The Security Council will decide the terms of MONUSCO's renewal this month. Will they give the peacekeeping mission the mandate and resources they need to protect Congolese civilians?
What's most striking about the mass expulsion of Syrian diplomats from western capitals today is that it is happening at all. If we are to draw a comparison to Libya: No Libyan diplomats were expelled during the height of Muammar Gaddafi's crackdown against rebels and peaceful protesters. Rather, they defected. En masse.
The resolution, after some debate among the permanent members, invokes Chapter VII of the UN Charter, making clear the binding nature of the Council’s decisions and demands.
As of 11:20 AM EDT on April 14th, 2012, the first resolution on Syria, Resolution 2042, was adopted by the United Nations Security Council, after a year of protests and conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic.
The monthly Presidency of the UN Security Council has made its way down through the alphabet once more, landing the United States of America in the driver’s seat of the Council.
