Plan of Work for November 2024
The UK is the president of the Security Council in November.
Council members were unable to reach agreement on the provisional programme of work for the month, due to Russia’s apparent objection to the inclusion of Ukraine on the programme. Instead, the UK has circulated a “plan of work”, which will be published on the X (formerly Twitter) page of the Permanent Mission of the UK to the UN. Council members were similarly unable to agree on the programme of work in August 2023 and September 2023, also primarily due to Russia’s objection about the inclusion of Ukraine on the programme. (For background, see our 1 August 2023 and 1 September 2023 What’s in Blue stories.)
The UK has chosen to organise two signature events during its presidency. It will convene a high-level briefing on the Middle East. UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy is expected to chair the meeting. A senior UN official is the anticipated briefer. This meeting is being held in addition to the monthly meeting on “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question”, at which Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland is scheduled to brief. Additional meetings on the Middle East may be convened depending on developments in Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), and the wider region.
The second expected signature event is a high-level briefing under the agenda item “Maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine”. Lammy is expected to chair the meeting, at which Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo is scheduled to brief. There are likely to be additional meetings on Ukraine during the month.
In November, the UK will also convene a high-level briefing on Sudan. The UK’s Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Africa, Lord Collins of Highbury, is expected to chair the meeting. The anticipated briefers are DiCarlo, an official from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), and a civil society representative. At today’s (1 November) press briefing on November’s plan of work, Ambassador Barbara Woodward (UK) noted that her delegation will soon circulate a draft resolution on Sudan based on the Secretary-General’s 21 October report on recommendations for the protection of civilians in Sudan, which he submitted pursuant to resolution 2736 of 13 June.
The Security Council plans to address several other African issues this month.
Regarding Sudan/South Sudan, the Council expects to renew the mandate of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) and extend the mission’s support for the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism (JBVMM), established in 2011 to conduct monitoring and verification activities along the Sudan-South Sudan border, before their 15 November expiry. It will also hold an open briefing, followed by closed consultations, on UNISFA. Assistant Secretary-General for Africa in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations (DPPA-DPO) Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee is the anticipated briefer.
The Security Council is also expected to vote on a draft resolution renewing the mandate of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) ahead of its 15 November expiry.
There will also be an open briefing, followed by closed consultations, on the situation in South Sudan. Special Representative and Head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) Nicholas Haysom is expected to brief. A civil society representative may also brief.
In November, ICC Prosecutor Karim Asad Ahmad Khan will provide the court’s semi-annual briefing concerning cases in Libya.
This afternoon, the Security Council adopted a presidential statement on the UN Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA) that expresses support for the regional office’s work.
Several Middle Eastern issues are on the plan of work this month.
Regarding Yemen, the Council is expected to renew the Yemen financial and travel ban sanctions measures, set to expire on 15 November, and the mandate of the Yemen Panel of Experts, which expires on 15 December. It will also hold its monthly briefing and consultations on the file. The anticipated briefers are Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg and Head of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Geneva and Director of the Coordination Division Ramesh Rajasingham. The Council will also receive a briefing from the chair of the 2140 Yemen Sanctions Committee, Ambassador Joonkook Hwang (Republic of Korea), on the committee’s work.
Council members also expect to receive a briefing in consultations on the Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of resolution 1701. (Adopted in 2006, resolution 1701 called for a cessation of hostilities between the Shi’a group Hezbollah and Israel.) The anticipated briefers are Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert and Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix.
The Council will hold its monthly meeting on the political and humanitarian tracks in Syria. Special Envoy for Syria Geir O. Pedersen and an OCHA official are expected to brief on political and humanitarian issues, respectively. A civil society representative may also brief.
Regarding European issues, the Council held its semi-annual debate on Bosnia and Herzegovina this afternoon. It also adopted resolution 2757, reauthorising the EU-led multinational stabilisation force (EUFOR ALTHEA) for another year.
Regarding Asian issues, the chair of the 1718 Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Sanctions Committee, Ambassador Pascale Baeriswyl (Switzerland), is expected to brief Council members in closed consultations on the 90-day report regarding the committee’s work. Additionally, the Council will hold a briefing on Monday (4 November) to discuss the DPRK’s 31 October intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch. France, Japan, Malta, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Slovenia, the UK, and the US requested the meeting, at which Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific Mohamed Khaled Khiari is expected to brief.
At today’s press briefing, Ambassador Woodward noted that the presidency plans to schedule a private meeting on Myanmar towards the end of the month. She said that the meeting will likely feature briefings from Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Special Envoy Alounkeo Kittikhoun and Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Myanmar Julie Bishop. The ambassador added that negotiations are also expected to continue on a draft resolution on Myanmar circulated by the UK.
In November, the Council is scheduled to receive its annual briefing from the chairs of its counter-terrorism-related committees: Ambassador Vanessa Frazier (Malta), chair of the 1267/1989/2253 Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee; Ambassador Amar Bendjama (Algeria), chair of the 1373 Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC); and Ambassador José Javier De La Gasca (Ecuador), chair of the 1540 Committee. (Adopted in 2004, resolution 1540 aims to prevent non-state actors from obtaining access to weapons of mass destruction and encourages enhanced international cooperation in this regard.)
The Council will also hold an open briefing on the Secretary-General’s recommendations on measures to prevent and respond to attacks against humanitarian and UN personnel, which the Council requested through resolution 2730 of 24 May. The new Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Thomas Fletcher, who was appointed on 9 October, is expected to brief. Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security Gilles Michaud and a civil society representative are also expected to brief.
The 15 current Council members and the incoming five (Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, and Somalia) will participate in the annual “Hitting the Ground Running” workshop organised by Finland on 21 and 22 November.
Other issues could be raised in November depending on developments.
