Overview
In June, Colombia holds the presidency of the Security Council.
Colombia is expected to convene a high-level open debate titled “Advancing Peace in the Middle East: Mediation and Dialogue for a Lasting Peace” under the “Maintenance of international peace and security” agenda item. Colombian President Gustavo Petro Urrego is expected to chair the meeting, which is a signature event of Colombia’s June presidency. Secretary-General António Guterres is the anticipated briefer.
Another signature event organised by Colombia is an open debate on women, peace and security (WPS) titled “Peace is Decided with Women: Emerging from conflict by enhancing their participation”. Colombian Minister of Foreign Affairs Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio is expected to chair the meeting, which intends to stress the importance of women’s active participation in peace processes. UN Women Executive Director Sima Sami Bahous and one or more civil society representatives are the anticipated briefers.
The annual open debate on children and armed conflict will also take place in June. The anticipated briefers are Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict Vanessa Frazier, Executive Director of UNICEF Catherine Russell, and one or more civil society representatives.
The Security Council is also expected to hold its semi-annual debate on the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT). The President of the IRMCT, Judge Graciela Gatti Santana, and the Chief Prosecutor of the IRMCT, Serge Brammertz, are expected to brief during the debate and meet with the Informal Working Group on International Tribunals prior to that. Council members are also expected to negotiate a draft resolution extending Brammertz’s term as the IRMCT’s Chief Prosecutor, which expires on 30 June.
Several African issues are on the programme in June:
- Central African 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);
- Somalia, private meeting on the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM);
- Libya, briefing and consultations on the work of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL);
- Central African Republic (CAR), briefing and consultations on the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA);
- Sudan, briefing and consultations on the situation in the country pursuant to resolution 2715 of 1 December 2023 and on the work of the 1591 Sudan Sanctions Committee; and
- Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), briefing and consultations on the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and vote on a draft resolution renewing the mandate of the 1533 DRC Sanctions Committee and its Panel of Experts.
Middle Eastern issues on the programme this month are:
- Syria, meetings on the political and humanitarian situations and on the chemical weapons track;
- Yemen, the bi-monthly briefing and consultations on developments in the country;
- Golan, consultations on the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) and renewal of the mission’s mandate; and
- “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question”, the monthly briefing and consultations, with the possibility of additional meetings depending on developments.
Afghanistan is the only Asian issue on the programme this month, with a briefing and consultations planned on the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). The Council is also expected to vote on a draft resolution renewing the mission’s mandate ahead of its 17 June expiry.
Regarding non-proliferation issues, a briefing is scheduled on the work of the 1737 Sanctions Committee concerning Iran. (At the time of writing, committee chairs had not been appointed, as Council members continue to negotiate this year’s allocation of subsidiary body chairs. If the chairs are not appointed by the time the meeting is scheduled to take place, Colombia may brief in its capacity as Council president.)
As in previous months, there may be one or more meetings on Ukraine in June. Other issues, including those related to the situations in Lebanon, Iran, and Sudan, could also be raised during the month, depending on developments.
Two meetings on emerging developments have already been scheduled for 1 June. The first is an urgent briefing under the “Threats to international peace and security” agenda item to discuss an alleged Russian drone incursion into Romanian airspace overnight between 28 and 29 May. The second is an emergency briefing under “The Situation in the Middle East” agenda item to discuss Israel’s expanded incursion into Lebanese territory.
The General Assembly is scheduled to vote on 3 June to elect five new members to the Security Council. Trinidad and Tobago and Zimbabwe are running unopposed for the available seats for the Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC) and the African Group, respectively. Austria, Germany, and Portugal are contesting the two seats of the Western European and Others Group (WEOG), while Kyrgyzstan and the Philippines are vying for the available seat reserved for the Asia-Pacific Group.
Council members are expected to start meeting candidates for the position of UN Secretary-General in June, having agreed to the modalities for the meetings on 29 May.
