What's In Blue

Programme of Work for August 2021

India is the president of the Security Council in August. The Council adopted its provisional programme of work for the month earlier today (2 August). Most meetings are expected to be held in person this month.

India will convene a high-level videoconference (VTC) open debate on maritime security, which will be chaired by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The expected briefers are Chef de Cabinet Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti; Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Ghada Fathi Waly; and Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) President Félix Tshisekedi, in his capacity as chairperson of the AU. A presidential statement is an expected outcome.

There will also be a ministerial-level open debate on “Technology and Peacekeeping”. India’s Minister of External Affairs, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, will chair the debate. Secretary-General António Guterres and a representative from the AU may brief. A presidential statement is a potential outcome of the meeting. India might also pursue a resolution on the protection of peacekeepers during the month.

The Council will meet to discuss the Secretary-General’s 13th strategic-level report on the threat posed by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or Da’esh) in August. India’s Minister of External Affairs, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, will chair the meeting. Under-Secretary-General Vladimir Voronkov, the head of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), and Assistant Secretary-General Michèle Coninsx, the Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), are expected to brief.

Several Middle Eastern issues are on the programme this month. The Security Council is expected to vote on a draft resolution renewing the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ahead of its 31 August expiry. Prior to that, Council members will hold closed consultations on UNIFIL. Assistant Secretary-General for Rule of Law and Security Institutions Alexandre Zouev is the anticipated briefer.

The Council will hold its monthly meetings on the political, humanitarian and chemical weapons tracks in Syria. High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu will brief on the chemical weapons file, while Special Envoy Geir O. Pedersen and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths are expected to brief on political and humanitarian issues, respectively.

There will be the monthly briefing, followed by consultations, on Yemen. A representative of the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Under-Secretary-General Griffiths are expected to brief. General Abhijit Guha, head of the UN Mission to support the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA) and chair of the Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC), may brief in consultations.

The Council will convene for a briefing, followed by consultations on Iraq. Special Representative and head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert will brief on the most recent developments and the Secretary-General’s two upcoming reports concerning UNAMI and missing Kuwaiti property and missing third party and Kuwaiti nationals, which are due in August.

There will also be the monthly meeting on the “Middle East, including the Palestinian Question”. The expected briefer is the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland.

The Council will also discuss several African issues in August. Council members are expected to vote on a resolution renewing the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) ahead of its 31 August expiry. Prior to that, there will be a briefing, followed by consultations, on Somalia. James Swan, Special Representative for Somalia and head of UNSOM, and Francisco Madeira, head of the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), are expected to brief.

This month, the Council is also expected to renew the Mali asset freeze and travel ban sanctions, which expire on 31 August, and the mandate of the Mali Panel of Experts, which expires on 30 September. Council members may consider during the month the Secretary-General’s 15 July report, which contains recommendations on the force level of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).

Council members will also receive the quarterly briefing by the chair of the 1718 DPRK Sanctions Committee in closed consultations. Acting Chair of the 1718 Committee Ambassador Trine Heimerback (Norway) is expected to brief.

There will be a meeting on Georgia under “any other business” to coincide with the 13th anniversary of the 2008 Russia-Georgia war. A representative of the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs is expected to brief.

Council members will also be closely following developments related to Afghanistan, Haiti, Tigray, and Myanmar. They may choose to convene meetings on these and other issues.

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