Status Update since our April Forecast
Protection of Humanitarian and UN Personnel
On 2 April, the Security Council held a briefing on the implementation of resolution 2730 of 24 May 2024, which concerns the protection of humanitarian personnel and UN and associated personnel and their premises and assets (S/PV.9889). The briefers were Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Joyce Msuya, Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security Gilles Michaud, and International NGO Safety Organisation Executive Director Nic Lee. Switzerland—which was the author of resolution 2730 during its Council term—participated under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure.
West Africa and the Sahel
On 3 April, the Security Council held a briefing, followed by consultations, on West Africa and the Sahel (S/PV.9890). The briefers were Special Representative and Head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) Leonardo Santos Simão and Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, Founding Director of Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center in Nigeria.
Myanmar
On 4 April, Council members issued a press statement regarding the earthquake that struck central Myanmar on 28 March (SC/16038).
On 30 April, Council members convened for a private meeting on Myanmar (S/PV.9910). Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Myanmar Julie Bishop and Special Envoy of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Chair on Myanmar Tan Sri Othman bin Hashim briefed. The meeting was requested by the Republic of Korea and the UK, the penholder on file.
Ukraine
On 2 April, Russia convened an Arria-formula meeting on Ukraine titled “Disinformation and Sabotage of Peace in Ukraine”. Russia’s aim in holding the meeting was to revisit the events that took place in the Ukrainian city of Bucha nearly three years ago and to provide Council members with what the concept note it prepared for the meeting described as “first-hand information on the crimes of the Kyiv regime committed in the Kursk region”. The briefers were Maxim Grigoriev, member of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation, and local residents of villages of Russia’s Kursk region.
On 8 April, the Security Council held a briefing on Ukraine (S/PV.9893). Ukraine—with support from Denmark, France, and the UK—requested the meeting following the 4 April Russian missile attack on the city of Kryvyi Rih, which resulted in multiple civilian casualties. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher briefed. Ukraine and several regional states participated in the meeting under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, while Stavros Lambrinidis, Head of the EU Delegation to the UN, participated under rule 39.
On 17 April, the Council convened for a private meeting (S/PV.9901) followed by closed consultations on the situation in Ukraine, under the agenda items “Maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine” and “Threats to international peace and security”, respectively. Director of Operations and Advocacy at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Edem Wosornu briefed the Council in the private meeting, and Ukraine participated under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure. There were no briefers at the closed consultations.
On 29 and 30 April, at France’s initiative, the Council held a briefing on Ukraine (S/PV.9908 and Resumption I). Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher briefed. Ukraine and several regional states participated in the meeting under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, while Stavros Lambrinidis, Head of the EU Delegation to the UN, participated under rule 39.
Arria-formula Meeting on Small Arms and Light Weapons
On 4 April, Sierra Leone convened an Arria-formula meeting on “Small Arms Control and Weapons Management in UN Sanctions Regimes”. Director and Deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Adedeji Ebo; African Union High Representative for Silencing the Guns Mohamed Ibn Chambas; Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) Assistant Director for Policy, Innovation and Strategy Callixtus Joseph; and Savannah de Tessieres, a UN sanctions committee arms expert, briefed.
Arria-formula Meeting on Artificial Intelligence
On 4 April, Security Council members held an Arria-formula meeting on artificial intelligence (AI) titled “Harnessing safe, inclusive, trustworthy AI for the maintenance of international peace and security”. The meeting was organised by Greece, together with France and the Republic of Korea, and co-sponsored by Armenia, Italy, and the Netherlands. The briefers were: Giannis Mastrogeorgiou, Special Secretary for Strategic Foresight at the Presidency of the Hellenic Government and Coordinator of Greece’s National Advisory Committee on AI; Yasmin Afina, AI Researcher in the Security and Technology Programme at the UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR); and Charlotte Scaddan, Senior Adviser on Information Integrity at the UN Department of Global Communications.
UN Peacekeeping
On 7 April, the Security Council received a briefing from the heads of military components of UN peacekeeping operations (S/PV.9892). Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix and the heads of military components of two UN peacekeeping operations: Force Commander of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) Lieutenant General Ulisses de Mesquita Gomes and Head of Mission and Force Commander of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Major General Aroldo Lázaro Sáenz briefed the Council, focusing on the role of UN peacekeeping operations in ceasefire monitoring.
