Overview
Germany will preside over the Council in September. A high-level meeting on the Council’s cooperation with the League of Arab States and ways to strengthen this relationship is planned to coincide with the start of the general debate of the General Assembly. In addition to German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, who will preside, several other high level participants are expected.
An open debate on children and armed conflict is planned, with the new Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Leila Zerrougui, and the head of UN peacekeeping, Hervé Ladsous, expected as briefers.
There is also a debate planned on Afghanistan during which the head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), Jan Kubiš, is expected to brief.
The chair of the Iran Sanctions Committee (1737 Committee), Ambassador Néstor Osorio (Colombia), is due to provide his quarterly briefing to the Council.
Briefings, to be followed by consultations, are expected on:
- developments in Sierra Leone and the work of the UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone (UNIPSIL) by its head and Executive Representative of the Secretary-General Jens Anders Toyberg-Frandzen, and the chair of the Sierra Leone country-specific configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), Ambassador Guillermo Rishchynski (Canada);
- developments in Liberia and the work of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) by its head and Special Representative of the Secretary-General Karin Landgren, and the chair of the Liberia country-specific configuration of the PBC, Ambassador Staffan Tillander (Sweden);
- developments and the latest Secretary-General’s report on the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), by the Secretariat; and
- the Middle East, most likely by Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Robert Serry.
Briefings in consultations are likely on:
- issues of concern, under the “horizon scanning” format, by the head of the Department of Political Affairs, Jeffrey D. Feltman;
- Sudan and South Sudan (twice, in line with resolution 2046 requiring briefings every 15 days), most likely by the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General, Haile Menkerios;
- the work of the Sudan Sanctions Committee (1591 Committee) by its chair, Ambassador Néstor Osorio (Colombia);
- developments in the Sahel region, with a particular focus on Mali, by the head of the Department of Political Affairs, Jeffrey D. Feltman;
- the situation in Yemen, by the Special Advisor of the Secretary-General Jamal Benomar; and
- developments in and the latest Secretary-General’s report on Guinea-Bissau, by the head of the Department of Political Affairs, Jeffrey D. Feltman.
In addition, consultations are possible on:
Formal sessions will be needed to adopt resolutions renewing the mandates of UNMIL and UNIPSIL.
It is also possible that, in line with Article 24(3) of the UN Charter, the Council will adopt its Annual Report to the General Assembly in September.
