Status Update
UN-AU Cooperation
On 2 October, the Security Council held a briefing on cooperation between the UN and regional and subregional organisations in maintaining international peace and security, with a particular focus on the UN’s cooperation with the AU (S/PV.9739). Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the African Union and Head of the UN Office to the AU (UNOAU) Parfait Onanga-Anyanga; Permanent Observer of the AU to the UN Fatima Kyari Mohammed; and Assistant Secretary-General for Africa in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee briefed.
Somalia
On 3 October, the Security Council held an open briefing, followed by closed consultations, on the situation in Somalia (S/PV.9740). Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia and Head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) James Swan briefed on the Secretary-General’s latest 120-day report on the implementation of the mission’s mandate (S/2024/698). The report was circulated to Council members on 27 September and covered developments from 24 May to 20 September. Special Representative of the AU Commission Chairperson (SRCC) for Somalia and Head of the AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) Mohamed El-Amine Souef and civil society representative Ilwad Elman also briefed the Council. Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi represented his country at the meeting.
On 10 October, the Security Council held a private meeting to discuss an update on the overall mission design and financing options for the proposed successor mission to ATMIS, as requested in resolution 2748 of 15 August. Assistant Secretary-General for Africa in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee; High Representative for the AU Peace Fund, Donald Kaberuka; and SRCC for Somalia and Head of ATMIS, Mohammed El-Amine Souef, briefed Council members. Ethiopia and Somalia participated under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure.
On 30 October, the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution S/RES/2753 (2024), renewing the mandate of the UNSOM until 31 October 2025.
On 31 October, the Chair of the 2713 Al-Shabaab Sanctions Committee, Ambassador Kazuyuki Yamazaki (Japan), briefed on the work of the committee.
UNDOF (Golan)
On 3 October, Council members held consultations on the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in the Golan to discuss the Secretary-General’s latest report, dated 24 September, which covered developments from 21 May to 20 August. Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific Mohamed Khaled Khiari briefed.
Counter-Terrorism
On 8 October, Council members issued a press statement condemning a terrorist attack near Jinnah International Airport in Pakistan (SC/15846).
On 30 October, Council members issued a press statement condemning a terrorist attack on a patrol unit of the Law Enforcement Command of the Islamic Republic of Iran (SC/15875).
Great Lakes Region (DRC)
On 8 October, the Security Council held a briefing and consultations on the Great Lakes region (S/PV.9742). Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region Huang Xia briefed the Council on the Secretary-General’s latest semi-annual report on the implementation of the 2013 Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the region (PSC-F) (S/2024/629). Sarah Kyabu Ntambwe, a Congolese civil society representative, also briefed. The DRC and Rwanda participated in the meeting under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure.
Colombia
On 15 October, the Security Council held a briefing on Colombia (S/PV.9749). Special Representative and Head of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia Carlos Ruiz Massieu briefed on recent developments and the Secretary-General’s latest 90-day report on the mission (S/2024/694). The Council was also briefed by Beatriz Quintero, Co-founder of La Red Nacional de Mujeres (the National Women’s Network).
On 21 October, Council members issued a press statement on Colombia (SC/15858), in which they re-emphasised the importance of ensuring the comprehensive implementation of the Final Agreement for Ending the Conflict and Building a Stable and Lasting Peace concluded in 2016 between the government of Colombia and the former rebel group Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia-Ejército del Pueblo (FARC-EP). Among other issues, they expressed concern that conflict-related violence, including conflict-related sexual violence, continues to have disproportionate effects on women and girls and on indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities. Members underlined the importance of security guarantees as a crucial element of the 2016 agreement and stressed the need to implement public policy for the dismantling of illegal armed groups and criminal organisations in conflict-affected areas.
On 30 October, the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2754, renewing the mandate of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia for one year, until 31 October 2025.
Western Sahara
On 16 October, Council members held closed consultations to consider the Secretary-General’s report on Western Sahara, dated 1 October, which covered developments since 3 October 2023 (S/2024/707). The Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, and the Special Representative and Head of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), Alexander Ivanko, briefed. On 31 October, the Council adopted resolution 2756, renewing the mandate of MINURSO until 31 October 2025. The resolution was adopted with 12 votes in favour and two abstentions (Mozambique and Russia); one member (Algeria) did not participate in the vote. Two amendments proposed by Algeria failed to be adopted because they did not garner the requisite number of votes.
Anticipating the Impact of Scientific Developments on International Peace and Security
On 21 October, Switzerland convened a briefing on “Anticipating the impact of scientific developments on international peace and security” under the “Maintenance of international peace and security” agenda item (S/PV.9753). Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland Ignazio Cassis chaired the meeting, which was one of the signature events of Switzerland’s October Council presidency. The briefers were Robin Geiss, Director of the UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR); Jocelyne Bloch, Center for Research in Neuroscience, Faculty of Biology and Medicine at the University of Lausanne; Grégoire Courtine, Professor at the Center for Neuroprosthetics and the Brain Mind Institute at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL); and Amin Awad, President of the Foundation Council of the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF).
On 21 October, the Security Council adopted a Swiss-authored presidential statement recognising the role that scientific developments can play in supporting the Council’s responsibility to maintain international peace and security, as well as in promoting mutual trust and cooperation (S/PRST/2024/6). The statement expresses the Council’s commitment to more systematically consider scientific advances, particularly with regard to their impact on international peace and security.
International Court of Justice
On 22 October, the Council held its annual private meeting with Judge Nawaf Salam, the president of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Haiti
On 22 October, the Council received its quarterly briefing from Special Representative and Head of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) María Isabel Salvador on recent political, security, and humanitarian developments in the country and on the Secretary-General’s latest report on BINUH (S/PV.9757). The Council was also briefed by UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell and by Rosy Auguste Ducéna, Programme Director for the National Network for the Defense of Human Rights, a Haitian civil society organisation. The Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Kenya participated in the meeting under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure.
Women, Peace and Security
On 24 October, the Security Council held its annual open debate on women, peace and security (WPS), titled “Women Building Peace in a Changing Environment” (S/PV.9760 and Resumption 1. President of the Swiss Confederation Viola Amherd chaired the open debate. The briefers were UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed; UN Women Executive Director Sima Sami Bahous; and Effie Owuor, Chair of the AU Panel of the Wise and Co-Chair of the Network of African Women in Conflict Prevention and Mediation (FemWise-Africa), which serves as the Secretariat for the Global Alliance of Regional Women Mediator Networks for 2023-2024. Wai Wai Nu, founder and Executive Director of the Women’s Peace Network, also briefed the Council.
Kosovo
On 30 October, the Council held its second briefing this year on the situation in Kosovo (S/PV.9765). Special Representative and Head of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) Caroline Ziadeh briefed on the Secretary-General’s latest UNMIK report and recent developments (S/2023/741). Marko Đurić, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Serbia, participated under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure and Donika Gërvalla-Schwarz, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kosovo, participated under rule 39.
