Overview
In October, Brazil holds the presidency of the Security Council.
Brazil plans to organise two signature events. The first signature event is an open debate on “Peace through Dialogue: The Contribution of Regional, Sub-regional and Bilateral Arrangements to the Prevention and Peaceful Resolution of Disputes”. The second signature event is the annual open debate on women, peace, and security. UN Women Executive Director Sima Sami Bahous and a high-level representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) are the anticipated briefers. A civil society representative is also expected to brief. Both meetings are expected to be chaired by Brazilian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mauro Vieira.
In October, the Security Council is scheduled to hold its annual debate on cooperation between the UN and regional and sub-regional organisations, focusing on the AU. The 17th annual joint consultative meeting between the Security Council and the AU Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) will be held on 6 October. The annual meeting rotates between New York and Addis Ababa, the home of the AU headquarters. This year, the meeting will be held in Addis Ababa, and will be preceded by the eighth informal joint seminar of the Security Council and the AUPSC, which is set to take place on 5 October.
The Security Council is scheduled to hold its annual private meeting with the President of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Judge Joan E. Donoghue.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi is also expected to brief the Council in October.
African issues on the programme of work in October are:
- Western Sahara, consultations on the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) and the mandate renewal of MINURSO;
- Great Lakes region, the biannual briefing and consultations;
- Libya, renewal of the authorisation of measures related to the illicit export of petroleum from Libya, briefing and consultations on the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), and the mandate renewal of UNSMIL;
- Somalia, briefing by the Chair of the 751 Al-Shabaab Sanctions Committee (Ambassador Ishikane Kimihiro of Japan), briefing and consultations on the situation in Somalia, and the mandate renewal of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM); and
- Central African Republic (CAR), briefing and consultations.
Middle East issues on the programme include:
- Iraq, briefing and consultations on the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI);
- Yemen, monthly briefing and consultations on developments;
- Golan, consultations on the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF);
- Lebanon, consultations on the Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of resolution 1559;
- Syria, meeting on the political and humanitarian tracks; and
- “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question”, the quarterly open debate.
The Council is expected to meet on two European issues in October. A briefing on the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) is anticipated, and one or more meetings on Ukraine are likely during the month.
Two issues in the Americas will be discussed in October:
- Haiti, renewal of the 2653 Haiti sanctions regime, a briefing and consultations on the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), and a vote on a draft resolution authorising member states to deploy a non-UN multinational force to Haiti; and
- Colombia, a briefing and consultations on the UN Verification Mission in Colombia and renewal of the verification mission’s mandate.
Other issues could be raised in October depending on developments.
