Security Council

• European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen backed the creation of a European Security Council on Wednesday to address growing threats to peace. • The proposed council would include leaders from the EU, Britain, Norway, Ukraine, and Canada, with permanent seats for large nations like Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and Poland. • This initiative aims to establish a coordinated "playbook" to defend the continent against sabotage and security risks.

• The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting on Tuesday to address rising violence in Yemen and threats to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait shipping route. • UN agencies reported that nearly 100,000 people have been displaced since fighting intensified earlier this month, with thousands fleeing to Djibouti. • Continued insecurity threatens commercial shipping and humanitarian aid for nearly half of Yemen's 41 million people who currently need assistance.

• France, serving as the President of the Security Council for September, announced a work programme focused on addressing critical issues in Haiti, Iran, and Sudan. • The agenda was detailed by the French representative during a press conference held at the UN Headquarters. • This scheduling is significant as it coincides with the upcoming gathering of world leaders for the General Assembly.

• A top UN official addressed the Security Council on Thursday regarding Syria's ongoing transition and rebuilding efforts following more than a decade of war. • Key developments mentioned include the recent dissolution of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces and the United States' decision to remove Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism. • The official warned that while progress is being made, international support remains critical to tackling the country's outstanding challenges.

• UN Under-Secretary-General Tom Fletcher briefed the Security Council, warning that Sudan is suffering from a critical "lack of action" regarding its humanitarian crisis. • The relief effort is currently supported by ten major donors, with the United States providing nearly half of the total funding. • Other key contributors include the EU, Africa Development Bank, UK, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, France, and Norway.

• The UN Security Council received updates on Libya's deteriorating situation, characterized by a political impasse that continues to delay long-planned national elections. • Recent escalations include armed clashes and drone strikes that resulted in a major oil refinery being set ablaze, threatening critical infrastructure. • An activist warned the Council that political division and insecurity are colliding with environmental shocks, including extreme heat and water scarcity, to create a severe peace and security crisis.

• The UN Security Council held an open debate on Thursday to address escalating military clashes and deadly attacks in Yemen. • Recent Houthi missile strikes targeting Saudi Arabia and commercial shipping vessels have intensified regional tensions linked to the US-Iran conflict. • These developments threaten to collapse the 2022 truce between the Houthi militia and the Yemeni government, further destabilizing the region.

• The rise of agentic AI is shifting the cybersecurity landscape from human-centric defense to a paradigm of AI vs. AI. • Traditional security frameworks are becoming obsolete because they rely on human decision-makers to investigate alerts and validate threats. • This shift matters because autonomous AI attacks significantly compress the timeline between initial detection and full exploitation, outpacing human response speeds.

• The UN Security Council met on Wednesday to evaluate the ongoing threat posed by ISIL (Dae’sh) to global peace and security. • Briefings highlighted that ISIL, Al Qaeda, and their affiliates remain "adaptive and resilient" despite international counter-terrorism efforts. • A key concern is the groups' adoption of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies to enhance recruitment, mobilize resources, and expand their operational reach.

• UN Security Council members met on Tuesday to receive updates on the escalating regional tensions involving the US, Iran, Israel, and Hamas. • Reports from the UN relief agency OCHA highlight a dangerous situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, citing Israeli settlement expansion, settler violence, and movement restrictions. • The situation is critical as increasing Israeli attacks threaten the fragile October ceasefire that ended two years of conflict with Hamas in Gaza.

• Intensified hostilities in Ukraine and surrounding areas are devastating civilians and threatening global food security, according to senior UN officials. • The conflict has led to a 20 per cent spike in wheat prices since the start of July, as well as attacks on third-party merchant vessels. • UN officials warned the Security Council about the impact of these hostilities, citing the imperiled global food security as a major concern.

• The UN Security Council convened on Monday at Ukraine's request to address the escalation of large-scale Russian military strikes. • Recent attacks, including an overnight strike on Kyiv on July 19, resulted in at least one civilian death and over a dozen injuries. • The strikes caused significant damage to residential homes and critical civilian infrastructure across the capital and other cities and ports.

• India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, P. Harish, urged the UN Security Council to clearly distinguish between armed aggression and territorial disputes to better maintain international peace. • India called for reforms to the UN Charter, specifically arguing that Chapter VI interventions lack "perpetual validity" and require periodic reviews to align with current geopolitical realities. • The move highlights India's frustration with global inaction and the perceived stagnation of the UN's conflict resolution mechanisms.

• The UN Security Council is conducting its monthly debate on Syria as Secretary-General António Guterres travels to Damascus. • The session occurs amid reports of an Israeli attack in occupied territory and ongoing tensions regarding the US-Iran war. • Members are discussing the development of a multi-national oil pipeline to mitigate the economic risks of closing the critical Strait of Hormuz.

