarian aid delivery to all affected governorates, including in particular Taiz, and called on the parties to respect this commitment in the future.  They encouraged the parties to urgently finalize agreements on the release of all non-combatant and arbitrary detainees, and to finalize agreement on a package of confidence-building measures.

 

The members of the Security Council noted with appreciation the progress made during the talks towards a framework for negotiations based firmly on resolution 2216 (2015) and other relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, capable of leading to an end to the conflict.  In this respect, the members of the Security Council called on all Member States to support the commitment of the Yemeni parties to the political dialogue.

 

The members of the Security Council urged the Yemeni parties to fulfil commitments made during the talks and welcomed their commitment to a new round of talks in mid-January 2016, building on the progress that has been achieved so far.  They reaffirmed their call on Yemeni parties to engage without preconditions and in good faith, including by resolving their differences through dialogue and consultations, rejecting acts of violence to achieve political goals, and refraining from provocation and all unilateral actions to undermine the political transition.  The members of the Security Council strongly condemned all violence, attempts or threats to use violence to intimidate those participating in United Nations-brokered consultations and emphasized that such action is unacceptable.

 

The members of the Security Council emphasized that the United Nations-brokered inclusive political dialogue must be a Yemeni-led process, with the intention of brokering a consensus-based political solution to Yemen’s crisis, in accordance with the Gulf Cooperation Council Initiative and its Implementation Mechanism, the outcomes of the comprehensive National Dialogue Conference and relevant Security Council resolutions.

 

The members of the Security Council expressed their support and appreciation for the efforts of the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Yemen, who will continue to engage with all Yemeni stakeholders to take steps towards a durable ceasefire and a mechanism for the withdrawal of forces, relinquishment of all additional arms seized from military and security institutions, release of political prisoners and the resumption of an inclusive political transition process in accordance with Security Council resolution 2216 (2015).  The members of the Council recognized the importance of United Nations ceasefire monitoring capacity to support the process.

 

The members of the Security Council expressed deep concern about the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen, which continues to worsen.  The members of the Security Council recognized that over 80 per cent of the population — 21 million people — require some form of humanitarian assistance and emphasized that the civilian impact of the conflict has been devastating, particularly for children and the 2.5 million internally displaced persons.  The members of the Security Council expressed particular concern at the food security situation, with over 7 million people suffering severe food insecurity and a doubling in the number of children under five who are acutely malnourished.  They recognized that functioning markets inside Yemen are essential to address the situation, as humanitarian assistance alone cannot overcome a humanitarian crisis of this scale.

 

The members of the Security Council noted that the humanitarian appeal for 2015 has been 52 per cent funded and urged the international community to contribute to the humanitarian appeal for 2016.

 

The members of the Security Council urged all parties to fulfil their commitments to facilitate the delivery of commercial goods, humanitarian assistance and fuel for civilian purposes to all parts of Yemen, as well as urgent measures to further ensure rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access.  They also stressed the urgent need for commercially shipped food, medicine, fuel and other vital supplies to continue to enter Yemen through all of Yemen’s ports without delay as a humanitarian imperative because of the heavy dependence of Yemen and its people on imported food and fuel.  In that regard, they urged all parties to work with the new United Nations Verification and Inspection Mechanism.  The members of the Security Council called upon all sides to comply with international humanitarian law, including to take all feasible precautions to minimize harm to civilians and civilian objects, to end the recruitment and use of children in violation of applicable international law, and to urgently work with the United Nations and humanitarian aid organizations to bring assistance to those in need throughout the country.

 

The members of the Security Council reiterated their strong commitment to the unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Yemen.

22 DECEMBER 2015

SC/12183

 

Security Council Press Statement on Haiti Elections

 

The members of the Security Council stressed the importance of holding peaceful and credible elections as a critical element of Haiti’s ongoing development, and trust that, with the support of the international community, the Haitian people will build upon the first two rounds of Haitian elections on 9 August and 25 October, and be able to bring the electoral process to a successful conclusion in the upcoming final round.

 

The members of the Security Council expressed their strong commitment to supporting free and fair elections and called on all political forces to work through the electoral process to ensure that the will of the people is reflected in the outcome of the election.

 

The members of the Security Council called on all candidates, political parties, and political actors to publicly commit to the electoral process and timely Government formation in accordance with the constitutional timeframe, including the inauguration of a new president by 7 February 2016.

