Overview
In November, Mexico will hold the presidency of the Security Council.
Mexico will organise three signature events during its presidency. It will convene a high-level open debate on “Exclusion, inequality and conflicts” under the agenda item “Maintenance of international peace and security”. Secretary-General António Guterres and a civil society representative are expected to brief. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico is expected to chair the meeting. A presidential statement is a possible outcome.
Mexico will also convene another high-level open debate on the theme “Peace and security through preventive diplomacy: A common agenda to all UN principal organs” under the agenda item “Maintenance of international peace and security”. Briefings are anticipated from Abdulla Shahid, President of the General Assembly; Collen Vixen Kelapile, President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC); Joan E. Donoghue, President of the International Court of Justice (ICJ); and Secretary-General António Guterres. A presidential statement is a possible outcome.
The third signature event Mexico plans to convene is an open debate on Small Arms. Director of the UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) Robin Geiss and a civil society representative are the anticipated briefers.
The annual briefing of UN police commissioners will also take place in November. Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix, UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) Police Commissioner Violet Lusala, and UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) Police Commissioner Patricia Boughani are expected to brief.
The semi-annual debate on Bosnia and Herzegovina and the reauthorisation of the EU-led multinational stabilisation force (EUFOR ALTHEA) are planned this month.
African issues on the programme of work in November are:
- Libya, briefing and consultations on the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and the semi-annual briefing by the ICC Prosecutor concerning cases in Libya;
- Somalia, briefing and consultations on recent developments in the country and on the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM); and
- the Joint Force of the Group of Five for the Sahel (FC-G5S), briefing and consultations on the activities of the force.
Furthermore, the Council is expected to renew the mandates of the:
- UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA);
- UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA); and
- 751 sanctions regime on Somalia and the Panel of Experts.
The Council will hold its monthly meetings on the political and humanitarian situations and on the use of chemical weapons in Syria. Other Middle East issues on the programme of work this month include:
- Yemen, the monthly meeting on developments;
- “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question”, the monthly meeting;
- Iraq, a briefing and consultations on the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI); and
- Lebanon, consultations on the implementation of resolution 1701.
Two Asian issues will be discussed in November:
- Afghanistan, a briefing and consultations on the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA); and
- DPRK, consultations on the report of the 1718 committee.
The annual briefing by the President of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), postponed from October, is expected to be held in a private meeting format. The Council and the General Assembly are expected to vote to fill a vacancy on the ICJ.
The annual Finnish workshop on “Hitting the Ground Running” is scheduled to take place on 18-19 November.
