What's In Blue

Posted Tue 1 Mar 2022

Programme of Work for March 2022

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the president of the Security Council in March. The Council adopted its provisional programme of work for the month earlier today (1 March). All meetings are expected to be held in person this month.

The UAE will organise an open debate on Women, Peace and Security as one of the signature events of its presidency. The meeting will focus on enabling public-private partnerships to contribute to women’s economic empowerment in conflict-affected and fragile settings. UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment Mariam bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri is expected to chair the meeting. UN Women Executive Director Sima Sami Bahous, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina Georgieva and a civil society representative are the anticipated briefers.

The second signature event this month is a briefing on cooperation between the UN and the League of Arab States (LAS). Khalifa Shaheen Almarar, Minister of State at UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, will chair the meeting. The expected briefers are UN Secretary-General António Guterres, LAS Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit and a youth civil society representative. A presidential statement is a possible outcome of the meeting.

This month, the Council will receive the annual briefing on the activities of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) from Poland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Zbigniew Rau, in his capacity as the new OSCE Chairman-in-Office (CiO).

The Security Council is scheduled to receive a briefing from Ambassador Ramón de la Fuente Ramirez (Mexico), the chair of the 1540 Committee, on the Committee’s work. Adopted in 2004, resolution 1540 aims to prevent non-state actors from obtaining access to weapons of mass destruction.

Several African issues are on the programme this month.

The Security Council is expected to vote on a draft resolution renewing the mandate of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) ahead of its 15 March expiry. Prior to this, the Council is expected to hold a briefing, followed by consultations, on the Secretary-General’s 90-day report on UNMISS. Special Representative and head of UNMISS Nicholas Haysom is expected to brief. A civil society representative may also brief. The Council will also hold a meeting with UNMISS’ troop-contributing countries, in which Haysom will participate.

There will be a briefing, followed by consultations, on the situation in Libya and the work of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo is expected to brief. The chair of the 1970 Libya Sanctions Committee, Ambassador T.S. Tirumurti (India), is also scheduled to brief on the Committee’s activities.

The Council is expected to consider a resolution on the future AU mission in Somalia. In addition, the authorisation for anti-piracy measures off the coast of Somalia expires on 3 March. However, it appears that the Council will not seek to re-authorise the measures because of opposition from Somalia. Council members may consider possible next steps during the month.

On Sudan, the chair of the 1591 Sudan Sanctions Committee, Ambassador Harold Adlai Agyeman (Ghana), is expected to provide the quarterly briefing on the Committee’s work. There will also be a briefing on the Secretary-General’s 90-day report on the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) by Special Representative for Sudan and head of UNITAMS Volker Perthes. Consultations are expected to follow the briefing.

The Council will convene for a briefing and consultations on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Special Representative and head of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) Bintou Keita is expected to brief. A civil society representative may also brief.

Several Middle Eastern issues will be addressed in March.

The Security Council will hold its monthly meetings on the political, humanitarian, and chemical weapons tracks in Syria. There will be an open briefing and closed consultations on the chemical weapons file, in which High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu will brief. The meeting on the political and humanitarian developments in Syria will include briefings from Special Envoy Geir O. Pedersen, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Joyce Msuya and a LAS representative.

The Council will also hold its monthly briefing and consultations on Yemen. UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths will brief. The head of the UN Mission to support the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA), Major General Michael Beary, may brief in consultations.

Council members will receive a briefing in consultations on the Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of resolution 1701 of 2006, which called for a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Joanna Wronecka and Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix are expected to brief.

The Council will 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.

Lacroix will also brief Council members in consultations on the activities of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in the Golan Heights.

Two Asian issues are featured on this month’s programme.

Council members are expected to vote on a draft resolution on the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). Prior to this, there will be an open briefing and closed consultations on the situation in Afghanistan. Special Representative and head of UNAMA Deborah Lyons and a woman representative of Afghan civil society are expected to brief.

The Security Council is scheduled to extend the mandate of the Panel of Experts assisting the 1718 Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Sanctions Committee.

An informal briefing on peacekeeping performance based on resolution 2436 of 21 September 2018 is also expected to take place in March.

Council members will be closely following developments related to Ukraine, Ethiopia and Myanmar. They may choose to convene meetings on these and any other issues.

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