UNSC meets in-person on Wednesday for first time since Covid-19 lockdown

The members of UN Security Council held an in-person meeting for the first time since mid-March, council's president for month of July, German Ambassador to the United Nations Christoph Heusgen said.

The members of the UN Security Council on Wednesday held an in-person meeting for the first time since mid-March, the council's president for the month of July, German Ambassador to the United Nations Christoph Heusgen said in a press briefing.

"We had for the first time since for almost three and a half months a physical meeting of the members of the Security Council," Heusgen said. "We met this morning in the German house [the Permanent Mission of Germany to the United Nations] with all the ambassadors, and we had a good informative discussion."

Heusgen also said he hopes that in July, the Security Council will return to its regular in-person meetings at the UN headquarters in Manhattan if conditions allow.

"It's much more convenient and much better for the atmosphere if we meet in person, but, of course, it has to take place under conditions that are compatible with all the medical implications," the diplomat said.

The 15-members body switched to virtual meetings in mid-March when New York City was placed under lockdown to suppress the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had also advised all non-essential staff to telecommute amid the outbreak of the coronavirus.

Currently, the UN headquarters is under phase 0 of the physical return. The first phase, which is expected to start no earlier than August, will allow maximum occupancy at 400 people a day.