Overview
In August, China is president of the Security Council.
China plans to organise two signature events. The first will be an open debate on “Peace and security in Africa: Capacity-building for sustaining peace”. The objective of the meeting is to identify challenges to sustaining peace in Africa and to generate ideas to support capacity-building on the continent to address these challenges. Bankole Adeoye, the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security of the AU Commission, and Ambassador Muhammad Abdul Muhith of Bangladesh, the chair of the PBC, are expected to brief. A senior UNDP official may also brief. China might pursue an outcome in connection with the meeting.
The second signature event will be a briefing on “Maintenance of international peace and security: Promoting common security through dialogue and cooperation”. Secretary-General António Guterres is expected to brief.
The Council is also planning to hold a briefing this month on the Secretary-General’s 15th strategic level report on the threat posed by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or Da’esh). Under-Secretary-General Vladimir Voronkov, the head of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), and Weixiong Chen, the Acting Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), will brief.
African issues on the programme of work in August are:
- Sudan, the semi-annual briefing by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on its Darfur-related activities;
- Libya, briefing and consultations on the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and the 1970 Libya Sanctions Committee; and
- Mali, renewal of asset freeze and travel ban sanctions.
Middle Eastern issues on the programme are:
- Lebanon, meeting with troop contributors to the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), consultations on the mission, and renewal of the UNIFIL mandate;
- Yemen, monthly briefing and consultations;
- Syria, monthly meetings on the political, humanitarian and chemical weapons tracks; and
- Middle East, including the Palestinian question, monthly meeting.
There will also be consultations on the 90-day report of the 1718 Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Sanctions Committee.
The Council will most likely meet to discuss Ukraine during the month.
Council members may also discuss Georgia in August. This month marks the 14th anniversary of the 2008 conflict between Russia and Georgia.
Other issues could be raised in August depending on developments
