Status Update since our March Forecast
Bosnia and Herzegovina
On 6 March, Security Council members held closed consultations on the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo briefed. Russia requested the meeting in light of the BiH state court’s sentencing of Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik. On 26 February, the court ordered Dodik to step down from his role as RS president following indictments for defying the decisions taken by High Representative for BiH Christian Schmidt and sentenced him to one year in prison.
On 21 March, after the closed consultations on “The Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question”, Council members discussed the situation in BiH under “any other business”. Slovenia requested the meeting to address recent actions taken by the National Assembly of the Republika Srpska. Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas Miroslav Jenča briefed.
Afghanistan
On 10 March, the Council convened for an open briefing on the situation in Afghanistan (S/PV.9875). Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) Roza Otunbayeva and Co-Founder of the Ham Diley Campaign Azadah Raz Mohammad briefed. Afghanistan, India, Iran, and Kazakhstan participated in the meeting under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure. The closed consultations that were scheduled to follow the open briefing were cancelled and did not take place.
On 17 March, the Council unanimously adopted resolution 2777, which extended UNAMA’s mandate until 17 March 2026.
EU-UN Cooperation
On 11 March, the Security Council held its annual briefing on cooperation between the UN and the European Union (EU) under the agenda item “Cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations in maintaining international peace and security” (S/PV.9876). At the meeting, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas provided her first briefing to the Council since assuming her role in December 2024.
Iran (Non-proliferation)
On 12 March, the Security Council held a private meeting on Iran (S/PV.9877). France, Greece, Panama, the Republic of Korea (ROK), the UK, and the US requested the meeting, citing Iran’s increased production of highly enriched uranium. Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific Mohamed Khaled Khiari briefed. Germany, Iran, the European Union (EU) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) also participated in the meeting under rules 37 and 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure.
Sudan
On 13 March, the Security Council held a briefing on the situation in Sudan (S/PV.9878). Denmark and the UK (the penholder on the file) requested the meeting to address the protection of civilians and the humanitarian consequences of the conflict, including implications for healthcare and reports of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV), especially against women and children. Catherine Russell, the Executive Director of UNICEF, and Christopher Lockyear, the Secretary General of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF, or Doctors Without Borders) briefed. Sudan and the United Arab Emirates participated in the meeting under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure.
Counter-Terrorism
On 14 March, Council members issued a press statement condemning the 11 March terrorist attack on a passenger train travelling from Quetta to Peshawar in Pakistan (SC/16019). At least 25 Pakistani nationals were killed in the attack.
Lebanon
On 17 March, Council members received a briefing in closed consultations on the Secretary-General’s latest report on the implementation of resolution 1701 (S/2025/153). Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix and Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert briefed.
UNDOF (Golan)
On 19 March, Council members received a briefing in consultations on the work of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF). Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific Khaled Khiari briefed.
Sudan/South Sudan
On 17 March, Council members issued a press statement (SC/16022) condemning the detention of UN peacekeepers, the armed abduction of civilian personnel, and the looting of the logistics convoy of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a Sudanese paramilitary group. The statement expressed deep alarm over threats to the safety and security of peacekeepers and civilian personnel and reiterated that attacks against peacekeepers may constitute war crimes. It called for the RSF to be held accountable and for the immediate return of the UNISFA trucks and fuel. It further called on all parties to allow UNISFA to implement its mandated tasks without interference, including its support to the Joint Border Verification Monitoring Mechanism (JBVMM).
On 18 March, Security Council members convened for closed consultations under the agenda item “Sudan/South Sudan”. The US—supported by the Council’s “A3 plus” members (Algeria, Sierra Leone, Somalia, and Guyana)—requested the meeting to discuss the outbreak of violence in South Sudan and its implications for the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). Another focus of the meeting was developments in the area of operations of UNISFA. Assistant Secretary-General for Africa in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations (DPPA-DPO) Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee briefed.
UN Peacekeeping
On 24 March, the Security Council held an open debate titled “Advancing adaptability in UN Peace Operations—responding to new realities” under the agenda item “Maintenance of international peace and security” (S/PV.9884). Denmark’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Lars Løkke Rasmussen chaired the meeting, which was the signature event of Denmark’s Council Presidency in March. Secretary-General António Guterres and Jenna Russo, the Director of Research and Head of the Brian Urquhart Center for Peace Operations at the International Peace Institute (IPI), briefed.
Ukraine
On 26 March, the Security Council held a briefing on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine at the request of France and Panama (S/PV.9886). Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Joyce Msuya briefed the Council. The representatives of Finland, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Ukraine participated in the meeting under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure. Head of the EU Delegation to the European Union (EU) Stavros Lambrinidis, and Paul Beresford-Hill, the Permanent Observer of the Sovereign Order of Malta to the UN, participated under rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
On 27 March, the Security Council held a briefing and consultations on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), including the work of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (S/PV.9887). Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the DRC and Head of MONUSCO Bintou Keita and Secretary-General of the Danish Refugee Council Charlotte Slente briefed. Angola, Burundi, the DRC, and Rwanda, represented by its Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Olivier J.P. Nduhungirehe, participated in the meeting under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure.
