Overview
In February, Guyana will hold the presidency of the Security Council.
Guyana is expected to organise one signature event, a high-level open debate which will explore the effects of climate change and food insecurity on the maintenance of international peace and security. Guyanese President Mohamed Irfaan Ali is expected to chair the meeting. Secretary-General António Guterres is expected to provide opening remarks, while Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Simon Stiell, Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol, and a civil society representative are the anticipated briefers.
Council members are scheduled to conduct a visiting mission to Colombia between 7 and 11 February.
Middle Eastern issues on the programme include:
- Syria, monthly meeting on the political and humanitarian situations;
- 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 developments in Gaza and Israel; and
- Iraq, meeting on the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and the issue of missing Kuwaiti and third-party nationals and missing Kuwaiti property.
African issues on the programme of work in February are:
- Somalia, meeting on the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM);
- Libya, meeting on the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and briefing by the chair of the 1970 Libya Sanctions Committee;
- Central African Republic (CAR), meeting on the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA); and
- Sudan, renewal of the mandate of the Panel of Experts assisting the 1591 Sudan Sanctions Committee.
The Security Council will also hold a briefing on Afghanistan in line with resolution 2721 of 29 December 2023, which, among other matters, requested the Secretary-General to appoint a Special Envoy on Afghanistan in consultation with a range of stakeholders, and welcomed the Secretary-General’s intention to convene the next meeting of the group of Special Envoys and Special Representatives on Afghanistan. The resolution requested the Secretary-General to brief the Council within 60 days on the outcome of these consultations and discussions.
The Council is also expected to hold a meeting on Myanmar early in the month.
February marks the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Council is likely to have one or more meetings on the country during the month.
The Council is also scheduled to hold a briefing on the Secretary-General’s biannual strategic-level report on the threat posed by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh).
Other issues could be raised in February depending on developments.
