Overview
In December, Ecuador will hold the presidency of the Security Council.
Ecuador plans to organise one signature event during the month. This will be a ministerial-level open debate on transnational organised crime under the “Threats to international peace and security” agenda item. Ecuador’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility, Maria Gabriela Sommerfeld, is expected to chair the meeting. The expected briefers are UN Secretary-General António Guterres, UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Executive Director Ghada Fathi Waly, and a civil society representative. Ecuador apparently intends to propose a draft presidential statement in conjunction with France as a possible outcome of the meeting.
Ecuador will also convene an open debate on “Addressing the threat posed by diversion, illicit trafficking and misuse of small arms and light weapons and their ammunition to peace and security”. The meeting will provide an opportunity to discuss the Secretary-General’s biennial report on small arms and light weapons submitted pursuant to resolution 2220 of 22 May 2015. The anticipated briefers are High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu; Deputy Director of the UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) Cécile Aptel; and a civil society representative.
In December, the Council is scheduled 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 briefing by the chair of the 2206 South 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);
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), briefing and consultations on the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) and renewal of MONUSCO’s mandate;
- Sudan, briefing by the chair of the 1591 Sudan Sanctions Committee and vote on a draft resolution on the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS); and
- Somalia, vote on two draft resolutions: one renewing the sanctions measures against Al-Shabaab and another lifting the arms embargo on the Somali government.
Middle East issues on the programme include:
- Syria, monthly meeting on political and humanitarian developments;
- 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, with the possibility of additional meetings depending on the situation in Gaza and Israel; 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 meeting on the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and will renew the mandate of the Monitoring Team assisting the 1988 Afghanistan Sanctions Committee. Under resolution 2615 of 22 December 2021, which established a humanitarian exception to the 1988 sanctions regime, the Council is also scheduled to receive a briefing on the delivery of humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan.
Regarding the Americas, there will be a briefing by the chair of the 2653 Haiti Sanctions Committee.
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.
