Overview
Mexico will hold the Council presidency in April.
Two open debates are currently expected. The first will be on mediation and settlement of disputes, most likely on 14 April. This debate will respond to a report requested by the Council in S/PRST/2008/36 and is expected from the Secretary-General in late March (Security Council Report will publish an Update Report prior to the debate).
On 29 April, Mexican Foreign Minister Patricia Espinosa is expected to chair a debate on children and armed conflict, a topic of particular interest to Mexico due to its chairmanship of the Council’s working group on this subject. (Security Council Report will publish the second Crosscutting Report on Children and Armed Conflict prior to the debate.)
Public meetings are expected on Western Sahara and Sudan to adopt resolutions renewing mandates of the relevant peacekeeping operations (MINURSO and UNMIS) which both expire on 30 April. In both cases, earlier private meetings with troop contributing countries and informal consultations are expected.
There is likely to be a debate on Haiti followed by consultations, both expected on 6 April.
There will also be the public monthly Council meeting on the Middle East.
A briefing on the results of the Secretary-General’s Board of Inquiry’s investigation into all incidents involving death and damage at UN premises in Gaza between 27 December and 18 January is also expected, but it is unclear whether this will be discussed only in private session or whether a public meeting may also occur.
Consultations are expected on Guinea-Bissau (on the Secretary-General’s report and the overall situation in the country); on the DRC (on the Secretary-General’s report on MONUC); on Iraq (on the Iraq/Kuwait missing persons and property issues as well as on the Development Fund for Iraq and its International Advisory and Monitoring Board); on Somalia (on the Secretary-General’s report); on Côte d’Ivoire (on sanctions and to discuss the current political situation, in particular the delays in the electoral process);and on MINURCAT (taking stock of the recent transfer of the military components in Chad and CAR from EU to UN command).
At press time it was unclear whether the Secretary-General’s report on Nepal, expected in late April, will be discussed during that month or moved to May. It was also unclear whether the now overdue report by the Secretary-General on Eritrea/Djibouti would be issued. If so, consultations on this issue are likely.
