Overview
In August, Belgium will have the presidency of the Council.
An open thematic debate on Council Working Methods is expected in late August. It responds to a request by the S5 group (Costa Rica, Liechtenstein, Jordan, Singapore and Switzerland) that the Council, after two years, consider the progress made since its working group under Japan’s leadership reached agreement on a number of reforms to working methods, which are recorded in S/2006/507. (Our Special Research Report of 18 October 2007 “Security Council Transparency, Legitimacy and Effectiveness–Efforts to Reform Council Working Methods 1993-2007” provides detailed background information. This will be supplemented by an Update Report prior to the August debate.)
A public session on the Middle East, in accordance with normal practice, is also expected. A briefing is likely. (Our Special Research Report of 17 December 2007 provides background on the history of Council involvement.)
Open meetings are also likely on:
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Timor Leste (briefing by the SRSG and possibly also the foreign minister of Timor Leste);
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Iraq (renewal of the UNAMI mandate);
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Somalia (renewal of the authorisation for the AU force AMISOM);
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Sudan (briefing by the UNMIS SRSG is likely); and
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Lebanon (renewal of the UNIFIL mandate).
Discussions are possible on:
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Counter-Terrorism (the delayed report of the 1540 Committee);
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Myanmar (on the visit of Special Envoy Ibrahim Gambari);
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DRC (possible consideration of the report from the Sanctions Committee);
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Liberia (initial discussion of the UNMIL report due on 15 August);
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International Criminal Tribunals (experts discussions on the annual reports of the ICTY and ICTR are likely); and
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Zimbabwe (follow up to S/PRST/2008/23).
