Statement [Made on Behalf of the Security Council, at the 5735th Meeting, 28 Aug. 2007, in Connection with the Council's Consideration of the Item Entitled "Maintenance of International Peace and Security"]

S/PRST/2007/31View PDF

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Presidential Statement of the Security Council, under agenda item 100 Maintenance of international peace and security, published in 2007.

What subjects does this mandate have?

11 subjects

Africa Civil Society Cooperation Between Organizations Early Warning Systems Inter-Agency Cooperation International Security Peacebuilding Preventive Diplomacy Regional Organizations Regional Security War Prevention

What’s in this document?

18 paragraphs

At the 5735th meeting of the Security Council, held on 28 August 2007, in connection with the Council’s consideration of the item entitled “Maintenance of international peace and security”, the President of the Security Council made the following statement on behalf of the Council:

“The Security Council, bearing in mind its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, acknowledges the importance of the settlement of disputes by peaceful means and promoting necessary preventive action in response to threats to international peace and security.

“The Security Council recognizes the important role of regional organizations in the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts in accordance with Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations as well as its relevant resolutions and Presidential statements. In this regard it welcomes the increasing cooperation between the United Nations and African Union.

“The Security Council recalls that the prevention of conflict remains a primary responsibility of Member States.

“The Security Council reaffirms its commitment to the full and effective implementation of resolution 1625 (2005) on conflict prevention, particularly in Africa, requests the Secretary-General to report to the Council within sixty days on options for further implementation of its resolution 1625 (2005), and recalls the relevant Presidential statements in particular S/PRST/2006/39, S/PRST/2006/45, S/PRST/2006/57, S/PRST/2007/1, S/PRST/2007/3, S/PRST/2007/7, S/PRST/2007/22 and S/PRST/2007/24.

“The Security Council also stresses the need to carry out efforts to increase women’s participation as contributors and beneficiaries in conflict prevention and peacebuilding. In this regard, it calls for the further implementation of its resolution 1325 (2000).

“The Security Council notes the varied nature of conflicts, which involve not only conflicts between States and within States, but also new emerging threats, and thus reiterates its determination to strengthen its role in preventing and resolving conflict in all its forms.

“The Security Council recalls its previous Presidential statements concerning the various factors and causes that play a role in inciting, worsening or prolonging conflicts in Africa, and in particular the factors and causes that have been highlighted and addressed by the Council.

“The Security Council supports the comprehensive and global approach recommended by the Secretary-General in his report on the prevention of armed conflict (A/60/891), namely: structural prevention, to address the root causes of conflict; operational prevention, to ensure the effective operation of early warning mechanisms, mediation, humanitarian access and response, the protection of civilians and targeted sanctions in the face of immediate crises; and systemic prevention, to prevent existing conflicts from spilling over into other States.

“In this context, effective coordination between and within United Nations organs, programmes, funds and agencies involved in policy formulation and implementation is vital for ensuring better coherence of the existing mechanisms and the appropriate balance between peacekeeping operations and preventive activities. Such coordination should be undertaken taking into consideration the ongoing debate on how to improve systemic coherence within the United Nations.

“The Security Council welcomes recent developments regarding the long-term prevention of conflict, including best practice and policy work on: Security Sector Reform, Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration, transitional justice and the rule of law, electoral practices, peacebuilding, democratic governance, development, humanitarian assistance and protection, safe and voluntary return of refugees and Internally Displaced Persons. The Council encourages further progress and greater coherence on these issues, and requests the Secretary-General to include in the report requested above proposals for how better to coordinate the positions and expertise of the relevant United Nations organs, programmes, funds and agencies, including through regular interaction with the Member States.

“The Security Council notes the recommendations in the Secretary-General’s report on the prevention of armed conflict (A/60/891), welcomes the efforts that have been made to strengthen the risk assessment and conflict-prevention capacities of the United Nations, and encourages the Secretary-General to continue those efforts in order to improve the United Nations’ early warning, mediation support and other preventive activities in Africa and around the world. In this connection, the Security Council stresses the crucial role of the Secretary-General’s Special Advisers on the Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities and on matters relating to the prevention and resolution of conflict as well as, where appropriate, the contribution of United Nations bodies such as the Peacebuilding Commission and the Human Rights Council.

“The Security Council welcomes the fact that the Working Group on Conflict Prevention and Resolution, particularly in Africa, has taken the initiative of giving greater thought to these questions and taken a special interest in the problem of the elaboration of an effective global conflict-prevention strategy — the subject of a seminar to be held in November 2007.

“The Security Council stresses the importance of a regional approach to conflict prevention as applicable, and in this connection welcomes the growing contribution being made by regional organizations in addressing issues of peace and security, and looks forward to the report of the Secretary-General, in consultation with the relevant regional organizations, in particular the African Union, and pursuant to PRST/2007/7, on specific proposals on how the United Nations can better support arrangements for further cooperation and coordination with regional organizations on Chapter VIII arrangements in order to contribute significantly to the common security challenges in the areas of concern and to promote the deepening and broadening of dialogue and cooperation between the Security Council and the Peace and Security Council of the African Union.

“The Security Council underlines the need for a stronger and more structured relationship between the Security Council and the Peace and Security Council of the African Union contributing to the achievement of the goals of peace and stability in the context of the arrangements provided for in Chapter VIII of the Charter. The Council thus welcomes the agreement reached between the United Nations and the African Union at Addis Ababa on 16 November 2006 which consolidates the basis of partnership necessary to address the underlying causes of conflict. The Council also reaffirms the joint communiqué agreed with the African Union Peace and Security Council on 16 June 2007 (S/2007/386).

“The Security Council welcomes the work done by the African Union to set up its Panel of the Wise and Continental Early Warning System, which are key components of the African Peace and Security Architecture.

“The Security Council also recognizes the important contribution of subregional bodies and underscores the need for African subregional bodies to enhance their capacities in early warning and conflict prevention in order to allow these important actors to respond more promptly to the emerging threats to security in their areas.

“At the same time, the Security Council encourages Member States to make further efforts to ensure adequate consultation between civil society and national institutions, on the one hand, and the United Nations and the international community, on the other hand, so as to be better equipped to address the global character of questions of peace and security.”

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