Security Council – Work assessment under Uganda presidency (July 2009) – Letter from Uganda (excerpts)

    Letter dated 2 September 2009 from the Permanent Representative of Uganda to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

  I have the honour to transmit herewith a report on the work of the Security Council during the presidency of Uganda in July 2009 (see annex).

  The document was prepared under my responsibility, after consultation with the other members of the Security Council.

  I should be grateful if you would have the present letter and its annex circulated as a document of the Security Council.

(Signed ) Ruhakana Rugunda

Ambassador and Permanent Representative

Annex to the letter dated 2 September 2009 from the Permanent Representative of Uganda to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

    Assessment of the work of the Security Council during the presidency of Uganda (July 2009)

   Introduction

  During the presidency of Uganda, in the month of July 2009, the Security Council held 21 formal meetings, including 19 public meetings, of which two were open debates. It also held two private meetings with troop-contributing countries and 11 closed consultations.

  The Council adopted five resolutions and five presidential statements. The President also read out one statement to the press and in another instance made oral remarks to the press.

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   Middle East

    The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question 

  On 27 July, the Council held an open debate on the situation in the Middle East, during which it heard a briefing from the Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Oscar Fernandez-Taranco. The Council also heard statements by the representative of Israel and the observer for Palestine. The Assistant Secretary-General outlined the recent international efforts to create conditions under which negotiations between the parties could resume. He recalled that the Secretary-General and members of the Quartet had met in Trieste, Italy, on 26 June, and informed the Council that the members of the Quartet underlined the need for both Israel and Palestine to implement their obligations under the road map. He also emphasized that Security Council resolution 1860 (2009) remains the main framework for a way forward in Gaza. He called for a prompt and positive response to the Secretary-General’s proposal for the entry of materials needed to complete construction of housing, health and education facilities suspended since 2007 as a means to kick-start recovery in Gaza.

  Members of the Council reiterated their support for the ongoing efforts to reinvigorate the peace process in all its tracks and the convening of an international conference in Moscow.

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