Programme of Work for April 2022
The UK is the president of the Security Council in April. Council members adopted the provisional programme of work for the month earlier today (1 April).
As one of its signature events, the UK will convene a briefing on the implementation of resolution 2565 on the equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, which was adopted during the UK presidency in February 2021. The meeting will be chaired by Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, UK Minister of State for South Asia, North Africa, the United Nations and the Commonwealth at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. The expected briefers are Assistant Secretary-General Ted Chaiban, the Global Lead Coordinator for COVID-19 Vaccine Country-Readiness and Delivery at UNICEF; Esperanza Martinez, Head of the ICRC’s COVID-19 Crisis Management Team; and a civil society representative.
The second signature event is the annual open debate on conflict-related sexual violence, which this year will focus on “Accountability as Prevention: Ending Cycles of Sexual Violence in Conflict”. Lord Ahmad, who is also the UK Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, is expected to chair the meeting. Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict Pramila Patten and one or more civil society representatives are expected to brief. The UK has recently joined the statement of shared commitments on Women, Peace and Security jointly undertaken by Albania, Brazil, Norway, the United Arab Emirates, and former Council member Niger. In the statement, these countries committed to make Women, Peace and Security a “top priority” during their respective presidencies.
In addition to these signature events, the UK will organise “Sofa Talks”—an informal format for frank conversations among the Council’s permanent representatives—at Greentree on 8 April. The meeting aims to facilitate discussion on the significance of data and technology in supporting the Council’s work in conflict prevention and resolution.
Ukraine is likely to continue to be a key focus for Council members this month. The UK plans to convene a briefing on the situation in Ukraine. Secretary-General António Guterres will provide introductory remarks, while Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths will brief. Members may choose to convene additional meetings on various aspects of the situation in Ukraine, depending on developments on the ground.
The other European issue on this month’s programme is Kosovo. The Council will receive the semi-annual briefing on the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) from the Special Representative and head of UNMIK Caroline Ziadeh.
The Council will hold its quarterly meeting on Colombia in April. Special Representative and head of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia Carlos Ruiz Massieu will brief on recent developments and the Secretary-General’s latest 90-day report on the mission. Colombian president Iván Duque is expected to represent Colombia at the meeting, which will be chaired by Lord Ahmad.
The Security Council plans to address several African issues this month.
Council members expect to vote on a draft resolution renewing the mandate of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) ahead of its 30 April expiry. Council members will also receive a briefing in closed consultations on UNSMIL from a UN Secretariat official. The Security Council will receive the semi-annual briefing of ICC prosecutor Karim Asad Ahmad Khan concerning the court’s cases in Libya.
There will be an open briefing, followed by closed consultations, on the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). Special Representative and head of MINUSMA El-Ghassim Wane is expected to brief. A civil society representative may also brief.
Council members will also receive a briefing in consultations on the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). The anticipated briefers are the Special Representative for Western Sahara and head of MINURSO, Alexander Ivanko, and the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura.
There will also be a briefing, followed by consultations, on Sudan/South Sudan and the Secretary-General’s report on the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA). The Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, Hanna Serwaa Tetteh, is expected to brief. A representative of the UN Department of Peace Operations (DPO) may also brief.
In April, the Council will convene for its semi-annual briefing on the implementation of the 2013 Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework (PSC Framework) for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Great Lakes region. The Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region, Huang Xia, is expected to brief. The Executive Secretary of the International Conference for the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), João Samuel Caholo, and a civil society representative may also brief.
Several Middle Eastern issues are on the programme of work this month.
The quarterly open debate on “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question” will take place in April. Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland is the anticipated briefer.
Council members will also receive their monthly briefing on Yemen in closed consultations. Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg and Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Joyce Msuya are expected to brief.
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 will brief on political and humanitarian developments, respectively.
Council members will also be closely following developments related to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), Ethiopia, Iran (JCPOA), Myanmar, and South Sudan. They may choose to convene meetings on these and other issues.
