Overview
The UK will have the presidency of the Council in March. Foreign Secretary William Hague is expected to preside over a debate focusing on the recent events in the Middle East and North Africa and intending to look at challenges and opportunities for peace and security emanating from this experience. Three foreign ministers from the region are likely to brief and several foreign ministers from Council member states have confirmed their participation.
An open debate is planned on Somalia, with Special Representative Augustine Mahiga expected to brief by video conference and Henry Bellingham, UK Minister for Africa, due to preside.
Debates are also planned on Haiti, with a briefing by the head of MINUSTAH, Mariano Fernández, and on Afghanistan, with a briefing by the new Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of UNAMA, Jãn Kubiš.
In line with its ongoing interest in Council working methods, the UK is planning a meeting in consultations taking stock of recent working methods modifications it has championed and looking forward towards further procedural innovations.
Several briefings are likely on:
- the enhancement and the renewal of the mandate of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), by its head, Ian Martin, to be followed by consultations;
- the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) by its head, Hilde Johnson, to be followed by consultations;
- the UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone (UNIPSIL), most likely by the head of the Department of Political Affairs, B. Lynn Pascoe, to be followed by consultations;
- the UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNIOGBIS) by its head, Joseph Mutaboba, to be followed by consultations;
- the Middle East by Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Robert Serry, to be followed by consultations;
- Iran, by the Chair of the Iran Sanctions (1737) Committee, Ambassador Néstor Osorio (Colombia); and
- peacekeeping operations, by the head of the Department for Peacekeeping Operations, Hervé Ladsous, to be followed by consultations.
Briefings in consultations are expected on:
- Yemen, by Special Adviser Jamal Benomar;
- Lebanon, by Special Coordinator Derek Plumbly;
- Sudan sanctions, by the Chair of the Sudan (1591) Sanctions Committee, Ambassador Néstor Osorio (Colombia); and
- current issues of concern, under the “horizon scanning” formula, by head of the Department of Political Affairs, B. Lynn Pascoe.
Briefings may also be scheduled on Cyprus, by the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser Alexander Downer, and on Myanmar by the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser, Vijay Nambiar, following his recent trip to the country.
Should the Darfur peace process road map be published in March, the Council may meet in consultations to discuss the matter.
Formal sessions will need to be held to adopt resolutions on the renewal of the mandates for the mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) as well as the mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and the Panel of Experts of the Libya Sanctions Committee.
