March 2007 Monthly Forecast

PEACEMAKING, PEACEKEEPING AND PEACEBUILDING

Upcoming Issues in Sanctions Committees

Somalia Sanctions (751 Committee)
The Committee is likely to begin receiving shortly applications under resolution 1744 for exemptions covering supply of material to support the Transitional Federal Government.  These are likely to be proposed under a “no objection” procedure.  Meetings may not be needed in March.  The Monitoring Group mid-term briefing is unlikely to be given to the Committee before mid-April. S/RES/1724

Liberia Sanctions (1521 Committee)
The Panel of Experts briefing to the Committee in preparation for the Council’s review of the diamond sanctions may occur in March.  (The Council review is due after 20 April 2007.)  The Kimberley Process is also expected to inform the Committee of its assessment of progress made by the Liberian government towards joining the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme before the Council’s review takes place. S/RES/1731

DRC Sanctions (1533 Committee)
The Committee has received the much delayed Secretary-General’s report (S/2007/68) of 8 February 2007, prepared by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) on the potential economic, humanitarian and social impact of the implementation of the proposed measures to protect DRC’s natural resources from unlawful and foreign predators.  These measures had been recommended by the Group of Experts on 18 July 2006 (S/2006/525). 

The Group of Experts had recommended that the DRC’s government, with the assistance of the international community, should develop an effective system of natural resources control which could be backed up by the Council by declaring illegal exploitation and commerce outside these measures to be a “sanctionable act”.  Violators of DRC natural resources laws could then be added to the list of individuals and entities subject to the targeted sanctions imposed under resolution 1596.

In its 31 January 2007 report (S/2007/40), the Group of Experts further elaborated its original concepts and reiterated its earlier recommendations.

The Secretary-General’s report will be discussed by the Committee in conjunction with the January report of the Group of Experts.

Sudan Sanctions (1591 Committee)
The Panel of Experts mid-term briefing is due by 29 March 2007.  The report is expected to be discussed in the Committee on 27 March. S/RES/1713>

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Sanctions (1718 Committee)
The Committee will try to resolve outstanding issues relating to its guidelines.  Some discussion of amending the lists of designated sanctioned items (including S/2006/814, 815, 853) is also expected.  The Committee’s next report to the Council is in early April 2007. S/RES/1718

Full forecast

Subscribe to receive SCR publications