This update complements the brief background notes already published in the Issues at AMUN handbook. Please read the Issues at AMUN book before turning to this update.

The updates on selected Contemporary Security Council topics below are current as of 11 September 2017. The Council maintains an open agenda, and these are not the only topics the Council might discuss at Conference. Given the ever-changing nature of international peace and security, these four topics are a guide to help direct your research about your State’s positions.

For each topic area, you should consider the following questions that should assist you in gaining a better understanding of the issues at hand, particularly from your state’s perspective:

• How did this conflict begin? Is this a new conflict, a continuation of a conflict or a re-ignition of a previous conflict?
• How have similar situations and conflicts been peacefully resolved?
• What State and regional actors are involved in this conflict?
• If there are non-State actors involved in a conflict, are there any States supporting them? If so, which ones?

 

The Situation in the Middle East

Syria

President Bashar al-Assad of Syria remains in power despite more than six years of active rebellion by a large part of the Syrian population. Unlike other former leaders in the region, such as Ben Ali of Tunisia and Mubarak of Egypt, whose regimes toppled in the Arab Spring, Assad has maintained power despite enormous national and international pressure. Since protests against his government began in March 2011, President Assad has met dissent with military force. These harsh tactics have resulted in military and humanitarian crises, which have only escalated since 2011. The United Nations and Arab League Envoy to Syria report that the Syrian government’s response to the revolution has resulted in over 400,000 deaths to date.

Between 2012 and 2015, three major concerns arose for the international community and the Security Council: the use of chemical weapons on Syrian civilians; failed attempts by the international community to quell the violence; and the increasing urgency of the human rights situation and refugee crisis. In September 2013, United Nations weapons inspectors confirmed the use of sarin gas by the Syrian Arab Army in Ghouta. In response, the Security Council adopted Resolution 2118, requiring the destruction of all of Syria’s chemical weapons. In October 2013, a joint team of United Nations and international inspectors began work to remove all chemical weapons from Syria. In June 2014, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) announced that 100% of Syria’s chemical weapons had been removed from the country; however, there have been concerns about the use of sarin gas since, bringing the validity of this report into question. In August 2017, Ahmet Uzumcu, Director-General of the OPCW, called for the Syrian government to provide documents that would “clarify a number of outstanding issues about its initial declaration of chemical weapons and precursor ingredients.”

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has taken advantage of the struggle between the Assad government and the various rebel groups to seize territory and advance its power in the region. Despite widespread concern over both the Syrian Civil War and ISIL, coordinated international efforts to quell the violence have been limited — in part, because members of the Security Council disagree on a course of action. Russia and China have exercised vetoes on 14 resolutions concerning Syria.

Additionally, in September 2015, Russia joined forces with the Assad government and began launching airstrikes in Syria. While Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed the airstrikes were only targeting ISIL , many rebel-held territories and camps have also been hit since these airstrikes began. The United States has also contributed to airstrikes against ISIL in the area, authorized by former President Barack Obama. These actions have further exacerbated an already-serious humanitarian crisis. Since the onset of the violence, 13.5 million Syrians have required (though not necessarily received) humanitarian aid. Of these, 6 million are currently internally displaced within Syria and at least 5 million are refugees in other countries, creating the most significant displacement of people since the Second World War.

The situation in Syria remains dire. In early March 2017, the Syrian Arab Army reportedly attacked civilians using chemical weapons. This resulted in the United States, under orders from President Donald Trump, launching 59 Tomahawk missiles at a regime-held airfield as well as a series of other targeted airstrikes. The chemical weapon attacks by the Syrian regime killed 472 civilians, including 137 children. A Syrian monitoring group said that this was the highest recorded civilian death toll since the air raids began in Raqqa in late 2014. Partially in response to the escalating situation, the United States, Russia and Jordan successfully negotiated a ceasefire in southwest Syria that took effect on July 10 of this year. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with his Jordanian counterpart, as well as Jordan’s King Abdullah IIm in September 2017, with both countries called the current cease-fire successful. They are seeking to negotiate more localized ceasefires and larger “de-escalation zones.”

The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)

While regional actors have been concerned with ISIL since the early 2000, the United Nations focused its attention on ISIL after that group pushed government forces out of western Iraqi cities and captured Mosul in early 2014, declaring itself a caliphate. In October 2014, the United Nations called for international action to prevent a massacre of civilians, and the Security Council called for a “common effort” to defeat ISIL forces.

