Overview
In October, Russia will hold the presidency of the Security Council.
Russia plans to organise one signature event, an open debate on the 80th anniversary of the UN under the “Maintenance of international peace and security” agenda item. The meeting will be held on UN Day (24 October), which marks the entry into force of the UN Charter. Secretary-General António Guterres is expected to brief.
The Security Council will hold its annual open debate on women, peace and security (WPS) in October. Guterres and one or more civil society representatives are the anticipated briefers.
This month, the Security Council is scheduled to hold its annual briefing on cooperation between the UN and regional and sub-regional organisations, focusing on the African Union (AU). Council members will travel to Addis Ababa for the 19th annual joint consultative meeting between the Security Council and the AU Peace and Security Council (AUPSC), to be held on 17 October. (The annual meeting rotates between New York and Addis Ababa, the home of the AU headquarters.) The joint consultative meeting will be preceded by the tenth informal joint seminar of the Security Council and the AUPSC on 16 October.
The Security Council is also scheduled to hold its annual private meeting with the president of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Judge Yuji Iwasawa.
African issues on the programme of work in October are:
- Western Sahara, consultations on the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) and the mandate renewal of MINURSO;
- Great Lakes Region, the biannual briefing and consultations;
- Central African Republic (CAR), briefing and consultations on the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA);
- Libya, mandate renewal of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) as well as briefing and consultations on UNSMIL and the work of the 1970 Libya Sanctions Committee;
- Somalia, private meeting on the situation in Somalia, briefing by the chair of the 2713 Al-Shabaab Sanctions Committee, and review of progress in the transition of the UN Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS).
Middle Eastern issues on the programme include:
- Yemen, monthly closed consultations on developments;
- Golan, consultations on the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF);
- Lebanon, consultations on the Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of resolution 1559;
- Syria, meeting on political and humanitarian developments; and
- “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question”, the quarterly open debate, with the possibility of additional meetings depending on developments.
Regarding European issues, the programme includes:
- Kosovo, briefing on the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo;
- Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), semi-annual debate on BiH and reauthorisation of the EU-led multinational stabilisation force in BiH (EUFOR ALTHEA); and
- Ukraine, one or more meetings on the file depending on developments.
Two issues in the Americas will be discussed in October:
- Haiti, renewal of the 2653 Haiti sanctions regime and a briefing, followed by consultations, on developments in the country and the work of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH); and
- Colombia, quarterly meeting on developments in the country and renewal of the mandate of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia.
Other issues could be raised in October depending on developments.