 

The members of the Security Council acknowledged the steps taken by Haitian institutions to take corrective measures to address irregularities and improve the upcoming round of elections, and encouraged continuing attention to transparency.

 

The members of the Security Council took note of the creation of a Commission of Evaluation in Haiti and expressed support for initiatives to increase the transparency and credibility of the electoral process.

 

The members of the Security Council called upon all candidates, their supporters, political parties and other political actors to remain calm, refrain from violence or other provocations and resolve any electoral disputes through established legal mechanisms and to preserve the stability achieved in recent years with the support of United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH).

 

The members of the Security Council called upon the Haitian authorities to ensure a calm and peaceful environment, and urged MINUSTAH to continue to extend its critical support in this regard.

 

The members of the Security Council welcomed the continued efforts of the United Nations, other multilateral agencies and United Nations Member States in supporting Haiti’s critical needs.

 

The members of the Security Council will continue to follow the situation on the ground in Haiti.

22 DECEMBER 2015

SC/12181-AFG/448

 

Security Council Press Statement on Terrorist Attack in Bagram

 

The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist attack on 21 December near Bagram Air Field, which resulted in the deaths of at least six United States service members as well as a number of wounded persons, for which the Taliban has claimed responsibility.

 

The members of the Security Council expressed their deep sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the peoples and Governments of the United States and Afghanistan.  They wished the injured a speedy recovery.

 

The members of the Security Council reiterated their serious concern at the threats posed by the Taliban, Al-Qaida, ISIL (Da’esh) affiliates, illegal and armed groups to the local population, national defence and security forces, and international presence in Afghanistan.

 

The members of the Security Council underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice, and urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with the Afghan authorities in this regard.

 

The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of its motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed, and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group.

 

The members of the Security Council reaffirmed the need and reiterated their determination to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and all obligations under international law, in particular international human rights, refugee and international humanitarian law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

 

The members of the Security Council reiterated that no violent or terrorist acts can reverse the path towards Afghan-led peace, democracy and stability in Afghanistan, which is supported by the people and the Government of Afghanistan and by the international community.

19 DECEMBER 2015

SC/12174-AFR/3293

 

Security Council Press Statement on Situation in Burundi

 

The members of the Security Council reiterated their deep concern about the continuing escalation of violence in Burundi, as well as the increased cases of human rights violations and abuses, the persisting political impasse and the attendant serious humanitarian consequences.  They condemned all acts of violence, whoever perpetrates it, and the persistence of impunity, as well as of the inflammatory statements made by Burundian political leaders.  They strongly condemned the attacks carried out against military barracks in Bujumbura and in Bujumbura Rural, as well as the alleged summary executions perpetrated in the aftermath of the attacks, and underscored the importance of holding those responsible for such acts accountable.

 

They recalled the adoption, on 17 December, of the Human Rights Council resolution condemning human rights violations and abuses in Burundi by all actors and deciding to organize and dispatch an expert mission to Burundi to swiftly investigate violations and abuses of human rights.

 

The members of the Security Council welcomed the meeting of the African Union Peace and Security Council of 17 December where the communiqué on the situation in Burundi (PSC/PR/COMM. (DLXV)) was adopted.

 

They called for urgent acceleration of the mediation efforts led by President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda on behalf of the East African Community and as endorsed by the African Union, and urged all parties of Burundi to fully cooperate with the mediator, and given the urgency of the situation, should mediation efforts not restart immediately alternative options might be considered by the African Union and the United Nations.  The members of the Security Council recalled their conviction that only a genuine and inclusive dialogue, based on respect for the Constitution and Arusha Agreement, would best enable the Burundian stakeholders to find a consensual solution to the crisis facing their country.  They highlighted the importance of the decision by the African Union Peace and Security Council to hold such dialogue outside Burundi, in a venue to be determined by the Mediation, and in the required conditions of security, highlighted the need to facilitate the participation and effective representation of all Burundian stakeholders and their viewpoints on issues on which they disagree.

 

The members of the Security Council took note with interest of the decision by the African Union Peace and Security Council to authorize the deployment of an African Prevention and Protection Mission in Burundi (MAPROBU) to address the situation in Burundi and urged all Burundian stakeholders to fully cooperate with the mission in support of the effective implementation of its mandate.  The members of the Security Council underlined the importance for African Member States to pledge troops and police, and stressed the importance for the African Union to take the necessary steps for the urgent development of the concept of operation of MAPROBU and other planning-level documents.  They also stressed the importance of dialogue and coordination between the African Union and the United Nations.

