June 2020 Monthly Forecast

Posted 29 May 2020
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Overview  

France has the presidency of the Security Council in June. In light of the UN Headquarters’ anticipated partial closure extending to the end of June, the Council is expected to continue using the provisional measures agreed on at the end of March, as adapted in April and May. 

There will be an open debate via videoconference (VTC) on children and armed conflict where the briefers are expected to be the Special Representative for children and armed conflict, Virginia Gamba; the Executive Director of UNICEF, Henrietta Fore; and a civil society representative. Unless new special measures are adopted in June, statements by non-Council members are expected to be submitted in writing. 

briefing by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, is planned as an open VTCHe is expected to highlight the situation of refugees in several country-specific cases on the Council’s agenda as well as the impact of the COVID19 pandemic on refugee populations.  

The seven adoptions due this month are expected to follow the written voting procedure established at the end of March. Among them will be an adoption to renew the mandate of the UN mission in Maliahead of which the Council will hold a high-level open VTC with the participation of the foreign minister of France, Jean-Yves Le Drian. The public session will be followed by a closed VTC. 

Several meetings on Sudan are anticipated. Following a rollover of UNAMID’s mandate on 28 May until 3 June, an adoption will be needed to renew the mission’s mandate. There will also be an open VTC by the ICC Prosecutor and a closed VTC briefing by the chair of 1591 Sudan Sanctions Committee. 

There are a number of other meetings on African issues scheduled this month: 

  • Burundi, closed VTC on recent developments; 
  • CAR, open and closed VTCs on the Secretary-General’s report on MINUSCA; 
  • Central Africa regionan open and closed VTC on UNOCA and the implementation of the UN regional strategy to combat the Lord’s Resistance Army; 
  • DRCrenewal of the 1533 sanctions regime and its Group of Experts and open and closed VTCs on the Secretary-General’s report on MONUSCO; 
  • Sahel, open VTC on the Joint Force of the Group of Five for the Sahel; 
  • Somalia, renewal of UNSOM and a closed VTC briefing by the chair of the 751 Somalia Sanctions Committee; and 
  • South Sudanopen and closed VTCs on UNMISS. 

Regarding Middle East issues, an adoption is anticipated to renew the authorisation for member states, acting nationally or through regional organisations, to inspect vessels on the high seas off the coast of Libya, bound to or from the country, that they have reasonable grounds to believe are violating the arms embargo.  

An adoption is also expected to renew UNDOF’s mandate. The regular quarterly briefing on the Golan Heights will also take place in June in a closed VTC. 

Regarding Syria there will be regular monthly meetings held as open and closed VTCs on the political and humanitarian situation and a closed VTC on the use of chemical weapons.  

Other anticipated meetings include: 

  • Iraq, closed VTC on UNITAD; 
  • Israel/Palestineopen and closed VTCs on developments; and 
  • Yemen, closed VTC on developments. 

In June, the Council will hold its semi-annual debate on the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT). A resolution extending the term of the prosecutor and the operating period of the IRMCT, both of which expire on 30 June 2020, is expected.  

Meetings are also expected on Afghanistan and HaitiThe Council will also hold open and closed VTCs on the Iran nuclear issue.  

The annual meeting of UN Force Commanders is also anticipated in June. Force commanders from MINUSMA and UNMISS as well as the Deputy Force Commander from UNDOF are expected to brief. 

The General Assembly is expected in June to elect five Security Council members for the 2021-2022 term. 

 

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