Overview
In April, Malta will hold the presidency of the Security Council.
Malta is expected to organise a debate on the role of young people in addressing security challenges in the Mediterranean under the “Maintenance of international peace and security” agenda item. Ian Borg, Malta’s Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade, is expected to chair the meeting. A UN Secretariat official, Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean Nasser Kamel, and a civil society representative are expected to brief.
In April, Malta will also organise a briefing on children and armed conflict titled “Addressing the consequences of the denial of humanitarian access for children”. Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict Virginia Gamba, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director for Humanitarian Action and Supply Operations Ted Chaiban, and a civil society representative are expected to brief.
The annual open debate on conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) will be held this month. Maltese Deputy Prime Minister Christopher Fearne will chair the meeting, which is expected to focus on preventing CRSV through demilitarisation and gender-responsive arms control. Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict Pramila Patten and a civil society representative are the anticipated briefers.
The quarterly open debate on “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question” will also be held in April. Borg is expected to chair the meeting, which will include a briefing by Secretary-General António Guterres.
In April, the annual briefing on the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) will take place. Borg will brief in his capacity as the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office.
Several African issues are on the programme in April, including:
- Western Sahara, meeting on the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO);
- Libya, meeting on the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and the work of the 1970 Libya Sanctions Committee;
- South Sudan, the mandate renewal of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS); and
- Great Lakes Region, meeting on the implementation of the 2013 Peace, Security, and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Great Lakes.
In addition to the quarterly open debate on “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question”, other issues related to the Middle East on the programme in April will be:
- Yemen, monthly meeting on developments;
- Syria, monthly meeting on political and humanitarian issues; and
- Middle East, a briefing from Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator (SHRC) for Gaza Sigrid Kaag in accordance with resolution 2720 of 22 December 2023.
Two issues on the Americas will be on the programme:
- Colombia, meeting on the UN Verification Mission in Colombia; and
- Haiti, meeting on the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH).
Regarding European issues, a briefing is planned on the work of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK).
As in past months, there may be one or more meetings on Ukraine, as well as additional meetings on the war between Israel and Hamas.
Other issues could be raised during the month, depending on developments.
