Overview

Uganda will hold the presidency of the Security Council in October. The month’s programme is likely to be very tightly packed, especially since it seems the Council will undertake a mission to Sudan (Juba, Khartoum and Darfur and perhaps also Kampala, Uganda) during the week of 4 October. The elections in the General Assembly for five new Security Council members on 12 October will also be a focus.

Several debates are planned. In the first half of the month, the Council will hold a debate on post-conflict peacebuilding. Later in the month there is likely to be a debate onpeace and security in Africa with a focus on AU peacekeeping and will be presided over by Uganda’s Foreign Minister Sam Kutesa. In late October a ministerial-level open debate on women, and peace and security is planned to mark the tenth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1325. An open debate on the Middle East and a debate on Timor Leste are also expected.

Several briefingsare expected on:

• the DRC, by MONUSCO’s head, Roger Meece, to be followed by consultations;
• the 28 September to 6 October visit to the DRC by Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict Margot Wallström;
• MONUSCO’s strategy for the protection of civilians and its implementation challenges from the Secretariat;
• the operation in Chad and Central African Republic, most likely by MINURCAT’s head, Youssef Mahmoud, also to be followed by consultations;
• Lebanon in the context of resolution1559, by Special Envoy Terje Rød-Larsen (in consultations);
• UNMIN, by Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe, following his visit to Nepal;
• the operation in Sudan, UNMIS and preparations for the referenda (also in consultations);
• the operation in Darfur, UNAMID, to be followed by consultations;
• Somalia, to be followed by a private meeting;
• the Council visiting mission to Sudan; and also
• by the President of the International Court of Justice, Hisashi Owada (in a private meeting).

Consultations are also expected on Cote d’Ivoire and the operation there, UNOCI.

A number of adoptions are due and will occur in formal sessions of the Council:

• the renewal of the peacekeeping operation in Haiti, MINUSTAH;
• the authorisation of the international forces in Afghanistan, ISAF;
• the renewal of the mandate of the Sudansanctions panel of experts; and
• the renewal of Cote d’Ivoiresanctions and the panel of experts.

The Council will also likely approve in October its annual report to the General Assembly.

Full forecast