Overview
In December, Slovenia will hold the presidency of the Security Council.
Slovenia plans to convene an open debate on “Leadership for Peace” under the “Maintenance of international peace and security” agenda item as the signature event of its presidency. Former UN Secretary-General and member of The Elders, Ban Ki-moon, as well as a woman civil society representative, are expected to brief.
Council members are also expected to undertake a visiting mission to Lebanon and Syria between 3 and 7 December. As has been the practice, the Council may schedule a meeting to brief on the visiting mission after its conclusion.
In addition, Slovenia intends to convene the annual briefing with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Chairperson-in-Office, a position currently held by Finland. Slovenian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon is expected to chair this meeting.
During the month, the Council is scheduled to hold its semi-annual debate on the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT). It also plans to vote on a draft resolution extending the mandate of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED).
In December, the outgoing chairs of the Security Council’s subsidiary bodies are expected to brief the Council on their experiences in facilitating the work of those bodies.
African issues that are expected to be discussed in December are:
- Democratic Republic of the Congo, briefing and consultations on the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and renewal of MONUSCO’s mandate;
- Somalia, vote on two draft resolutions: one renewing the sanctions measures against Al-Shabaab and another on the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), whose mandate expires on 31 December;
- Central African Republic (CAR), briefing on the work of the 2745 CAR Sanctions Committee;
- The Central Africa Region, briefing and consultations on the UN Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA) and the implementation of the UN’s regional strategy to combat the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA);
- Libya, briefing and consultations on the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and the work of the 1970 Libya Sanctions Committee; and
- West Africa and the Sahel, briefing and consultations on the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS).
Middle Eastern issues that will be addressed this month include:
- Syria, meeting on the political and humanitarian tracks;
- Iraq, final briefing and consultations on the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI);
- “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question”, the monthly meeting, with the possibility of additional meetings depending on developments;
- Yemen, the monthly meeting; and
- Golan, consultations on the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) and UNDOF’s mandate renewal.
The only Asian issue scheduled for December is Afghanistan. The Council will hold its quarterly meeting on the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), which will be chaired by Fajon.
Regarding the Americas, there will be a briefing by the chair of the 2653 Haiti Sanctions Committee.
Other issues—including Guinea-Bissau, Iran (non-proliferation), Myanmar, and Ukraine—could be raised in December depending on developments.
