(Photo by Xinhua News Agency/ Shen Hong)

Chaired by Ambassador Li Baodong, President of the UN Security Council for the month of June and China’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, the UN Security Council held an open debate on protection of civilians in armed conflict on 25 June. The meeting heard the briefings by Mr. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ms. Valerie Amos, Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mr. Ivan Simonovic, Assistant Secretary-General of Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and Mr. Philip Spoerri, Director for International Law and Cooperation of International Committee of the Red Cross. Representatives of nearly 50 countries including Security Council members made statements at the meeting.