To date, at least 68 countries are engaged in international efforts to counter ISIL, though not all are engaged in military campaigns like Iran and the United States. The United States has led airstrikes against ISIL in Iraq since August 2014, with operations expanding into Syria in September 2014; in counterpoint. The Russian Federation began militarily backing the Assad forces in September 2015. The U.S.-led Operation Tidal Wave II launched in October 2015, targeting ISIL-held oil refineries and infrastructure within Syria. The United States claims that the operation eliminated or incapacitated more than 116 ISIL-sponsored trucks in its first month. By December 2015, the airstrikes had destroyed nearly 90 percent of ISIL’s oil production capacity and had ISIL fighters in retreat from some areas in Syria, including their de facto base in Raqqa.

The Security Council and international community have also worked to limit ISIL’s access to financing through sanctions and other legal means. On 12 February 2015, the Security Council passed Resolution 2199 condemning trade with terrorist groups in oil and antiquities, as well as the paying of hostage ransom fees. Additionally, the Resolution threatened further targeted sanctions and reasserted that States should not assist ISIL with cash or other resources. In December 2015, Resolution 2253 placed sanctions on ISIL and States affiliated with the organization, similar to those placed on al-Qaeda in previous years, and increased sharing of intelligence to combat ISIL. In July 2017, Resolution 2368 reaffirmed the asset freeze, travel ban and arms embargo affecting all individuals and entities on the ISIL (Da’esh) & Al-Qaida Sanctions List. This resolution also called for a report on the implementation of the Resolution to the Council before the end of October 2017.

Since 2014, ISIL and its affiliated organizations have taken credit for a number of attacks outside of Iraq and Syria—both in the region (e.g., Egypt, Turkey, Libya, Saudi Arabia), and outside (e.g., Germany, France, Belgium, the US, Indonesia, Bangladesh), increasing global concern. Dozens of attacks have taken place in 2017, including a vehicular attack in Spain in August and a mass shooting in Iraq in September. Despite military and humanitarian efforts by the international community to combat ISIL, it continues to flourish.

Bibliography

Al Jazeera (2017). Syria’s ‘de-escalation zones’ explained. 4 July.

Al Jazeera (2017). Syria’s Civil War Explained From the Beginning. 5 August.

Associated Press (2016). Chronicling a disaster: A timeline of the Syrian civil war. Los Angeles Times. 22 August.

Associated Press (2016). AP Exclusive: text of Syria cease-fire deal. The Associated Press. 22 September.

BBC News (2015). Syria Profile-Timeline. BBC News. 25 June.

Erdbrink, Thomas, Sewell Chan, and David E. Sanger (2015). After a U.S. Shift, Iran Has a Seat at Talks on War in Syria New York Times. 28 October.

Gilsinian, Kathy (2015). The Confused Person’s Guide to the Syrian Civil War. The Atlantic. 29 October.

Glass, Charles (2015). Syria Burning: ISIS and the Death of the Arab Spring. New York: OR Books.

Kan, Paul Rexton (2014). Defeating the Islamic State: A Financial-Military Strategy. Parameters: 44(4).

Laub, Zachary and Jonathan Masters (2016). The Islamic State. Council on Foreign Relations. 3 March.

Lister, Charles (2014). Profiling the Islamic State. Brookings Doha Center Analysis Paper

UN News Centre (2015). Security Council approves resolution targeting sources of financing for ISIL. United Nations News Centre. 12 February.

UN News Centre (2015). Security Council Unanimously Adopts Resolution 2235 (2015), Establishing Mechanism to Identify Perpetrators Using Chemical Weapons in Syria. United Nations News Centre. 7 August.

UN News Centre (2015). Security Council Unanimously Adopts Resolution 2254 (2015), Endorsing Road Map for Peace Process in Syria, Setting Timetable for Talks. United Nations News Centre. 18 December.

Yourish, Karen, Derek Watkins, Tom Giratikanon, and Jasmine C. Lee (2016). How Many People Have Been Killed in ISIS Attacks Around the World. New York Times. 16 July.

UN Documents

United Nations, Security Council (2017). Concerning ISIL (Da’esh) Al-Qaida and Associated Individual Groups Undertakings and Entities. 20 July. S/RES/2358.

United Nations, Security Council (2017). The situation in the Middle East. 23 February. S/RES/2342.

United Nations, Security Council (2017). Threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts. 13 February. S/RES/2341.

United Nations, Security Council (2016). The situation in the Middle East (Syria). 31 December. S/RES/2336.

United Nations, Security Council (2016). The situation in the Middle East (Syria). 21 December. S/RES/2332.

United Nations, Security Council (2016). The situation in the Middle East (Syria). 17 November. S/RES/2319.

United Nations, Security Council (2016). The situation in the Middle East (Syria). 31 October. S/RES/2314.

