Status Update since our June Forecast
Strengthening Accountability and Justice for Serious Violations of International Law
On 2 June, the Security Council convened for a high-level open debate on “strengthening accountability and justice for serious violations of international law” (S/PV.9052). The meeting was a signature event of Albania’s presidency and was chaired by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama. The briefers were President of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) Judge Joan Donoghue, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, and Oxford University Professor of Public International Law Dapo Akande. Forty–eight member states participated in the meeting under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure. Chargé d’affaires ad interim of the Delegation of the European Union to the UN Silvio Gonzato and the Permanent Observer of the Observer State of Palestine to the United Nations also took part in the meeting.
Sudan
On 3 June, the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2636, renewing the mandate of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) for one year, until 3 June 2023. In its explanation of vote, the UK said that it would have preferred the adoption of a substantive resolution that would have updated UNITAMS’ priorities to reflect Sudan’s own request for traditional support on issues such as disarmament, demobilization and reintegration; transitional justice; and civilian protection (S/PV.9054).
Syria
On 3 June, an Arria-formula meeting was held on “Syrian Women’s Voices on Detainees and the Disappeared in Syria”. The meeting was organised by the US, together with Albania, France and the UK, with additional co-sponsorship by several non-Council members (Belgium, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Qatar and Türkiye). The meeting was held with the support of the Syrian Negotiations Commission (SNC), which represents the Syrian opposition, and in partnership with the EU. The briefers included: Mariam Alhallak, founder of the Caesar Families Association; Najah Malak, co-founder of the Kurdish Women’s Union in Syria – Rhodes; Alise Mofrej, head of the Detainee Committee of the SNC and co-founder of the Syria Political Women’s Movement; Joumana Seif, Syrian lawyer and human rights activist; Badr Jamous, head of the International Affairs Committee of the SNC; and Haytham Al Hamwi, chairman of the Syrian British Council.
UNOCA (Central Africa)
On 8 June, the Security Council received a briefing (S/PV.9058) on the Secretary-General’s semi-annual report on the UN Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA) and the implementation of the UN’s regional strategy to combat the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) (S/2022/436). The Council was briefed by: Assistant Secretary-General for Africa in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee; President of the Commission of the Economic Community of Central African States Gilberto Da Piedade Veríssimo; and Ms. Jeanne-Danielle Nicole Nlate, Vice-President of the Coalition des organisations de la société civile d’Afrique centrale pour la préservation de la paix, la prévention des conflits, la resolution et la transformation des crises.
Iraq
On 8 June, the Security Council convened for a briefing on the UN Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da’esh/ISIL (UNITAD) (S/PV.9059). Special Adviser and Head of UNITAD Christian Ritscher briefed. Iraq participated in the meeting under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure.
Mali
On 13 June, the Security Council held its quarterly briefing on Mali, followed by closed consultations. Special Representative and head of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) El-Ghassim Wane briefed, as did civil society representative Sadya Touré, Director of Mali Muso (S/PV.9061). Wane presented the Secretary-General’s latest report on Mali (S/2022/446), which recommended a one-year extension of MINUSMA’s mandate. He also referred to the Secretary-General’s decision to undertake a review of the situation in Mali and present recommendations to the Council within six months on how the mission can best continue to fulfil its priorities, as outlined in his recent report on Mali. During the session, members also considered the Secretary-General’s bi-annual letter (S/2022/448) on the mission’s challenges, performance and transition planning. On 7 June, Council members held a meeting with troop-contributing countries to MINUSMA.
On 29 June, the Council adopted resolution 2640 extending the mandate of MINUSMA until 30 June 2023. Thirteen Council members voted in favour, while China and Russia abstained. Earlier in the month, Council members issued a press statement on 1 June condemning an attack that day that killed one Jordanian peacekeeper and wounded three others in Kidal. On 3 June, Council members issued another press statement condemning an attack that day that killed two Egyptian peacekeepers and injured one near Douentza. Council members also issued a press statement on 20 June, condemning a 19 June attack on MINUSMA that killed one Guinean peacekeeper near Kidal.
International Criminal Tribunals
On 14 June, the Security Council held its semi-annual debate on the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) (S/PV.9062), with briefings by the IRMCT’s president, Judge Carmel Agius, and its prosecutor, Serge Brammertz. At the meeting, Agius updated the Council on the status of the IRMCT’s remaining three cases. Prior to the debate, on 13 June, the Informal Working Group on International Tribunals met with Agius and Brammertz. On 22 June, the Security Council adopted resolution 2637, extending Brammertz’s term for another two years, until 30 June 2024, by a vote of 14 in favour and one abstention (Russia).
