Overview
In January 2026, Somalia will hold the presidency of the Security Council.
Somalia intends to organise one signature event, an open debate titled “Reaffirming international rule of law: pathways to reinvigorating peace, justice, and multilateralism” under the “Promotion and strengthening of the rule of law in the maintenance of international peace and security” agenda item. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is expected to chair the meeting. Possible briefers include Secretary-General António Guterres; Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission Mahmoud Ali Youssouf; and the Founding President of the African Institute of International Law, Judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf.
Somalia intends to convene the quarterly open debate on “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question” (MEPQ) at ministerial level. Somali Foreign Minister Abdisalam Abdi Ali is expected to chair the meeting.
Additional Middle Eastern issues anticipated in January are:
- Yemen, the monthly meeting; mandate renewal of the UN Mission to Support the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA); and renewal of the monthly reporting requirement on Houthi attacks on merchant and commercial vessels in the Red Sea, originally mandated by Security Council resolution 2722 in January 2024.
- Syria, meetings on political and humanitarian issues, and on the chemical weapons track.
Issues in the Americas that will be featured in January’s programme of work are:
- Colombia, the quarterly briefing on the work of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia; and
- Haiti, the quarterly briefing on the work of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and renewal of BINUH’s mandate.
The only meeting on an African issue scheduled for the month is the semi-annual briefing from the International Criminal Court (ICC) on the Court’s Darfur-related activities.
The Council also expects to renew the mandate of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), which expires on 31 January, through an exchange of letters with the Secretary-General.
Regarding European issues, Council members are scheduled to hold their semi-annual consultations on the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) and to vote on a resolution renewing the mission’s mandate, which expires on 31 January. A private meeting with UNFICYP troop-contributing countries is also expected ahead of the vote on the renewal resolution.
Council members will also receive a briefing in consultations on the work of the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA).
Additional meetings on these and other issues—including Ukraine, Sudan, and Venezuela—may be scheduled during the month depending on developments.