United Nations, Security Council (2016). The situation concerning Iraq. 25 July. S/RES/2299

United Nations, Security Council (2016). The Situation in the Middle East (Syria). 26 February. S/RES/2268.

United Nations, Security Council (2015). Threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts. 17 December. S/RES/2253.

United Nations, Security Council (2015). Middle East (Syria). 7 August. S/RES/2235.

United Nations Security Council (2013). The situation in the Middle East. 27 September. S/RES/2118.

United Nations Security Council (2012). Middle East. 21 April. S/RES/2043.

The Situation in Ukraine

The situation in Ukraine has remained tumultuous since the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych in 2014. Ukraine has suffered from significant political upheaval, the occupation of Crimea, and ongoing military clashes between Ukrainian and Russian forces in Eastern Ukraine, especially in Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk. Current issues for the international community include the threat of continued fighting between state-armed forces and separatist groups, international efforts at peace and ceasefires, Ukraine’s economic stability, and international sanctions against the Russian Federation.

The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR) has reported over 10,000 deaths in Ukraine since the conflict’s onset, making it one of the bloodiest European conflicts in decades. In an effort to stop the violence, Ukraine, the Russian Federation, France and Germany adopted the Minsk Agreement, overseen by the Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE) in February 2015. Core elements of the ceasefire appear to be holding, but the violence continues. In June 2016, the Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE) reported shelling, bursts of machine gun fire and explosions from undetermined sources in the war-stricken regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. In February 2017, more than a dozen civilians and several soldiers were killed in Eastern Ukraine as fighting broke out once again between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian rebels. In July 2017, half a dozen Ukrainian soldiers were killed by pro-Russian rebels in the Donetsk region, in violation of the cease-fire agreement currently in place.

The economic situation in Eastern Ukraine has become increasingly concerning, especially with the continued implementation of sanctions. In March 2017, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko cut trade ties with the separatist regions, hoping the fragile economies will buckle due to dependence on Russian economic support. This move also threatens stability within Ukraine, as Ukraine relies on the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts for coal, the country’s chief power source. Poroshenko’s decision was unpopular with many in the Ukrainian Parliament.

In response to the Russian military intervention in Ukraine, the United States, The European Union (EU) and a number of other States and international organizations adopted sanctions against the Russian Federation. In March 2017, the EU extended asset freezes and travel bans until September 2017 for a list of individuals linked to the dispute. The EU has also extended sanctions prohibiting EU businesses from investing in the Crimean peninsula until June 2018. In both June and August 2017, the United States imposed new sanctions against the Russian Federation in response to the State’s continued involvement in Crimea as well as alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. In response specifically to the U.S. sanctions, Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the removal of 755 United States diplomats from Russia.

Bibliography

Al Jazeera (2016). Ukraine conflict: UN accuses both sides of abuses. Al Jazeera. 14 July.

BBC News (2014). Ukraine crisis: Timeline. BBC News. 12 November.

BBC News (2016). MH17 missile ‘came from Russia’, Dutch-led investigators say. BBC news. 28 September.

Erlanger, Steven (2015). Fragile Cease-Fire in Ukraine Inspires Little Confidence in West. New York Times. 28 March.

Kramer, Andrew E (2017). Fighting in Ukraine may Complicate U.S. Thaw with Russia. New York Times. 31 January.

Kramer, Andrew E (2017). Ukraine Cuts Off All Trade With Separatist Regions. New York Times. 15 March.

Kramer, Andrew E and Michael R. Gordon (2017). Ukraine Reports Russian Invasion on a New Front. New York Times. 27 August.

McMahon, Robert (2014). Ukraine in Crisis. Council on Foreign Relations. 25 August.

Reuters (2017). Russia says U.S., Ukraine reject its UN proposal for Eastern Ukraine. 18 September.

Sengupta, Somini (2015). Monitors of Ukraine Conflict Seek Help. New York Times. 24 February.

Sengupta, Somini (2014). Russia Vetoes U.N. Resolution on Crimea. New York Times. 15 March.

Sopova, Alisa (2016). U.N. Suspends Torture Inquiry in Ukraine. New York Times. 26 May.

Weaver, Courtney. (2014) Ukraine’s Rebel Republics. Financial Times. 5 December.

UN Documents

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (2016). Report on the human rights situation in Ukraine 16 February to 15 May 2016.

United Nations, Security Council (2015). Letter from the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation (The Situation in Ukraine). 17 February. S/RES/2202.

United Nations Security Council (2014). Security Council Briefed on Fast-Breaking Developments in Ukraine, as Political Official Warns Failure to Secure Russian-Ukrainian Border Obstructing Peace. 12 November. SC/11645.

