Programme of Work for July 2023
The UK is the president of the Security Council in July. Council members adopted the provisional programme of work for the month earlier today (3 July).
The UK has chosen to organise three signature events this month. It will convene a briefing on “Artificial Intelligence: Opportunities and Risks for International Peace and Security” under the “Maintenance of international peace and security” agenda item. UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs James Cleverly is expected to chair the meeting and Secretary-General António Guterres is expected to brief. Two experts in the AI field are also expected to brief.
The second signature event is the Council’s annual open debate on conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV), which this year is titled “Promoting Implementation of Security Council Resolutions on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence”. The meeting will be chaired by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, the UK Minister of State for the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, and the UN and Special Representative of the UK Prime Minister on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict. Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict Pramila Patten and two civil society representatives are the anticipated briefers.
As its third signature event, the UK will convene the annual open debate on children and armed conflict. The expected briefers are Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict Virginia Gamba, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director for programmes Omar Abdi, and a civil society representative.
In July, the Security Council will also receive a briefing from force commanders of UN peacekeeping operations. Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix is expected to provide introductory remarks. Briefings are expected from Force Commander of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) Lieutenant General Mohan Subramanian, Force Commander of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) Lieutenant General Otávio Rodrigues de Miranda Filho, and Head of Mission and Force Commander of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Major General Aroldo Lázaro Sáenz.
The Council is expected to meet on two European issues in July. There will be a briefing on Ukraine, which will be chaired by UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs James Cleverly. Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo is the anticipated briefer. The Council may hold additional meetings on Ukraine depending on developments.
Cyprus is the other European issue on this month’s programme of work. Council members will receive a briefing in consultations on Cyprus and the work of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) from Special Representative and head of UNFICYP Colin Stewart.
Regarding the Americas, the Council expects to renew the mandate of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) ahead of its 15 July expiry. Prior to this, it will hold an open briefing, followed by closed consultations, on Haiti. Special Representative and head of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) María Isabel Salvador and a civil society representative are expected to brief. The chair of the 2653 Haiti Sanctions Committee, Ambassador Michel Xavier Biang (Gabon), is expected to brief on his recent visit to Haiti.
The Council will hold its quarterly meeting on Colombia this month. Special Representative and head of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia Carlos Ruiz Massieu will brief. A civil society representative is also expected to brief.
Several Middle Eastern issues are on the programme this month.
The Council is scheduled to vote on a draft resolution reauthorising the Syria cross-border aid mechanism, which expires on 10 July. The monthly meetings on the political, humanitarian, and chemical weapons tracks in Syria are also expected to take place in July. Deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Adedeji Ebo is expected to brief on the chemical weapons file. Special Envoy for Syria Geir O. Pedersen and Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Joyce Msuya will brief on political and humanitarian developments, respectively.
In July, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo will brief the Council on the Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of resolution 2231, which endorsed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran’s nuclear programme in 2015. Ambassador Vanessa Frazier (Malta), the Council’s facilitator for the implementation of resolution 2231, is expected to report on the Council’s work in relation to resolution 2231. The head of the EU delegation to the UN, Ambassador Olof Skoog, will brief on the work of the JCPOA’s Joint Commission, which was established by the parties to the JCPOA to oversee its implementation.
Council members are expected to vote on a draft resolution renewing the mandate of the UN Mission to Support the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA). There will also be an open briefing and closed consultations on Yemen. Briefings are expected from UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths, and UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen David Gressly. Major General Michael Beary, the head of UNMHA, is expected to brief in consultations.
There will be a briefing in consultations on the implementation of resolution 1701, which in 2006 called for a cessation of hostilities between the Shi’a militant group Hezbollah and Israel. The anticipated briefers are Special Coordinator for Lebanon Joanna Wronecka and Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix.
The Council will convene for its quarterly open debate on “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question”. Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific Mohamed Khaled Khiari is the expected briefer.
The Council will also address several African issues in July.
Regarding Sudan, the Security Council will receive the semi-annual briefing of the ICC Prosecutor, Karim Asad Ahmad Khan, on the ICC’s Darfur-related activities. 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.
The Council will also hold its biannual briefing on West Africa and the Sahel. Special Representative and head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) Leonard Santos Simão will brief. President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission Omar Alieu Touray may also brief.
Council members are expected to extend the sanctions measures imposed on the Central African Republic (CAR) ahead of their 31 July expiry and to renew the mandate of the Panel of Experts assisting the 2127 CAR Sanctions Committee, which expires on 31 August.
Other issues could be raised in July depending on developments.
