Overview
In October, Greece will hold the presidency of the Security Council.
Greece plans to organise two signature events. The first is a high-level briefing on maritime security and emerging technologies under the “Maintenance of international peace and security” agenda item.
The second signature event is a briefing on children and armed conflict (CAAC) to mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the CAAC mandate by the General Assembly. Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Giorgos Gerapetritis is expected to chair the meeting. Briefings are expected from Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict Vanessa Frazier, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell, and a civil society representative.
The Security Council will hold its annual open debate on women, peace and security (WPS) in October. Secretary-General António Guterres, UN Women Executive Director Sima Sami Bahous, and a woman civil society representative 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). AU Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) members will travel to New York for the 20th annual joint consultative meeting between the Security Council and the AUPSC, to be held on 23 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 11th informal joint seminar of Security Council members and the AUPSC on 22 October, which will be held in a retreat format at the Greentree Foundation in Manhasset, New York.
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.
Additionally, Council members are expected to hold an informal interactive dialogue (IID) on the implementation of resolution 2744 of 19 July 2024, which strengthened the mandate of the Focal Point for Delisting and re-established the Informal Working Group (IWG) of the Security Council on General UN Security Council Sanctions Issues. Yvonne Ching Ling Lee, the Focal Point for Delisting, is expected to brief at the meeting, which is being organised by Greece and Pakistan.
African issues on the programme of work in October are:
- 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, as well as vote on a draft resolution extending the 1591 Sudan sanctions regime;
- Western Sahara, consultations on the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) and vote on the extension of the mission’s mandate;
- Great Lakes Region, the biannual briefing and consultations on the implementation of the 2013 Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework (PSC-F) for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the region;
- Central African Republic (CAR), briefing and consultations on the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA); and
- Libya, briefing and consultations on the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and vote on the extension of the mission’s mandate.
Middle Eastern issues on the programme include:
- Yemen, monthly briefing and consultations on developments;
- Golan, quarterly consultations on the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF);
- Lebanon, consultations on the Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of resolution 1559;
- Syria, monthly meeting on political and humanitarian developments;
- Iraq/Kuwait, briefing on the issue of missing persons and property based on the Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of resolution 2792 of 17 September 2025; and
- “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question”, the quarterly open debate.
Regarding European issues, the programme includes:
- Kosovo, briefing on the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK); and
- Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), semi-annual debate on BiH and reauthorisation of the European Union (EU)-led multinational stabilisation force in BiH (EUFOR ALTHEA).
Two issues in the Americas will be discussed in October:
- Haiti, briefing and consultations on developments in the country and the work of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) as well as renewal of the 2653 Haiti sanctions regime; and
- Colombia, quarterly meeting on developments in the country and renewal of the mandate of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia.
Other issues, such as Ukraine, could be raised in October depending on developments. Council members will continue following closely the crisis in the Middle East and any spillover effects, such as the disruption to freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Members are also likely to continue considering possible arrangements after the termination of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Additionally, they are likely to continue monitoring developments in Ethiopia.
In October, Council members are expected to continue conducting “straw polls” to gauge support for candidates for the position of UN Secretary-General.