Non-proliferation/Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

On 30 November 2016, the Security Council adopted Resolution 2321, imposing the “toughest and most comprehensive sanctions regime ever” against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), according to then-United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The resolution strengthened and expanded sectoral sanctions on the DPRK’s exports, imposed additional restrictions on the DPRK’s ability to generate revenue, strengthened expansive cargo inspection obligations and included new tools to improve the enforcement of sanctions.

In 2017, the Security Council has adopted three resolutions regarding the DPRK. The first, Resolution 2345, extended the mandate of the Panel of Experts established by Resolution 1874 . The remaining two resolutions, Resolutions 2356 and 2371, have added additional sanctions against the DPRK. Resolution 2356, adopted on 2 June, expanded the number of individuals and entities targeted by the sanctions imposed under Resolution 1718. Resolution 2371, adopted on 5 August, prohibited the DPRK from supplying, selling or transferring coal, iron, iron ore, seafood, lead and lead ore to other countries. It also prohibited the opening of new joint ventures with entities in the DPRK. The sanctions sought to dissuade the DPRK from further testing (or use) of nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missile systems (ICBMs). To date, the sanctions have not been successful in achieving this objective.

On 9 August, the DPRK’s state-run news agency, KCNA, stated that the military was “examining the operational plan” to strike areas around Guam, a territory of the United States, with medium-to-long-range ballistic missiles. Senior U.S. officials have sent mixed messages regarding the response to this reported “operational plan.”

On 28 August 2017, the DPRK launched a ballistic missile over Japan, following multiple ballistic missile launches on 25 August 2017. On 29 August, the Security Council issued a Presidential Statement condemning the actions and expressing that the Council is “resolute in its commitment to a denuclearized Korean Peninsula.

United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman said during a briefing that data from the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization showed that the 3 September 2017 nuclear test conducted by the DPRK had an estimated yield of between 50 and 100 kilotons, “more than five times more powerful than the atomic bomb detonated over Hiroshima in 1945.” He continued that the test was a “dangerous provocation.”

Bibliography

Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) (2017).

The U.S.-North Korean Agreed Framework at a Glance (2004). Arms Control Association. 17 August.

Chronology of U.S.-North Korean Nuclear and Missile Diplomacy (2017). Arms Control Association. 8 August.

KEDO – About Us (2017). Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO). 8 August.

Sang-Hun, Choe (2012). U.S. Agrees to Let South Korea Extend Range of Ballistic Missiles. New York Times. 7 October.

FACT SHEET: Resolution 2321 – Strengthening Sanctions on the DPRK (2016). United States Mission to the United Nations. 30 November.

North Korea warned by Mattis not to invite “destruction” (2017). BBC News. 9 August.

Baker, Peter and Gardiner Harris (2017). Deep Divisions Emerge in Trump Administration as North Korea Threatens War. New York Times. 9 August.

Latest ballistic launches by DPR Korea raise risk of regional arms race, UN Security Council warns (2017). UN News Centre. 8 March.

UN Documents

United Nations, Security Council (2017). Non-proliferation/Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. 23 March. S/RES/2345.

United Nations, Security Council (2017). Lack of Communication with Pyongyang Dangerous, Secretary-General Warns, as Security Council Takes Up Non-Proliferation. 28 April. SC/12804.

United Nations, Security Council (2017). Security Council Unanimously Adopts Resolution Extending Number, Scope of Sanctions against Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. 2 June. SC/12853.

United Nations, Security Council (2017). Non-proliferation/Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. 2 June. S/RES/2356.

United Nations, Security Council (2017). Security Council Toughens Sanctions Against Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Unanimously Adopting Resolution 2371 (2017). 5 August. SC/12945.

United Nations, Security Council (2017). Non-proliferation/Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. 5 August. S/RES/2371.

United Nations, Security Council (2017). Non-proliferation/Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. 29 August. S/PRST/2017/16.

United Nations, Security Council (2017). Security Council Presidential Statement Strongly Condemns Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Ballistic Missile Launch over Japan. 4 September. SC/12978.

The Situation in The Sudan and South Sudan

Sudan and Darfur

Despite a significant decrease in armed conflict in Darfur, civilians remain exposed to violence. On 8 February 2017, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 2340, extending the mandate of the Panel of Experts, charged with monitoring the situation in Darfur, until 12 March 2018. As of 18 May 2017, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission and the Secretary-General of the United Nations have released a special report on the strategic review of the African Union/United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID). The report stated that the security situation had significantly improved and recommended the mandate be extended for 12 months for “proposed reconfiguration” as “part of the exit strategy.” The Security Council accepted this recommendation and adopted Resolution 2363 on 29 June, thereby extending the mandate of UNAMID until 30 June 2018. The restructuring of UNAMID will occur in two six-month phases: the Security Council determined that at the end of phase one, the authorized numbers of troops and police will be 11,395 and 2,888, respectively; at the end of phase two, the authorized numbers will be 8,735 troops and 2,500 police.

