What's In Blue

Posted Mon 4 Nov 2013

November Programme of Work for the Security Council

During November, China will preside over the Security Council. The month has gotten off to a busy start, with the Council issuing on 2 November a press statement condemning the kidnapping and killing of two French journalists in Mali (SC/11169). Following consultations on the programme of work this morning (4 November), Emergency Relief Coordinator and head of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Valerie Amos, briefed Council members on the humanitarian situation in Syria under “any other business”. At the request of Russia, Council members were also briefed today under “any other business” on the implementation of resolution 2017 on the proliferation of weapons in Libya by Tarek Mitri, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, via video-teleconference from Tripoli.

Council members are expected to focus again on Syria and Libya in the first part of November. Tomorrow, Council members are scheduled to receive a briefing in consultations on the first monthly report on the implementation of resolution 2118, which required the verification and destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons, most likely by Sigrid Kaag, the Special Coordinator of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons-UN Joint Mission. On 14 November, the Council is likely to receive a briefing from International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda on the work of the Court in Libya.

Additional meetings on Middle East issues are planned during the month. Council members are scheduled to receive a briefing in consultations on developments in Yemen from the Secretary-General’s Special Advisor Jamal Benomar. A presidential statement whose elements will depend on whether or not the National Dialogue Conference in Yemen has concluded is a possible outcome. Nickolay Mladenov, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq and head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), is scheduled to provide a briefing on the upcoming UNAMI report. This will be followed by consultations on Iraq’s compliance with resolution 1284 regarding the repatriation or return of Kuwaiti nationals or their remains and the return of Kuwaiti property, which will be covered in another UNAMI report expected later this month. The Council is expecting a briefing in consultations by Special Coordinator Derek Plumbly on the implementation of resolution 1701, which called for a cessation of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006. The regular monthly briefing, likely by Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman, followed by consultations, is also planned on the overall situation in the Middle East.

Several situations in Africa are on the agenda in November this month. Early in the month, there will be consultations on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), likely focusing on the apparent ceasefire between the March 23 rebel movement and the DRC military and its impact on the Kampala talks. The Council is also likely to adopt two resolutions on Somalia, one revising the mandate of the AU Mission in Somalia and one reauthorising international anti-piracy measures. The 120-day briefing of the chair of the 751/1907 Somalia-Eritrea Sanctions Committee, Ambassador Oh Joon (Republic of Korea), to Council members is also planned. A briefing by Abou Moussa, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the UN Regional Office for Central African (UNOCA), is anticipated on the implementation of the regional strategy on the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). It seems there may also be some sort of decision adopted by the Council on UNOCA/LRA this month. Briefings and consultations on the Central Africa Republic and Guinea-Bissau respectively are also anticipated in late November. In addition, a briefing by the Secretary-General on his visit to Mali might be added to the programme of work following his return.

The Council continues its focus on issues relating to Sudan and South Sudan, although members have decided to reduce the frequency of the Sudan/South Sudan consultations from semi-monthly to once per month. In addition to the Sudan/South Sudan consultations, the Council will hold a briefing, possibly by Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) Hilde Johnson, followed by consultations on UNMISS. Ambassador María Cristina Perceval (Argentina) will provide to Council members the quarterly briefing in consultations on the work of the 1591 Sudan Sanctions Committee. Also, the Council expects to renew the mandate of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei, which expires on 30 November.

Two debates on situations in Europe are scheduled this month. The first will be the semi-annual debate on Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), which will include a briefing by the High Representative for BiH, Valentin Inzko, on his report to the Council. Prior to the debate the Council is also expected to reauthorise the EU-led multinational stabilisation force for 12 months prior to the expiration of its mandate on 14 November. The quarterly debate on the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) is also planned in November, with the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and head of UNMIK, Farid Zarif, likely to brief the Council on recent developments in Kosovo and the Secretary-General’s report on UNMIK.

In late November, the chairs of the Council’s counter-terrorism-related committees will provide their semi-annual briefing to the Council. The briefers will be Ambassador Gary Quinlan (Australia), chair of the 1267/1989 Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee; Ambassador Mohammed Loulichki (Morocco), chair of the 1373 Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC); and Ambassador Oh Joon (Republic of Korea), chair of the 1540 Committee concerning the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Also in November, Ambassador Sylvie Lucas, chair of the 1718 Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Sanctions Committee, will brief Council members in consultations on the committee’s work.

On 7 November, the President of the Council will present the annual report of the Security Council to the General Assembly.

Three issues that may be considered this month are listed in the footnotes of the programme of work. These include the ongoing issue of non-proliferation, which covers the DPRK and Iran, as well as peace and security in Africa, which has been listed to take into account the possibility of a resolution on Kenya’s request for an ICC deferral. The third item in the footnotes is the DRC/Great Lakes which relates to the possibility of further briefings on the DRC.

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