Overview
In December, India will hold the presidency of the Security Council.
India plans to organise two signature events during the month. The first signature event is an open debate on “New Orientation for Reformed Multilateralism” under the “Maintenance of international peace and security” agenda item. Indian Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar is expected to chair the meeting. Secretary-General António Guterres and General Assembly President Csaba Kőrösi are expected to brief.
The second signature event is a briefing titled “Global Approach to Counter-terrorism—Challenges and Way Forward” under the “Threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts” agenda item. Indian Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar is expected to chair this meeting also. Under-Secretary-General and head of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) Vladimir Voronkov and Acting Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) Weixiong Chen are expected to brief.
In December, the Council is expected to hold its semi-annual debate on the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT).
The outgoing chairs of the Security Council’s subsidiary bodies are also expected to brief the Council on their experiences of facilitating the work of those bodies.
African issues on the programme of work in December are:
- Libya, briefing and consultations on the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL);
- South Sudan, briefing and consultations on the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and the briefing by the chair of the 2206 South Sudan Sanctions Committee;
- Sudan, briefing and consultations on the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) and briefing by the chair of the 1591 Sudan Sanctions Committee;
- Central Africa region, briefing and consultations 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); and
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), briefing and consultations on the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) and briefing by the chair of the 1533 DRC Sanctions Committee. The Council is also expected to renew MONUSCO’s mandate.
Middle East issues on the programme include:
- Syria, monthly meetings on political/humanitarian developments and on the chemical weapons file;
- Golan, consultations on the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) and the mandate renewal of UNDOF;
- Yemen, the monthly meeting on developments;
- “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question”, the monthly meeting; and
- Iraq, a briefing on the Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da’esh/ISIL (UNITAD).
In terms of European issues, the Council is likely to hold one or more meetings on Ukraine.
The only Asian issue planned in December is Afghanistan. The Council will hold its quarterly briefing and consultations on the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and will renew the mandate of the Monitoring Team assisting the 1988 Afghanistan Sanctions Committee. It is also likely to review the implementation of resolution 2615 of 22 December 2021, which established a humanitarian exception to the 1988 sanctions regime.
Regarding non-proliferation, the Council is expected to receive a briefing on the Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of resolution 2231 of 20 July 2015, which endorsed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran’s nuclear programme.
Other issues could be raised in December depending on developments.
