Overview
In March, the US will hold the presidency of the Security Council.
The US is expected to organise two signature events: one on “Children, technology, and education in conflict” and the other on “Energy, critical minerals, and security”. Both will be held under the “Maintenance of international peace and security” agenda item. The first meeting, which will be held this afternoon (2 March), will be chaired by First Lady Melania Trump. Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo is the anticipated briefer.
The US also plans to convene briefings on the work of the 1737 Sanctions Committee concerning Iran and the 1540 Committee, which assists member states in preventing non-state actors from obtaining access to weapons of mass destruction. (At the time of writing, committee chairs had not been appointed as Council members continue to negotiate this year’s allocation of subsidiary bodies chairs. If the chairs are not appointed by the time the meetings are scheduled to take place, the US may brief in its capacity as Council president.)
Other Middle Eastern issues scheduled for March include:
- Syria, meetings on the political and humanitarian situations and on the chemical weapons track;
- Golan, consultations on the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF);
- “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question”, the monthly meeting; and
- Lebanon, consultations on the implementation of resolution 1701, which was adopted in 2006 and called for a cessation of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel.
The only African issue planned for March is a briefing and consultations on the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). Council members are also expected to consider a draft resolution adjusting MONUSCO’s mandate based on the Secretary-General’s report and recommendations due to be submitted by 1 March pursuant to resolution 2808 of 19 December 2025.
Regarding Asian issues, the Council will hold its quarterly meeting on the situation in Afghanistan. Members also expect to renew the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
Additional meetings on other issues—such as Haiti, Myanmar, Sudan, Ukraine, and the military escalation in the Middle East—could be raised in March, depending on developments.