January 2023 Monthly Forecast

• Overview   

  In January 2023, Japan will hold the presidency of the Security Council.    Read more

• In Hindsight: The Security Council in 2022

  2022 was a turbulent year for the Security Council, its functioning tested by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February. The value of the UN Charter became a central theme in many members’ interventions, and the Council referred a situation to the General Assembly for the first time in forty years. Within the Council, the invasion exacerbated the trust deficit among members, making it harder to find common ground on many issues. Read more

• Status Update since our December Forecast  

  This is the Status Update since our last Forecast. Read more

• Syria

  In January 2023, the Security Council will hold its monthly meetings on the political and humanitarian situations in Syria and on the use of chemical weapons in the country.  Read more

• Rule of Law

  In January, Japan is organising a ministerial-level open debate on the “Promotion and strengthening of the rule of law in the maintenance of international peace and security: The rule of law among nations”. Secretary-General António Guterres, President of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) Joan Donoghue, and Oxford University Professor of Public International Law Dapo Akande are expected to brief. Read more

• Ukraine

  In January 2023, the Security Council may hold one or more meetings on the situation in Ukraine, depending on developments on the ground. Read more

• West Africa and the Sahel

  In January 2023, the Security Council will hold its biannual briefing on the situation in West Africa and the Sahel. The Council is also expected to renew the mandate of the UN Office of West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) in January. This is likely to be done through an exchange of letters between the President of the Security Council and the Secretary-General. UNOWAS’ current mandate expires on 31 January 2023. Read more

• Colombia

  In January 2023, the Security Council will hold its quarterly meeting on Colombia. The Council is also likely to vote on a draft resolution expanding the mandate of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia to verify the implementation of the chapter on comprehensive rural reform and the ethnic chapter of the 2016 Final Agreement for Ending the Conflict and Building a Stable and Lasting Peace between the government of Colombia and the former rebel group Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia-Ejército del Pueblo (FARC-EP). Read more

• Yemen

  In January 2023, the Security Council will hold its monthly briefing, followed by consultations, on Yemen. UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg and an OCHA representative are expected to brief. Major General Michael Beary, the head of the UN Mission to Support the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA), is expected to brief during the consultations. Read more

• Cyprus

  In January 2023, Security Council members are expected to receive a briefing in consultations on the situation in Cyprus. Special Representative and head of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) Colin Stewart is expected to brief. The Council is expected to renew UNFICYP’s mandate ahead of its 31 January 2023 expiry. Read more

• The Middle East, including the Palestinian Question

  In January 2023, the Security Council will hold its quarterly open debate on “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question”. Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland is expected to brief. Read more

• Mali

  In January 2023, the Council will hold a briefing and consultations on Mali. Special Representative and head of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) El-Ghassim Wane is expected to brief. In addition to the Secretary-General’s quarterly report on Mali, Council members expect to receive his internal review of MINUSMA by 13 January. The mandate of MINUSMA expires on 30 June 2023. Read more

• Haiti

  In January 2023, the Security Council is expected to receive a briefing from Special Representative and head of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) Helen La Lime on recent developments and the Secretary-General’s 90-day report on BINUH.   Read more

• Sudan

  In January 2023, the Security Council will receive the semi-annual briefing of ICC Prosecutor Karim Asad Ahmad Khan on the ICC’s Darfur-related activities. Read more

• Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace

  In January 2023, the Council is expected to hold an open debate on peacebuilding and sustaining peace, which Japan is organising as one of the signature events of its Council presidency. The session will focus on institution-building and resilience. Read more

• UNRCCA (Central Asia)

  In January, the Special Representative and head of the UN Regional Centre for Central Asia (UNRCCA), Natalia Gherman, is expected to brief the Security Council on UNRCCA’s work in closed consultations. Read more