• External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar officially launched India's bid for the single Asia-Pacific seat on the UN Security Council for the 2028–29 term. • The campaign, initiated at the UN Headquarters, involves New Delhi actively seeking international support to secure the position. • This move is coupled with India's renewed demand for comprehensive Security Council reforms to better reflect current global geopolitical realities.

• UN Assistant Secretary-General Mohamed Khaled Khiari warned the Security Council on Monday that recent deadly drone and missile attacks in Ukraine signal a "dangerous cycle of escalation" in the ongoing war. • Edem Wosornu, crisis response director at OCHA, emphasized that the decisions made by the Council are critical and will directly determine whether lives are saved or lost. • The briefings highlight the intensifying violence of Russia's full-scale invasion, which has now entered its fourth year.

• UN Secretary-General António Guterres addressed a Security Council open debate in New York, urging member states to utilize the UN Charter to settle Middle East disputes peacefully. • Guterres highlighted how restrictions on navigational rights in the Strait of Hormuz are destabilizing global energy prices and disrupting critical supply chains. • These disruptions are exacerbating global hunger by increasing fertilizer costs and fueling inflation and debt, particularly within fragile and developing nations.

Criticism comes from across political spectrum after decision regarded as blow to Friedrich Merz’s governmentGermany’s unprecedented failure to win one of the rotating seats on the UN security council has sparked an intense round of soul searching in Berlin, and raised questions about its claims to international leadership under Friedrich Merz.The council vote on Wednesday, which elected Austria and Portugal to a two-year term along with Trinidad and Tobago and Zimbabwe, marked a blow to Merz’s struggling government, which has sought to position itself as a leading European voice on the world stage. Continue reading...

• Germany and Austria are competing for a coveted seat on the UN Security Council for the 2027–2028 term. • Germany is leveraging its status as the EU's largest economy and its history of peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts to secure alliances. • Austria is positioning itself as a neutral mediator, emphasizing its expertise in nuclear disarmament, climate security, and hosting international talks.

One or two clauses yet to be clarified, Iran officials tell Pakistani mediators, after US says deal ‘largely negotiated’Middle East crisis: live updatesIran’s supreme leader and national security council still need to approve the proposed peace deal between Tehran and Washington, Iranian officials said on Sunday.One or two clauses in the proposed peace deal between the US and Iran must be clarified to Iran’s satisfaction before the memorandum of understanding can be sent to Iran’s supreme national security council and the supreme leader Motjaba Khamenei for ratification, Iranian officials said on Sunday, adding this had been conveyed to the Pakistani mediators. Donald Trump claimed on Saturday that a peace deal with Iran “has been largely negotiated”, after calls with Pakistan, Gulf allies and Israel. Continue reading...

Meeting also comes amid recent brutal Russian attacks and Putin’s visit to ChinaThe UN security council is meeting to discuss the situation in Ukraine today in response to recent brutal Russian attacks on the country and joint nuclear weapons drills starting in Russia and Belarus.The meeting – called by Denmark, France, Greece, Latvia, Liberia, and UK – is expected to cover the latest on “peace and security” situation in Ukraine. Continue reading...

• The UN Security Council failed to reach consensus on a resolution extending cross-border humanitarian aid to Syria, with Russia vetoing the measure on Friday amid escalating tensions between Moscow and Western nations over the Syrian conflict's humanitarian toll. • Russia's veto marks the third such blocking in two years, preventing critical medical supplies and food assistance from reaching 5.5 million internally displaced Syrians, according to UN humanitarian coordinator statements. • Western diplomats warned the blockade could exacerbate an already severe humanitarian crisis, with aid agencies reporting shortages of vaccines, antibiotics, and nutrition programs across northern Syria.

• The UN Security Council failed to authorize cross-border humanitarian assistance into Syria after Russia vetoed a resolution supported by 13 member states on Thursday, April 10, blocking aid deliveries to rebel-held northwest regions. • The veto marks the seventh Russian obstruction of Syria humanitarian measures since 2011, leaving an estimated 4.5 million Syrians in need without international UN-coordinated relief channels. • Humanitarian organizations warn the blockade will exacerbate a severe food and medicine shortage, with winter conditions deteriorating access to displaced populations in Idlib province.

• The UN Security Council meeting on April 5, 2026, failed to pass a Ukraine ceasefire resolution after the US vetoed amendments proposed by Russia demanding NATO withdrawal from Eastern Europe. • US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield cited 'unacceptable preconditions' in the Russian text, while 12 members supported a neutral monitoring force of 5,000 troops. • This impasse highlights deepening geopolitical divides, prolonging humanitarian suffering with over 1.2 million displaced since January and risking broader NATO-Russia confrontation.

• US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield introduced a resolution on April 1 demanding safe access for aid in Sudan, where 8.2 million face famine amid civil war. • Russia and China vetoed the measure, citing 'US imperialism,' blocking $2.5 billion in emergency funding pledges. • The impasse exacerbates the crisis, with 500,000 displaced last week alone, drawing condemnation from humanitarian groups like MSF.