What's In Blue

Posted Thu 1 Nov 2018

Security Council Programme of Work for November

China is the president of the Security Council in November. The programme of work was adopted earlier today.

China will hold two open debates during its presidency: one on “Strengthening multilateralism and the role of the United Nations”, and a second on “Strengthening peacekeeping operations in Africa”. UN Secretary-General António Guterres is expected to brief at both meetings, while AU Commissioner for Peace and Security Smaïl Chergui is a possible briefer for the debate on African capacities.

The annual meeting with the heads of UN police components will be held this month. Briefings will be provided by Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix; UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) Police Commissioner Unaisi Lutu Vuniwaqa; UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) Police Commissioner Awale Abdounasir; and UN Mission for Justice Support in Haiti (MINUJUSTH) Police Commissioner Serge Therriault.

There is a heavy focus on Libya and Somalia this month. With regard to Libya, ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda will deliver the semi-annual briefing on recent developments concerning cases in the country. Briefings, followed by consultations, by the Special Representative and head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Ghassan Salamé, and the chair of the 1970 Libya Sanctions Committee, Ambassador Olof Skoog (Sweden), are also anticipated. Furthermore, the Council plans to adopt a resolution extending the mandate of the Panel of Experts assisting the Libya Sanctions Committee and renewing measures related to the illicit export of crude oil from Libya.

With regard to Somalia, the Council is expected to adopt a resolution reauthorising counter-piracy measures. Consultations will also be held on the work of 751/1901 Somalia and Eritrea Sanctions Committee, with its chair, Ambassador Kairat Umarov (Kazakhstan), briefing members. The Council will further adopt a resolution addressing the partial lifting of the arms embargo on Somali security forces, the authorisation for maritime interdiction to enforce the embargo on illicit arms imports and charcoal exports, and humanitarian exemptions to the Somalia and Eritrea sanctions regime.

Other resolutions are scheduled to be adopted renewing the mandates of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) and the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).

A briefing is anticipated mid-month on South Sudan. Lacroix and Chergui (via video-teleconference) are expected to brief. UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka may also brief.

The Council expects a briefing this month on the joint force of the Group of Five for the Sahel (G5 Sahel) or FC-G5S, which Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger decided to establish in February 2017 to combat terrorist and criminal groups in the region. Lacroix is expected to brief. Other potential participants may include G5 Sahel Permanent Secretary Maman Sidikou, and briefers from the AU and the EU.

A briefing on Burundi is anticipated in the second part of the month. This may include briefings from Special Envoy Michel Kafando and Ambassador Jürg Lauber (Switzerland), the chair of the Peacebuilding Commission’s Burundi configuration.

November will also be a busy month in the Council on Middle East issues. A briefing from Special Envoy Martin Griffiths on efforts to resume political consultations in Yemen is anticipated. This will be followed by consultations.

Special Representative and head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) Ján Kubiš is scheduled to brief the Council on Iraq. This will focus on the latest Secretary-General’s report on UNAMI and the most recent developments in the country.

Consultations will be held on the Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of resolution 1701, which called for a cessation of hostilities between the Shi’a militant group Hezbollah and Israel in 2006. Pernille Dahler Kardel, Acting Special Coordinator for Lebanon, will brief members in the consultations.

Rosemary DiCarlo, the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, is expected to brief during the monthly meeting on the Middle East (Israel/Palestine).

There will also be the monthly meetings on political developments, the humanitarian situation, and the use of chemical weapons in Syria. The briefers are expected to be Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura on political developments, OCHA Director for Operations and Advocacy Reena Ghelani on the humanitarian situation, and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu on chemical weapons. All of these briefings are expected to be followed by consultations.

Two European issues are currently scheduled: Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo. The Council is expected to hold its semi-annual debate on Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and to renew the authorisation of the EU-led multinational stabilisation force (EUFOR ALTHEA) at the debate. High Representative Valentin Inzko is expected to brief on the latest report of the Office of the High Representative (OHR). Special Representative and head of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) Zahir Tanin is expected to brief on recent developments and the latest report by the Secretary-General on Kosovo.

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) represents the one Asian issue on the programme this month. Ambassador Karel van Oosterom (Netherlands), the chair of the 1718 DPRK Sanctions Committee, will brief in consultations.

The 15 current Council members and the incoming five (Belgium, Dominican Republic, Indonesia, Germany and South Africa) will participate in the annual “Hitting the Ground Running” workshop organised by Finland.

Non-proliferation, Ukraine, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are in the footnotes to the programme. Meetings on these and other issues could be convened during the month.

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