Women, Peace and Security
On 15 June, the Security Council held an open debate on women, peace and security (WPS) entitled “Keeping the promises: the role of regional organizations in implementing the women, peace and security agenda in the face of political turmoil and seizures of power by force” (S/PV.9064). Albanian Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Olta Xhaçka chaired the meeting and Secretary-General António Guterres provided opening remarks. The briefers were: UN Women Executive Director Sima Sami Bahous, EU Ambassador for Gender and Diversity Stella Ronner-Grubačić, Secretary-General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Helga Maria Schmid, Special Envoy on WPS of the Chairperson of the AU Commission Bineta Diop, and Assistant Secretary-General of the League of Arab States (LAS) Haifa Abu Ghazaleh.
EU-UN Cooperation
On 16 June, the Security Council held its annual meeting on EU-UN cooperation under the agenda item “Cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations in maintaining international peace and security” (S/PV.9065). At the meeting, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell briefed Council members on strengthening the EU-UN partnership during what he described as “a rise in power political competition” that is placing the multilateral system “under pressure as never before”.
South Sudan
On 20 June, the Security Council was briefed on South Sudan (S/PV.9067). Special Representative and head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) Nicholas Haysom briefed on the Secretary-General’s latest 90-day report on South Sudan (S/2022/468). OCHA’s Acting Director of the Operations and Advocacy Division Ghada Eltahir Mudawi and Lorna Merekaje, a South Sudanese human rights defender, also briefed. Closed consultations followed the briefing.
Somalia
On 21 June, the Security Council received a briefing (S/PV.9071) from the Chair of the 751 Sanctions Committee (Somalia), Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason (Ireland), on the Committee’s work from 25 February to 21 June. Nason informed the Council that the Committee met twice during the reporting period to receive a briefing from Virginia Gamba, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, on the trends and patterns of grave violations against children in Somalia and to hear the midterm updates from the Panel of Experts on Somalia.
UNDOF (Golan)
On 21 June, Council members held consultations on the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF). Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations (DPPA-DPO) Mohamed Khaled Khiari provided the briefing. On 27 June, the Council unanimously adopted resolution 2639, renewing the UNDOF mandate for six months.
Afghanistan
On 23 June, the Security Council convened for an open briefing, followed by closed consultations, on Afghanistan (S/PV.9075). The briefers were: Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths; Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Afghanistan Ramiz Alakbarov; Afghan women’s rights activist Yalda Royan; and BBC journalist Yalda Hakim. Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan participated in the meeting under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure.
The Relationship between the ICC and the Security Council
On 24 June, an Arria-formula meeting entitled “20th anniversary of the entry into force of the Rome Statute: reflections on the relationship between the International Criminal Court and the Security Council” took place. The meeting was organised by Ireland and co-sponsored by Council members Albania, Gabon, Ghana, France, Mexico, Norway, and the UK, as well as incoming Council members Ecuador, Japan, Malta, and Switzerland. ICC Prosecutor Karim Asad Ahmad Khan, Director of the Coalition for the ICC Secretariat Liz Evenson, and President of the International Peace Institute Zeid Raad Al Hussein briefed.
Working Methods Open Debate
On 28 June, the Security Council held its annual open debate on its working methods (S/PV.9079). Albania, the chair of the Informal Working Group on Documentation and Procedural Questions, produced a concept note ahead of the meeting. The briefers were Karin Landgren, Executive Director of Security Council Report and Loraine Sievers, co-author of “The Procedure of the UN Security Council (4th edition). Thirty-five members states, other than Council members, took the floor.
Democratic Republic of Congo
On 29 June, the Security Council held a briefing (S/PV.9081), followed by closed consultations, on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The briefing was based on the Secretary-General’s latest report, covering the period from 17 March to 16 June (S/2022/503). Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) Bintou Keita and Président of the Solidarité Féminine pour la Paix et le Développement Intégral (SOFEPADI) Julienne Lusenge briefed the Council. The deteriorating security situation in eastern DRC was the focus of the meeting. Council members supported ongoing regional initiatives to address this security challenge and promote lasting peace in the region. On 30 June, the Council met (S/PV.9084) to adopt resolution 2641 extending the 1533 DRC Sanctions regime until 1 July 2023 and renewing the mandate of the Panel of Experts until 1 August 2023.
Morocco-Spain
On 29 June, Council members discussed during consultations under “any other business” the violent treatment of African migrants who tried to cross the Moroccan border into Melilla, Spain on 24 June, which resulted in the killing of at least 23 people. Kenya requested the meeting. Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ilze Brands Kehris briefed.
Non-proliferation
On 30 June, the Council convened for its biannual briefing on resolution 2231 of 20 July 2015, which endorsed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on Iran’s nuclear programme (JCPOA) (S/PV.9085). Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo briefed on the Secretary-General’s latest report on the implementation of resolution 2231, which was issued on 10 June (S/2022/482). The Council’s facilitator for the implementation of resolution 2231, Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason (Ireland), reported on the Council’s work in relation to resolution 2231. The head of the EU delegation to the UN, Olof Skoog, briefed on the work of the JCPOA’s Joint Commission. Germany and Iran participated in the meeting under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure.
