May 2015 Monthly Forecast

Posted 1 May 2015
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  • Overview

    Lithuania will hold the Council presidency for May.  Read more

  • Status Update

    Recent developments on situations covered in this Forecast are in the relevant briefs. Interesting developments on other issues are included in this Status Update of Security Council activity in April 2015. Read more

  • Notable Dates

    Notable Dates for May Read more

  • South Sudan

    In May, the Council is expected to hold a briefing, followed by consultations, on the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and to renew the mandate of the mission, which expires on 30 May. Also in May, the chair of the 2206 Sanctions Committee on South Sudan, Ambassador Cristián Barros (Chile) is expected to provide his first briefing to the Council on the Committee’s work. Read more

  • Somalia

    In May, the Council is scheduled to receive a briefing from Nicholas Kay, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), on the forthcoming Secretary-General’s report. The Council is also expected to adopt a resolution renewing the mandate of UNSOM, which expires 28 May. Read more

  • Yemen

    In May, the Council will likely receive a briefing on the humanitarian and political situation in Yemen. Briefers will include a representative of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The recently appointed Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, may also brief. Read more

  • Iraq

    In mid-May, newly appointed Special Representative Ján Kubiš will brief the Council on the Secretary-General’s reports on the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and on Iraq’s compliance with resolution 1284 regarding the repatriation or return of Kuwaiti missing persons or property. UNAMI’s mandate expires on 31 July. Read more

  • UNOCA/LRA

    In May, the Security Council will be briefed by Abdoulaye Bathily, Special Representative and head of the UN Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), on the Secretary-General’s report on UNOCA and the implementation of the UN regional strategy to combat the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). Either a presidential or a press statement is a possible outcome. Read more

  • Liberia

    In May, the Council is scheduled to receive a briefing from Karin Landgren, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), on events covered in the latest bi-annual Secretary-General’s report on UNMIL and other recent developments. Ambassador Olof Skoog (Sweden), chair of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) and its country-specific configuration on Liberia, who travelled to the region in April, is also likely to brief. Minister of Justice Benedict Sannoh may also attend. Read more

  • Syria

    In May, Council members expect to receive their regular monthly briefings on the chemical weapons and humanitarian tracks in Syria. While there is no outcome planned at press time, it seemed possible that the crisis in Yarmouk will refocus the Council’s attention this month on the use of siege tactics in Syria. Read more

  • Sudan (Darfur)

    In May, Ambassador Rafael Ramírez (Venezuela), the chair of the 1591 Sudan Sanctions Committee, is expected to provide the quarterly briefing to Council members on the Committee’s work. Read more

  • DPRK (North Korea)

    In May, the chair of the 1718 Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Sanctions Committee, Ambassador Román Oyarzun (Spain), is due to brief Council members in consultations on the work of the Committee.   Read more

  • Libya

    In May, International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda will deliver her semi-annual briefing on recent developments concerning cases in Libya. Read more

  • Small Arms

    In May, the Council will hold an open debate at the initiative of Lithuania to consider the Secretary-General’s biennial report on small arms. Lithuania has circulated a concept note highlighting the human cost of illicit small arms as a key focus for the debate and has proposed a resolution as an outcome. Read more

  • Counter-Terrorism

    In May, the Council is scheduled to hold a briefing on the implementation of resolution 2178 on the growing threat of foreign terrorist fighters. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius is expected to preside and justice and interior ministers of Council have been invited to attend. Expected to brief on UN counter-terrorism efforts are the Deputy Secretary-General, Jan Eliasson, and the chairs of the 1267/1989 Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee, Ambassador Gerard van Bohemen (New Zealand), and the 1373 Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), Ambassador Raimonda Murmokaitė (Lithuania). Secretary-General of INTERPOL Jürgen Stock will also brief the Council. The adoption of a presidential statement is the likely outcome. Read more

  • Protection of Civilians

    In late May, the Council is expected to hold an open debate at ministerial-level on the protection of journalists in conflict situations, which will be chaired by Linas Linkevičius, Lithuania’s foreign minister. UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson is expected to brief. Other briefers will include Christophe Deloire, the Secretary-General of Reporters Without Borders, and a journalist from a conflict-affected country. The Secretary-General’s report on the protection of civilians, which is produced once every 18 months, will likely be transmitted to the Council in early June, and thus will not be available prior to the debate.  At press time, a resolution was a potential outcome. Read more

  • Sudan/South Sudan

    Council members are expected to hold consultations in May to consider the Secretary-General’s report on the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) due by 1 May.   The mandate of UNISFA expires on 15 July.  Read more

  • Kosovo

    In May, the Council is expected to hold its quarterly debate on Kosovo. Farid Zarif, Special Representative and head of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), is expected to brief on the latest Secretary-General’s report and recent developments. Both Serbia and Kosovo are likely to participate at high-level. Read more

  • Bosnia and Herzegovina

    In May, the Council will hold its biannual debate on Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). The High Representative for BiH, Valentin Inzko, will brief the Council, presenting the latest report of the Office of the High Representative, which is expected in early May. No outcome is anticipated.  Read more

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