 

As requested by the Security Council resolution 2248 (2015), they recalled the utmost importance of United Nations contingency planning to develop options for the international community to respond to any further deterioration of the situation and underscored the importance of urgently deploying the United Nations team in Burundi under the leadership of the Special Adviser to Conflict Prevention, including Burundi, Jamal Benomar, to coordinate and work with the Government of Burundi, the African Union and other partners to assess the situation and develop options to address political and security concerns.

11 DECEMBER 2015

SC/12158-AFG/447

 

Security Council Press Statement on Terrorist Attack in Kabul

 

The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist attack today, 11 December, in the vicinity of the Embassy of Spain in Kabul, which resulted in at least two deaths, an Afghan policeman and an officer of the Spanish National Police serving at the Embassy of Spain, as well as a number of wounded persons, for which the Taliban has claimed responsibility.

 

The members of the Security Council expressed their deep sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the people and Government of Afghanistan, as well as to the people and Government of Spain.  They wished the injured a speedy recovery.

 

The members of the Security Council reiterated their serious concern at the threats posed by the Taliban, Al-Qaida, ISIL [Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh)] affiliates, and illegal armed groups to the local population, national security forces, and international presence in Afghanistan.

 

The members of the Security Council underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice, and urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with the Afghan authorities in this regard.

 

The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of its motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed, and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group.

 

The members of the Security Council reaffirmed the need and reiterated their determination to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and all obligations under international law, in particular international human rights, refugee and international humanitarian law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

 

The members of the Security Council reiterated that no violent or terrorist acts can reverse the path towards Afghan-led peace, democracy and stability in Afghanistan, which is supported by the people and the Government of Afghanistan and by the international community.

30 NOVEMBER 2015

SC/12145-AFR/3283-PKO/548

 

Security Council Press Statement on Democratic Republic of Congo

 

The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the latest attacks conducted on 29 November 2015 by the Allied Defense Forces (ADF) in North Kivu, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, including against a United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) base.  These attacks led to the killing of one peacekeeper, four Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) soldiers and several civilians, and the injury of several others, including one peacekeeper.

 

The members of the Security Council expressed their condolences to the family of the peacekeeper killed, to the Government of Malawi and to MONUSCO, as well as to the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  They called on the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to swiftly investigate the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice.  The members of the Security Council underlined that attacks targeting peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law.

 

They condemned in the strongest terms the repeated attacks perpetrated against civilians by the ADF in North Kivu, which have already resulted in more than 500 civilians killed since October 2014.  They further stressed the utmost importance of neutralizing, once and for all, all armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and called for the urgent resumption of operations against these groups.

 

The members of the Security Council reiterated their support to MONUSCO and called on all parties to cooperate fully with the Mission and to remain committed to the full and objective implementation of the Mission’s mandate.

28 NOVEMBER 2015

SC/12143-AFR/3277-PKO/544

 

Security Council Press Statement on Terrorist Attack against United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Mali

 

 

The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the attack which targeted this morning the camp of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) in Kidal, during which two peacekeepers from Guinea and a contractor from Burkina Faso were killed, and others injured.

 

The members of the Security Council expressed their deepest condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims, to the Governments of Guinea and Burkina Faso, as well as to the Government of Mali.

 

The members of the Security Council called on the Government of Mali to swiftly investigate this attack and bring the perpetrators to justice and stressed that those responsible for the attack should be held accountable.  The members of the Security Council underlined that attacks targeting peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law.

 

The members of the Security Council reaffirmed the need to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts and that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed.  The members of the Security Council reminded States that they must ensure that measures taken to combat terrorism comply with all their obligations under international law, in particular international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law.

 

The members of the Security Council reiterated their full support for MINUSMA and the French forces that support it.  They reiterated their strong support for the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Mali, Mongi Hamdi, and for MINUSMA to assist the Malian authorities and the Malian people in their efforts to bring lasting peace and stability to their country, including through MINUSMA’s support to the implementation of the Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in Mali, and paid tribute to the peacekeepers who risk their lives in this respect.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia
Wisma Putra
No. 1, Jalan Wisma Putra, Precinct 2
62602 Putrajaya, MALAYSIA

Sitemap


   Disclaimer: The Government of Malaysia shall not be liable for any loss or damage caused by the usage of any information obtained from this portal.
Copyright © 2015 MALAYSIA : United Nations Security Council (UNSC) 2015-2016

Go to top