Overview

Jordan will hold the Security Council presidency in April. A ministerial-level open debate on the role of youth in countering violent extremism is planned, with His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II of Jordan expected to preside and the Secretary-General will likely brief. The quarterly open debate on the Middle East will also be held in April, with Jordan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriate Affairs, Nasser Judeh, expected to preside. 

Briefings are planned on:

• the humanitarian situation in Syria, likely to be held at ministerial-level, by Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Valerie Amos; and
• sexual violence in conflict and the latest Secretary-General’s report on this issue, by Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict Zainab Bangura. 

Briefings, followed by consultations, are expected on:

• the situation in Mali and the latest Secretary-General’s report on the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) by Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hervé Ladsous;
• the work of the 1572 Côte d’Ivoire Sanctions Committee and the final report of its Group of Experts, by the Committee’s chair, Ambassador Cristián Barros (Chile); and
• the situation in the Central African Republic and the latest Secretary-General’s report on the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), by its head Babacar Gaye. 

Briefings in consultations are likely on:

• chemical weapons in Syria, by High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Angela Kane;
• the situation in Western Sahara and the latest Secretary-General’s report on the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) by MINURSO’s head Kim Bolduc and the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, Christopher Ross; and
• the latest Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of resolution 1559 concerning Lebanon, by Special Envoy Terje Rød-Larsen.

Also in April, members will participate in a two-day annual retreat hosted by the Secretary-General outside of New York City.

Formal sessions will be needed to adopt resolutions to renew:

• the mandate of MINURSO;
• the mandate of MINUSCA; and
• Côte d’Ivoire sanctions and the mandate of the Group of Experts assisting the 1572 Côte d’Ivoire Sanctions Committee.

Throughout the month members will be following closely developments in Ukraine, Yemen, Darfur, South Sudan and in the Boko Haram-affected areas of Africa and additional meetings may be scheduled.