Overview
Lithuania will preside over the Security Council in February.
A meeting on the cooperation between the UN and the EU, presided over by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Linas Linkevičius, with EU High Representative Catherine Ashton and Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as speakers, is expected. Open debates are scheduled on the protection of civilians in armed conflict and on the rule of law. Briefers for the debate on protection of civilians are likely to include High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay (by video-conference), Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Edmond Mulet; Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Valerie Amos and a representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross. The Secretary-General is expected to brief during the open debate on the rule of law.
Lithuania is planning a “horizon scanning” briefing by Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffery Feltman, to be held in consultations, and a wrap-up session to be held at the end of the month in a private meeting.
A quarterly debate on Kosovo is also scheduled, with a briefing by Special Representative Farid Zarif.
Briefings are expected on:
- the Organization for the Security and Cooperation in Europe by its Chairperson-in-Office Didier Burkhalter (Switzerland); and
- the Council visiting mission to Mali in early February by its co-leaders, Ambassadors Gérard Araud (France) and Mahamat Zene Cherif (Chad).
Briefings, followed by consultations, are expected on:
- the developments in the Middle East, by Feltman; and
- the situation in Guinea-Bissau, by Special Representative José Ramos-Horta (via video-conference) and the chair of the Peacebuilding Commission’s Guinea-Bissau configuration, Ambassador Antonio de Aguiar Patriota (Brazil).
Briefings in consultations are likely on:
- the destruction of chemical weapons in Syria, by the Special Coordinator of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons-UN Joint Mission, Sigrid Kaag;
- the situation in South Sudan, most likely by Mulet;
- Sudan-South Sudan issues, by Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan Haile Menkerios (by video-conference);
- Sudan sanctions, by the chair of the 1591 Sudan Sanctions Committee, Ambassador María Cristina Perceval (Argentina);
- the humanitarian situation in Syria, by Amos;
- Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) sanctions by the chair of the 1718 DPRK Sanctions Committee, Ambassador Sylvie Lucas (Luxembourg); and
- Central African Republic (CAR) sanctions by the chair of the 2127 CAR Sanctions Committee, Ambassador Raimonda Murmokaitė (Lithuania).
Formal sessions will be needed to adopt resolutions to renew:
- the Sudan sanctions and the mandate of the Panel of Experts of the 1591 Sudan Sanctions Committee; and possibly
- the mandate of the UN Office in Burundi.
Though no meetings are currently scheduled, members will also be following closely the events in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in the CAR.
