What's In Blue

Posted Mon 3 Jun 2024
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Programme of Work for June 2024

The Republic of Korea (ROK) is the president of the Security Council in June. Council members adopted the provisional programme of work for the month earlier today (3 June).

The ROK has chosen to organise one signature event, a high-level open debate on cybersecurity. The ROK’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cho Tae-yul, is expected to chair the meeting. Secretary-General António Guterres and two civil society representatives are expected to brief.

The Security Council’s annual open debate on children and armed conflict will take place in June. Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict Virginia Gamba, Executive Director of UNICEF Catherine Russell, former UN Secretary-General and Deputy Chair of the Elders Ban Ki-moon, and a civil society representative are the anticipated briefers.

This month, the Council is expected to receive a briefing on the implementation of resolution 2686 of 14 June 2023 on tolerance and international peace and security, which requested an oral briefing from the Secretary-General within a year of the resolution’s adoption.

Council members are also scheduled to vote on a draft resolution on the 1267/1989/2253 Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) and Al-Qaida sanctions regime. The draft resolution will include provisions extending the mandates of the 1267/1988 Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team and the Office of the Ombudsperson, both of which expire in June.

In June, the Council is expected 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. A resolution appointing a Chief Prosecutor for the IRMCT is also scheduled for adoption this month.

Several Middle Eastern issues are on the programme in June.

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

The Security 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 consultation on UNDOF’s activities from Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix. The Council will also hold a meeting with UNDOF’s troop-contributing countries, in which Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific Mohamed Khaled Khiari is expected to participate.

The Council will also hold its monthly meeting on “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question”. Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland may brief. Additional meetings on this file may be convened depending on developments in Israel and Gaza.

There will be meetings on the political, humanitarian, and chemical weapons tracks in Syria. High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu will brief on the chemical weapons track. The meeting on the political and humanitarian developments may include briefings from Deputy Special Envoy for Syria Najat Rochdi, an OCHA official, and a civil society representative.

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

In June, 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. A representative of the EU in its capacity as coordinator of the Joint Commission, which was established by the parties to the JCPOA to oversee its implementation, is also expected to brief.

Several African issues will be addressed this month.

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. Closed Consultations are scheduled to follow the open briefing.

This month, the chair of the 1591 Sudan Sanctions Committee, Ambassador Joonkook Hwang (ROK), is expected to brief the Council on the committee’s work. The Council will also hold an open briefing and closed consultations on the situation in Sudan. Resolution 2715 of 1 December 2023, which terminated the mandate of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS), requested the Secretary-General to provide a briefing every 120 days on the “UN’s efforts to support Sudan on its path towards peace and stability”. A UN Secretariat official and a civil society representative are expected to brief in the open chamber. Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Sudan Ramtane Lamamra is expected to brief during the closed consultations.

There will be an open briefing, followed by closed consultations, on the situation in Libya and the work of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). Deputy Special Representative and Political Officer in Charge of UNSMIL Stephanie Koury is expected to brief. The chair of the 1970 Libya Sanctions Committee, Ambassador Yamazaki Kazuyuki (Japan), may also brief on the committee’s activities.

The Security Council will hold a briefing, followed by consultations, to discuss the situation in Somalia. Acting Special Representative for Somalia and Head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) James Swan is 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.

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 is expected to brief. A Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) representative may also brief.

On the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Security Council members are scheduled to 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.

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. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths is also expected to brief the Council on the delivery of humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan, in accordance with resolution 2615 of 22 December 2021.

During today’s press briefing on this month’s programme of work, Ambassador Joonkook Hwang (ROK) noted that there will be a briefing on the human rights situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) in mid-June.

As in past months, there are likely to be one or more meetings on Ukraine in June. Other issues could also be raised during the month, depending on developments.

The General Assembly is scheduled to vote on 6 June to elect five new members to the Security Council. Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, and Somalia are running unopposed for the five available seats.

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