Overview

France will preside over the Security Council in August.

There will be one debate during the month, on Kosovo and the work of the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK).

Briefings, to be followed by consultations, are expected on:

• the UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS), most likely by the head of UN peacekeeping, Hervé Ladsous and possibly also by the UN-Arab League Joint Special Envoy Kofi Annan;
• the Middle East, by the Secretariat; and
• options for possible steps to ensure the full restoration of constitutional order in and territorial integrity of Mali, possibly the Deputy Secretary-General, and likely also by representatives of the AU and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Briefings in consultations are likely on:

• issues of concern, by the Department of Political Affairs (reviving  the practice of  “horizon scanning”);
• Sudan and South Sudan, twice, by the Secretariat in line with resolution 2046 that calls for  briefings every 15 days;
• the UN Interim Security Force in Abyei (UNISFA) and the Secretary-General’s most recent report;
• the work of the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA), by its head, Miroslav Jenča; and
• the work of  the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)   Sanctions Committee by its Chair, Ambassador José Filipe Moraes Cabral (Portugal).

In addition, consultations are planned on:

• the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL); 
• Syria, prior to the 19 August  expiry of the mandate of UNSMIS; and
• Somalia, right after the scheduled 20 August political transition in the country.

A formal session will be needed to adopt a resolution renewing the mandate of UNIFIL.