What's In Blue

Posted Tue 3 May 2022

Programme of Work for May 2022

The US is the president of the Security Council in May. The Council adopted its provisional programme of work for the month earlier today (3 May).

The US will organise an open debate on conflict and food security as one of the signature events of its presidency. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will chair the meeting. Secretary-General António Guterres and the Director-General of the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) Qu Dongyu are expected to brief. Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP) David Beasley and a civil society representative may brief.

Another signature event planned for this month is a briefing on technology and security, which will focus on the use of digital technologies in maintaining international peace and security.

The Security Council’s annual open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict will take place in May. Secretary-General António Guterres, ICRC President Peter Maurer and a civil society representative may brief.

Ukraine is likely to continue as a key focus for Council members this month. The US will convene a briefing on the situation in Ukraine, at which Secretary-General António Guterres, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, OCHA’s Acting Operations Director Ghada Eltahir Mudawi and a civil society representative 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 Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). The Security Council will hold its semi-annual debate on BiH, during which High Representative for BiH Christian Schmidt is expected to brief on the latest report of the Office of the High Representative (OHR).

This month, the Chair of the 1718 Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (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 are also expected to continue negotiating a US-proposed draft resolution updating and strengthening the 1718 DPRK sanctions regime.

Several African issues will be discussed in May.

Regarding Sudan/South Sudan, Council members expect to renew the mandate of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).

The Council will also renew the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM). Prior to that, there will be an open briefing, followed by closed consultations, on the situation in Somalia. Special Representative for Somalia and head of UNSOM James Swan is expected to brief. An AU representative and a civil society representative may also brief.

The Security Council expects to vote on a draft resolution to renew the South Sudan sanctions regime—including targeted sanctions and the arms embargo—which expires on 31 May, and the mandate of the South Sudan Sanctions Committee Panel of Experts, which expires on 1 July, as set out in resolution 2577.

There will be a briefing, followed by consultations, on the counter-terrorism Joint Force of the Group of Five for the Sahel (FC-G5S), established in 2017 by Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger (G5 Sahel). A representative of the UN Department of Peace Operations (DPO) and a civil society representative are expected to brief.

The Council will receive a briefing on the Secretary-General’s 90-day report on the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) from the Special Representative for Sudan and head of UNITAMS, Volker Perthes. A civil society representative may also brief. Closed consultations are expected to follow the open briefing.

There will also be a briefing and consultations on Libya. A representative of the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) is expected to brief. The chair of the 1970 Libya Sanctions Committee, Ambassador T.S. Tirumurti (India), is also scheduled to provide an update on the committee’s activities. In addition, a civil society representative may brief. This month, Council members may also hold an informal interactive dialogue on the implementation of resolution 2292 of 14 June 2016, which authorised member states to inspect vessels on the high seas off the coast of Libya that they have reasonable grounds to believe are violating the arms embargo.

Several Middle Eastern issues are on the programme of work this month.

The Security Council is expected to renew the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). Prior to that, Special Representative and head of UNAMI Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert will brief the Council 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. Closed consultations are scheduled to follow the open briefing.

Council members expect to receive their bi-annual briefing in consultations on the Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of resolution 1559. Adopted in 2004, this resolution called for the withdrawal of foreign forces from Lebanon, the disarmament of all militias, and the extension of government control over the whole Lebanese territory. Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo is expected to brief.

Council members will also receive their monthly briefing on Yemen in closed consultations. Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg and an OCHA representative are the anticipated briefers.

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 in closed consultations. Council members will receive a briefing, also in closed consultations, on political developments from Special Envoy for Syria Geir O. Pedersen. There will be an open briefing, followed by closed consultations, on the humanitarian situation in Syria, at which Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths and a civil society representative are expected to brief.

The Security 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.

This month, the US intends to convene an informal meeting on peacekeeping performance and accountability to follow up on the implementation of resolution 2436 of 21 September 2018.

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

Sign up for What's In Blue emails

Subscribe to receive SCR publications