South Sudan

The conflict in South Sudan continues to worsen. In February 2017, a famine was declared in parts of South Sudan. An estimation of those affected by the famine determined that at least 100,000 people were dying of starvation and one million were near-starvation. On 23 March, a statement by the President of the Security Council was released, in which the Council expressed deep alarm regarding the famine while also stating that “there is no military solution to the conflict.” The Council called for immediate adherence to a permanent ceasefire but David Shearer, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), stated that there had been no concerted effort by any party to adhere to a ceasefire.

On 22 May 2017, South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir launched the National Dialogue Committee. The National Dialogue was first announced in December 2016 and was scheduled to launch in March but experienced delays due to reported financial constraints. Two days after the launch, on 24 May 2017, the Security Council adopted Resolution 2353, which renewed sanctions against South Sudan, including a travel ban and asset freeze. A senior Southern Sudanese official stressed to the Council that the National Dialogue could not be successful without the genuine participation of opposition groups.

Currently, UNMISS is supporting more than 220,000 displaced civilians in six different locations across the county, and has had to increase protection activities such as integrated patrols in an attempt to deter violence. Unfortunately, South Sudan has been dubbed the “world’s deadliest country for humanitarian workers” by Fodé Seck, Chair of the Security Council South Sudan Sanctions Committee, meaning increased patrols also put Mission personnel in increasing levels of danger.

On 8 August 2017, deployment of the 4,000-member Regional Protection Force, approved by the Security Council in Resolution 2304 (2016), officially began. UNMISS head David Shearer stated that “having additional troops means we can carry out more tasks related to our mandate, to protect civilians and build durable peace.”

Bibliography

South Sudan Profile – Timeline (2017). BBC News. 12 July.

South Sudan: Deployment of UN-mandated Regional Protection Force Begins (2017). UN News Centre. 8 August.

United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (2017). UNMISS Facts and Figures. 9 August.

UN Documents

United Nations, Security Council (2017). Civilians in Darfur Still under Threat, as Proliferation of Weapons Aggravates Situation, Peacekeeping Chief Tells Security Council. 12 January. SC/12678.

United Nations, Security Council (2017). Unanimously Adopting Resolution 2340 (2017), Security Council Authorizes Mandate Extension for Expert Panel Monitoring Sanctions in Darfur, Sudan. 8 February. SC/12709.

United Nations, Security Council (2017). Reports of the Secretary-General on the Sudan and South Sudan. 8 February. S/RES/2340.

United Nations, Security Council (2017). Despite Increased Stability in Darfur, Reconfiguration of Peacekeeping Mission Must Not Compromise Gains, Special Representative Tells Security Council. 4 April. SC/12775.

United Nations, Security Council (2017). Special report of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission and the Secretary-General of the United Nations on the strategic review of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur. 18 May. S/2017/437.

United Nations, Security Council (2017). Assistant Secretary-General Urges Readjustment of Mandate to Accompany Drawdown of African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur. 14 June. SC/12869.

United Nations, Security Council (2017). Security Council Renews Mandate of African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur, Unanimously Adopting Resolution 2363 (2017). 29 June. SC/12893.

United Nations, Security Council (2017). Reports of the Secretary-General on the Sudan and South Sudan. 29 June. S/RES/2363.

United Nations, Security Council (2017). No Military Solution in South Sudan, Security Council Presidential Statement Stresses, Urging Immediate End to Violence against Aid Workers. 23 March. SC/12761.

United Nations, Security Council (2017). Reports of the Secretary-General on the Sudan and South Sudan. 23 March. S/PRST/2017/4.

United Nations, Security Council (2017). South Sudan Peace Process Not Dead, But Needs ‘Significant Resuscitation’, Secretary-General’s Special Representative Tells Security Council. 25 April. SC/12802.

United Nations, Security Council (2017). Unanimously Adopting Resolution 2353 (2017), Security Council Renews Sanctions against South Sudan. 24 May. SC/12838.

United Nations, Security Council (2017). Latest National Dialogue in South Sudan Will Only Work with Genuine Participation of Opposition Groups, Senior Official Tells Security Council. 24 May. SC/12840.

United Nations, Security Council (2017). Peacekeeping Chief Recommends No Change in South Sudan Mandate Owing to Persistent Hostilities, Stalled Dialogue. 21 June. SC/12884.