Overview
Bosnia and Herzegovina will hold the Council presidency in January.
Two open debates are expected. The first is on the Middle East, to be held in the second half of the month following the usual monthly briefing.
A second open debate is expected on institution-building, as part of post-conflict peacebuilding. This is likely later in the month with a presidential statement as a possible outcome (Security Council Report will be publishing an Update Report on this issue closer to the debate.)
Sudan will take much of the Council’s attention throughout January. Consultations are expected a few days prior to the beginning of the referendum (scheduled to start on 9 January) and again soon after its conclusion. A briefing by the head of peacekeeping Alain Le Roy on the regular quarterly reports of the Secretary-General on UNMIS and UNAMID, which are due in early to mid-January, is expected, followed by consultations. The Sudan Sanctions Committee is expecting to receive an interim report from its panel of experts.
Other possible events in January include:
-
further discussions on Côte d’Ivoire;
-
early in the month, the Department of Political Affairs is likely to brief Council members in consultations on issues of possible concern during the month of January;
-
on Nepal, a briefing by UNMIN head, Karin Landgren;
-
on Haiti, a meeting on post-election political developments and the humanitarian situation including the status a year after the earthquake and the impact of the cholera epidemic;
-
on Somalia, a briefing by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia, Augustine Mahiga;
-
also in consultations, a briefing is expected on the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy in Central Asia (UNRCCA) by its head, Miroslav Jenca;
-
a decision by Council members on election of the bureaux of Council subsidiary bodies; and
-
consultations on the Central African Republic following outcome of elections on 23 January.
At press time it seemed possible that there will be no draft resolutions for adoption in January. One possibility is Nepal (should there be a request to renew the UNMIN mandate which otherwise expires on 15 January).
