Five Outgoing Chairs of Security Council Subsidiary Bodies Brief on Entities’ Work, Noting Significant Amount Remains Despite Considerable Efforts in Past Two Years

Five Outgoing Chairs of Security Council Subsidiary Bodies Brief on Entities' Work, Noting Significant Amount Remains Despite Considerable Efforts in Past Two Years

Five outgoing Chairs of Security Council subsidiary bodies briefed the 15-nation organ on the work of these entities today, with many of them pointing to the significant amount left to accomplish despite the considerable effort invested during the past two years.

Over the course of the meeting, these speakers presented the efforts of nine subsidiary bodies - Committees and Working Groups concerning, inter alia, Libya, Democratic People's Republic of Korea and terrorist groups such as Da'esh, Al-Qaida and Al-Shabaab. Speakers also touched on the Council's working methods, as well as efforts relating to children and armed conflict, conflict prevention in Africa and non-proliferation.

Libya, Al-Shabaab and Working Methods

First to brief was Yamazaki Kazuyuki (Japan), Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya, Chair of the Committee pursuant to resolution 2713 (2023) concerning Al-Shabaab and Chair of the Informal Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions. On the 1970 Committee - "one of the most work-intensive Sanctions Committees" - he said that the Committee's "vibrant activities reflect the politically complex environment in Libya and within the Committee, as well as the dynamic relations of the Member States with Libya".

Noting that sanctions measures on Libya "are unique in the sense that - especially regarding the asset freeze - they are implemented for the future benefit of the people of Libya", he reported that the Committee has continuously worked to ensure their appropriate application. However, the Committee is "far from" being perfect in the areas of the arms embargo, travel ban, asset freeze and illicit petroleum exports, he stated, urging Member States to implement their relevant obligations.

Turning to the 2713 Committee, he spotlighted the "significant" lifting of the arms embargo on Somalia's Government through the adoption of resolution 2713 (2023). Yet, while the Council "rightly" acknowledged the Government's efforts to improve arms management, he expressed regret that the Committee "continuously receives reporting of the flow of weapons and ammunition to Al-Shabaab in violation of the arms embargo".

Finally, on the Informal Working Group's activities, he pointed to agreement, reached just before the meeting commenced, regarding incorporating all presidential notes concerning Council working methods into one document. Further, the digital version of the interactive handbook on the working methods will be updated by the Secretariat, and Japan will issue hard-copy handbooks. "These are signature, practical contributions by Japan for the improvement of the working methods of the Security Council," he said.

Da'esh/Al-Qaida and Children and Armed Conflict

The Council also heard from Francesca Maria Gatt (Malta), Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) concerning Da'esh, Al-Qaida and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities, as well as Chair of the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict. "The relevance of the 1267 Committee remains high," she stated, noting that reporting by its Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team "shows the heightened risk assessment many Member States are facing".

However, she reported that one of the Committee's core tasks - adopting new designations - "has seen limited progress". Pointing to both hesitation to use the Committee's sanctions regime and occasional disagreement over who to designate, she stated: "Malta believes that there is constructive work which can still be done in terms of countering terrorism through sanctions at the Security Council."

On the Working Group, she stressed that escalating crises worldwide "have shown a blatant disregard for children's rights - including the fundamental right to life". Nevertheless, she noted that the Committee has conducted 18 formal meetings, numerous informal consultations on a wide array of country-specific situations, adopted conclusions on 11 country files and conducted 2 field visits over the last two years. "Our priority has been to build bridges and deliver strong, consensus-driven conclusions that can meaningfully improve the lives of children affected by armed conflict," she added.

Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa

Pedro Comissário Afonso (Mozambique), Chair of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa, then told the Council that his delegation sought to use "this unique platform" to strengthen the partnership between the UN Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council. "We did so by amplifying Africa's voice, fostering innovation, broadening the thematic scope of our discussions and deepening institutional relationships," he reported, spotlighting the cornerstone principle of "African solutions for African challenges". The Working Group, he added, is a "rare beacon of multilateral action".

Noting that the Group expanded thematic discussions on emerging challenges and the future of peacekeeping, he spotlighted its "relentless focus" on ensuring predictable financing for African Union peace-support operations. As one of the "original" penholders of resolution 2719 (2023), he said that, by facilitating pre- and post-adoption discussions, Mozambique played its part in shaping this "critical instrument". Joint communiqués, issued by the Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council at annual joint consultative meetings, demonstrated that these entities can establish a "common language", he noted.

More so, for the first time, expert-level discussions were convened in 2023 and 2024 ahead of the consultative meetings to create space for dialogue and informed decision-making. Further, he suggested establishing informal mechanisms to monitor the implementation of joint communiqués; increasing Ambassadorial-level inter-Council engagements; including innovative practices, such as retreats and field-visits, to the Working Group's standard operating procedures; and focusing its programme of work on conflict prevention, mitigation and resolution in Africa.

Taliban and Non-Proliferation

Next, the Council heard from Andrés Efren Montalvo Sosa (Ecuador), Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) concerning non-proliferation and Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1988 (2011) concerning the Taliban. Noting that the 1988 Committee's main task was to address requests for travel-ban exemptions for sanctioned Taliban members, he said that it approved all requests that contributed to peace and stability in Afghanistan. However, he expressed concern over unauthorized travel and the submission of tardy or incomplete requests, stressing the need to heed the Committee's guidelines.

Pointing to the complex situation in Afghanistan, three years after the Taliban took power, he said that the sanctions regime should remain a suitable tool with which to address existing threats. Yet, the political change means that some parts of the relevant resolutions and Committee guidelines may not be applicable, he observed, noting that this could undermine the implementation of the sanctions regime. Additionally, travel-ban violations may have occurred partly because of requirements that are difficult to comply with, and he said that the relevant monitoring team's mandate could be revised to investigate such violations.

Turning to the 1540 Committee, he suggested that it convene open briefings each October as part of its normal calendar activities. He further spotlighted workshops for Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, recommending organizing such courses in other regions and formats. Also noting the adoption of a new model for the assistance mechanism, he called it an "evolving document" of paramount importance. More so, the Committee carried out three processes to select groups of experts, he reported, observing that it was not possible to find consensus on the last process. "We have always focused on moving forward the effective implementation of this historic resolution," he concluded.

Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Pascale Christine Baeriswyl (Switzerland), Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1718 (2006) concerning the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, reported that the Committee held over 15 meetings in various formats. Further, it circulated 461 notes, signed 239 letters and approved 48 requests for humanitarian exemptions to the relevant sanctions measures. "Statistics such as these can bring some comfort to our assessment, and it seems clear that the most complex sanctions measures in force go hand in hand with a particularly delicate and heavy workload," she said.

However, she added that these figures "should not mislead us about the growing global threat posed by the DPRK's [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] nuclear-and-ballistic-weapons programme, global tensions and their deleterious impact" on both the Committee's functioning and the "whole architecture of disarmament and arms control". In that context, she pointed to three major challenges that the Committee has had to face, and must overcome to fulfil its mandate - inadequate implementation of sanctions measures, the loss of the relevant Panel of Experts and the elaborate humanitarian-exemption process involved.

"If we really want to maintain sanctions measures as an effective instrument of the Council for the maintenance of nuclear non-proliferation, a wake-up call is needed," she underscored. To that end, she urged a new mandate for the Panel of Experts, as well as the entry of international personnel into the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Expressing hope that the Council will find the 1718 Committee the right place to achieve the goal of a denuclearized Korean Peninsula at peace, she stressed: "We must turn hopes into concrete action."

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