Kosovo
On 8 April, the Security Council held a briefing on the situation in Kosovo (S/PV.9894). Special Representative and head of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) Caroline Ziadeh briefed on the latest Secretary-General’s report (S/2025/200). 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.
Somalia
On 9 April, the Security Council convened for a private meeting on Somalia (S/PV.9895). Special Representative for Somalia and Head of the UN Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS) James Swan briefed on the Secretary-General’s 28 March report (S/2025/194) on the implementation of the mandates of UNTMIS and the UN Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS). Acting Head of the African Union (AU) Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) Sivuyile Thandikhaya Bam provided an update on the implementation of the mission’s mandate, in accordance with resolution 2767 of 27 December 2024.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
On 11 April, Council members held an informal interactive dialogue (IID) on the Democratic Republic of Congo. The IID was split into two parts. In the first part, the DRC and Rwanda participated via videoconference (VTC) and delivered introductory remarks. Qatar also participated in person in this part of the meeting and briefed Council members on its role in support of African-led mediation processes. In the second part, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix and Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region Huang Xia briefed. Council members also heard from representatives of Angola, Kenya, and Zimbabwe in their respective capacities as the current chairs of the African Union (AU), the East African Community (EAC), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Western Sahara
On 14 April, Council members received a briefing in closed consultations on the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). The Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy to Western, Sahara Staffan de Mistura, and Special Representative and Head of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) Alexander Ivanko briefed.
Sudan
On 15 April, Security Council members held closed consultations on Sudan, at the request of Denmark, Slovenia, and the UK (the penholder on the file). The meeting was focused on the country’s deteriorating humanitarian situation in light of attacks by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the town of El Fasher and the Zamzam and Abu Shouk camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs). It also discussed initiatives aimed at achieving a ceasefire and advancing political dialogue. Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Sudan Ramtane Lamamra and Director of the Operations and Advocacy Division at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Edem Wosornu briefed.
On 17 April, Council members issued a press statement, authored by the UK, strongly condemning the repeated attacks on El Fasher, as well as on Zamzam and Abu Shouk IDP camps (SC/16046). They reiterated their demand for the RSF to lift the siege of El Fasher and called for an immediate halt to the fighting in and around the area.
Great Lakes Region
On 16 April, the Security Council held an open briefing, followed by closed consultations, on the situation in the Great Lakes region (S/PV.9899). The briefers were Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region Huang Xia, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell, and Téte António, Angola’s Minister of External Relations in his capacity as Chair of the Executive Council of the African Union. DRC’s State Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Francophonie Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, as well as representatives of Kenya and Rwanda, participated under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure.
Haiti
On 21 April, the Security Council held an open briefing, followed by closed consultations, on Haiti (S/PV.9902). Special Representative and Head of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) María Isabel Salvador briefed on recent developments in Haiti and the Secretary-General’s latest report on BINUH (S/2025/226). The National Security Advisor to the President of the Republic of Kenya Monica Juma, and Pascale Solages, the Co-Founder and General Coordinator of Haitian civil society organisation Nègès Mawon, also briefed. Salvador participated in the consultations as well.
Colombia
On 22 April, the Security Council held an open briefing on Colombia (S/PV.9903). 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/2025/188). The Council was also briefed by Hilda Beatriz Molano Casas, the coordinator of the technical secretariat of the Coalition against the involvement of children and young people in the armed conflict in Colombia (COALICO). Colombia participated in the meeting under rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure. Colombian Minister of Foreign Affairs Laura Sarabia represented her country for the first time since assuming her role in late January.
Arria-formula Meeting on “The Impact of Unilateralism and Bullying Practices on International Relations”
On 23 April, China convened an Arria-formula meeting on “The Impact of Unilateralism and Bullying Practices on International Relations”. Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University and President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and Wang Huiyao, Founder and President of the Center for China and Globalization in Beijing, briefed.
Counter-Terrorism
On 25 April, Council members issued a press statement condemning the 22 April terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which killed at least 26 people and injured many more (SC/16050).
UN High Commissioner for Refugees
On 28 April, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi briefed the Security Council (S/PV.9905) on the effects of forced displacement related to conflicts across the globe.
Middle East, including the Palestinian Question
On 29 and 30 April, the Council held its quarterly open debate on “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question” (S/PV.9907 and Resumption 1 and 2). France, the Council president for the month, convened the meeting at the ministerial level. French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot chaired the meeting. UN Secretary-General António Guterres briefed.
