Overview
The Republic of Korea (ROK) will preside over the Security Council in February.
An open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict is planned with ROK Foreign Minister Kim Sung-Hwan expected to preside. In addition to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, briefers are likely to include the High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay and the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos.
A quarterly debate on Kosovo is planned, with a briefing by Farid Zarif, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo.
A briefing on cooperation between the UN and regional and subregional organisations, in particular with the EU, is expected by Catherine Ashton, the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
Briefings, followed by consultations, are likely on:
- developments in Yemen, by the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser Jamal Benomar; and on the 27 January Council visiting mission to the country, by the UK;
- developments in the Middle East, by the Secretariat;
- developments in Guinea-Bissau and the latest Secretary-General’s report on the work of the UN Integrated Peace-Building Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNIOGBIS), most likely by the head of the Department for Political Affairs, Jeffrey Feltman;
- developments in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) by the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and head of the UN Stabilisation Mission in the DRC, Roger Meece;
- the Secretary-General’s report on Somalia with options and recommendations for the future UN presence in the country, also by Feltman; and
- the sixty-day report from the AU on the African‐led International Support Mission in Mali, requested by resolution 2085.
Briefings in consultations are likely on:
- Sudan and South Sudan issues, twice (in line with resolution 2046), by the Secretariat;
- the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Sanctions Committee, by its chair, Ambassador Sylvie Lucas (Luxembourg);
- possible responses to address the threat by the rebel group M23 in the DRC, by Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Hervé Ladsous;
- the Sudan Sanctions Committee, by its chair, Ambassador María Cristina Perceval (Argentina); and
- the most recent Secretary-General’s report on the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei.
Formal sessions will be needed to adopt:
- a resolution renewing the mandate of the UN Office in Burundi;
- a resolution renewing the mandate of the Panel of Experts assisting the 1591 Sudan Sanctions Committee;
- a resolution or a presidential statement extending the current mandate of UNIOGBIS; and
- a resolution re-authorising AMISOM.
Throughout the month, Council members will be following closely developments in Mali and in Syria and additional meetings on these issues may be scheduled.
At the end of the month, the ROK is planning a wrap-up session in a private meeting.
