What's In Blue

Posted Thu 1 Jun 2023

Programme of Work for June 2023

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the president of the Security Council in June. Council members adopted the provisional programme of work for the month earlier today (1 June).

The UAE has chosen to organise three signature events. The first is a briefing on cooperation between the UN and the League of Arab States (LAS). Khalifa Shaheen Almarar, Minister of State at the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, is expected to chair the meeting. The anticipated briefers are Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo, LAS Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit, and a youth civil briefer from the Middle East.

The second signature event will be a ministerial-level open debate on climate change, peace and security under the “Threats to international peace and security” agenda item. Mariam Almheiri, the UAE’s Minister of Climate Change and Environment, is expected to chair the meeting. Juan Manuel Santos—former President of Colombia, Nobel Peace Laureate, and a member of The Elders—is expected to brief. Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix and a civil society representative may also brief.

The UAE will convene a high-level briefing on “The values of human fraternity in promoting and sustaining peace” under the “Maintenance of international peace and security” agenda item. A UAE minister will chair the meeting. UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the Grand Imam of al-Azhar, Sheikh Ahmed Muhammed Ahmed Aṭ-Ṭayyeb, are expected to brief. A high-level representative of the Holy See and a civil society representative are also expected to brief.

In June, the Security Council is scheduled to hold its semi-annual debate on the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT). The IRMCT’s president, Judge Graciela Gatti Santana, and its prosecutor, Serge Brammertz, are the anticipated briefers.

As in past months, there are likely to be one or more meetings on Ukraine in June.

Regarding Asian issues, there will be a briefing and consultations on the work of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). Special Representative and head of UNAMA Roza Otunbayeva and a civil society representative are expected to brief. The Council is also scheduled to receive a briefing during June on the delivery of humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan, in accordance with resolution 2615 of 22 December 2021.

Several Middle Eastern issues are on the programme this month.

Regarding Iraq, there will be a briefing on the UN Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da’esh/ISIL (UNITAD). Special Adviser and Head of UNITAD Christian Ritscher is the anticipated briefer.

The Council will hold its monthly briefing and consultations on Yemen. UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg and an OCHA official will brief. The head of the UN Mission to support the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA), Major General Michael Beary, is expected to brief in consultations.

The Council is expected to vote on a draft resolution renewing the mandate of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) ahead of its 30 June expiry. Prior to that, Council members will receive a briefing in consultations on UNDOF’s activities from Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific Mohamed Khaled Khiari. The Council will also hold a meeting with UNDOF’s troop-contributing countries, in which Khiari will participate.

The monthly meeting on “the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question” will feature a briefing from Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland. UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous and a civil society representative may also brief.

The Security Council will hold its monthly meetings on the political and humanitarian tracks in Syria. Special Envoy for Syria Geir O. Pedersen will brief on political developments, while an OCHA official will brief on the humanitarian situation. Council members will also hold an informal interactive dialogue (IID) on the implementation of resolution 2672 of 9 January, which reauthorised the cross-border mechanism for the delivery of humanitarian aid into Syria.

Several African issues will be addressed in June.

The Security Council is expected to vote on a draft resolution renewing the mandate of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) ahead of its 3 June expiry. Additionally, 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. Council members will also continue to monitor closely the situation in Sudan. They may choose to convene one or more meetings on the issue, depending on developments.

Council members will vote on a draft resolution renewing the authorisation established by resolution 2292 of 14 June 2016 allowing 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. There will also be a briefing, followed by consultations, on the situation in Libya and the work of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya and head of UNSMIL Abdoulaye Bathily and a civil society representative are expected to brief. The chair of the 1970 Libya Sanctions Committee, Ambassador Kimihiro Ishikane (Japan), is also expected to brief on the committee’s activities.

The Security Council will receive a briefing on the Secretary-General’s semi-annual report on the UN Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA) and the implementation of the UN’s regional strategy to combat the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Central Africa and head of UNOCA Abdou Abarry is expected to brief. A civil society representative may also brief. Consultations are expected to follow.

Regarding Somalia, the chair of the 751 Al-Shabaab Sanctions Committee, Ambassador Kimihiro Ishikane (Japan), will deliver his 120-day periodic briefing to the Council on the committee’s activities. The Security Council will also hold a briefing, followed by consultations, to discuss the situation in Somalia. The new Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), Catriona Laing, and Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP) Cindy McCain are expected to brief. Special Representative of the AU Commission Chairperson (SRCC) for Somalia and head of the AU Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) Mohammed El-Amine Souef may also brief. Council members also expect to extend the authorisation of ATMIS ahead of its 30 June expiry.

Council members expect to renew the mandate of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), which expires on 30 June. Prior to that, there will be a briefing and consultations on Mali. Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Mali and head of MINUSMA El-Ghassim Wane is expected to brief. The Council will also hold a meeting with MINUSMA’s troop-contributing countries, in which Wane will participate.

The Council will hold a briefing and consultations on the Central African Republic (CAR). Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the CAR and head of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) Valentine Rugwabiza and a civil society representative are the anticipated briefers.

There will be an open briefing, followed by closed consultations, on South Sudan. The anticipated briefers are Special Representative and head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) Nicholas Haysom, Interim Chairperson of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (RJMEC) Major General (Retired) Charles Tai Gituai, and a civil society representative.

In June, the Council will hold a briefing on piracy and armed robbery in the Gulf of Guinea under the “Peace and security in Africa” agenda item. Briefings may be expected from a UN Secretariat official, a representative of the Gulf of Guinea Commission, and a representative of the African Union Commission.

On the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Security Council members will vote on a draft resolution renewing the mandate of the 1533 DRC Sanctions Committee and its Panel of Experts, which are due to expire on 1 July and on 1 August, respectively. The Council will also hold a briefing and consultations on the situation in the DRC. Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the DRC 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.

Also in June, the General Assembly is expected to elect five new Security Council members for the 2024-2025 term. Algeria, Guyana, the Republic of Korea, and Sierra Leone are running uncontested; Belarus and Slovenia are vying for the Eastern European seat.

Council members will be closely following developments related to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and Myanmar. They may choose to convene meetings on these and any other issues.

Sign up for What's In Blue emails

Subscribe to receive SCR publications