Overview
In July, Pakistan will hold the presidency of the Security Council.
Pakistan plans to organise two signature events. The first is a high-level open debate on “Promoting international peace and security through multilateralism and the peaceful settlement of disputes” under the “Maintenance of international peace and security” agenda item. Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Mohammad Ishaq Dar is expected to chair the meeting. UN Secretary-General António Guterres is expected to brief. Pakistan plans to pursue a resolution as an outcome of this meeting.
The second signature event is a briefing under the agenda item “Cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations in maintaining international peace and security”, focusing on the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Dar is expected to chair the meeting. OIC Secretary General Hissein Brahim Taha and a UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) official are the anticipated briefers. A presidential statement is a possible outcome of the meeting.
Pakistan also intends to convene a briefing on UN peace operations. A senior UN official is expected to brief.
In July, the Security Council will hold its quarterly open debate on “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question”. Additional meetings on this file may be convened depending on developments in Israel and Gaza.
Other Middle Eastern issues on the programme include:
- Syria, monthly meeting on the political and humanitarian tracks;
- Yemen, monthly meeting on developments and renewal of the mandate of the UN Mission to Support the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA); and
- Lebanon, consultations on the Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of resolution 1701. (Adopted in 2006, resolution 1701 called for a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.)
African issues on the programme of work in July are:
- Central African Republic (CAR), renewal of the CAR sanctions regime and the mandate of the Panel of Experts assisting the 2127 CAR Sanctions Committee;
- Sudan, the semi-annual briefing of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on the ICC’s Darfur-related activities; and
- West Africa and the Sahel, informal interactive dialogue (IID) on enhancing counter-terrorism cooperation in the region.
Regarding European issues, Council members are expected to hold consultations on the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFYCIP).
The only Asian issue anticipated this month is the biannual consultations on the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA).
On the Americas, the Security Council will hold its quarterly meeting on Colombia. The Council is also expected to hold a meeting on the situation in Haiti and to renew the mandate of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH).
Other issues, including Iran and Ukraine, could be raised in July depending on developments.
