Programme of Work for February 2022
The Russian Federation is the president of the Security Council in February. The Council adopted its provisional programme of work for the month earlier today (1 February). All meetings are expected to be held in person this month.
Russia has decided to organise two signature events. The first is a debate on sanctions with a focus on preventing their humanitarian and unintended consequences. Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths may brief.
The second signature event is a debate on the cooperation between the UN and regional and subregional organisations, with a focus on the partnership with the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). UN Secretary-General António Guterres and CSTO Secretary-General Stanislav Zas are the potential briefers.
Russia will also convene a briefing on the situation in Ukraine to mark the seventh anniversary of the “Package of Measures for the Implementation of the Minsk Agreements”, also known as the Minsk II agreement. DiCarlo may brief. Special Representative of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) Mikko Kinnunen and OSCE Special Monitoring Mission Chief Monitor Halit Çevik are also expected to brief.
The Security Council is scheduled to hold a briefing on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts based on the Secretary-General’s 14th strategic-level report on the threat posed by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh). Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism Vladimir Voronkov and Acting Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED) Weixiong Chen are the anticipated briefers.
This month, the Council is also expected to renew the mandate of the committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 and its Group of Experts. Adopted in 2004, resolution 1540 aims to prevent non-state actors from obtaining access to weapons of mass destruction.
Several Middle Eastern issues are on the programme this month. On Yemen, the Council is expected to adopt a resolution renewing the Yemen financial and travel ban sanctions, which expire on 26 February, and the mandate of the Yemen Panel of Experts, which expires on 28 March. The Council will also hold its monthly briefing and consultations on Yemen with UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg and a representative of OCHA. The head of the UN Mission to support the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA), Major General Michael Berry, who was appointed in December 2021 and assumed his duties on 19 January, is expected to brief in consultations.
The Council will hold two meetings related to Iraq this month. It will receive a briefing from Permanent Representative of Ireland to the UN and other International Organisations in Geneva Michael Gaffey, the UN Compensation Commission (UNCC) Governing Council President. (The UNCC was created by the Security Council to process claims and pay compensation for losses and damage suffered as a direct result of Iraq’s invasion and occupation of Kuwait.) There will also be a briefing and consultations on the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). Special Representative and head of UNAMI Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert will brief on recent developments in Iraq and the Secretary-General’s upcoming reports on UNAMI and the issue of missing Kuwaiti and third-party nationals and missing Kuwaiti property, both of which are due in February.
The Council will also convene for its monthly meeting on “the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question”. Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland is the anticipated briefer.
There will be an open briefing, followed by closed consultations, on the political and humanitarian tracks in Syria. Special Envoy for Syria Geir O. Pedersen and Griffiths may brief. At the same meeting, the Syria chemical weapons file might be addressed by an additional briefer.
Several African issues will be discussed in February. Council members are expected to vote on a draft resolution renewing the mandate of the Panel of Experts assisting the 1591 Sudan Sanctions Committee.
There will be an open briefing and closed consultations on Somalia. Special Representative for Somalia and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) James Swan will brief. Representatives of the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU) are also expected to brief. The Council will also hear the periodic briefing by the Chair of the 751 Somalia Sanctions Committee, Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason (Ireland), on the committee’s work.
The Council will convene for an open briefing on the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA). Special Representative for the Central African Republic (CAR) and head of MINUSCA Mankeur Ndiaye is expected to brief. Representatives of the AU and the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) may also brief.
Regarding the Americas, there will be a briefing and consultations on the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH). Special Representative and head of BINUH Helen La Lime is the anticipated briefer.
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) is the one Asian issue on this month’s programme. The Chair of the 1718 DPRK Sanctions Committee, Ambassador Mona Juul (Norway), is expected to brief Council members in closed consultations on the 90-day report regarding the Committee’s work.
Council members will also be closely following developments related to Ethiopia, Myanmar, Sudan and the situation in West Africa and the Sahel. They may choose to convene meetings on these and any other issues.
