Security Council Programme of Work for October 2025
Russia is the president of the Security Council in October. Council members adopted the provisional programme of work for the month earlier today (1 October).
Russia has chosen to organise two signature events. The first is an open debate on the 80th anniversary of the UN, titled “The United Nations Organization: Looking into the Future”. The meeting, to be held under the “Maintenance of international peace and security” agenda item, will take place on UN Day (24 October), which marks the entry into force of the UN Charter. Secretary-General António Guterres is expected to brief. At today’s press briefing on October’s programme of work, Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia (Russia) noted that his delegation plans to propose a draft presidential statement on the UN’s role in connection with this meeting.
As its second signature event, Russia intends to elevate the quarterly open debate on “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question” (MEPQ) to ministerial level. Ramiz Alakbarov, the Deputy Special Coordinator and Resident Coordinator at the Office of the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO), is expected to brief. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov may chair both signature events. Council members may convene additional meetings on the MEPQ during the month, depending on developments on the ground.
The Security Council will hold its annual open debate on women, peace and security (WPS) in October. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1325, the first of ten Security Council resolutions on WPS. Guterres and one or more civil society representatives are the expected briefers.
The Security Council is also scheduled to hold its annual private meeting with the president of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Judge Yuji Iwasawa.
This month, the Council will hold its annual briefing on cooperation between the UN and regional and sub-regional organisations, focusing on the African Union (AU). The expected briefers are Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the AU and Head of the UN Office to the AU (UNOAU) Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, Assistant Secretary-General for Africa in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations (DPPA-DPO) Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, and AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security Bankole Adeoye.
The 19th annual joint consultative meeting between the Security Council and the AU Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) will be held on 17 October. The annual meeting rotates between New York and Addis Ababa, the home of the AU headquarters. This year, the meeting will be held in Addis Ababa, and it will be preceded by the tenth informal joint seminar of the Security Council and the AUPSC, which is set to take place on 16 October.
Several other African issues are on the programme of work this month.
Regarding Somalia, the Council will hold a private meeting on developments in the country. Briefings are expected from Special Representative for Somalia and Head of the UN Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS) James Swan and Special Representative of the AU Commission Chairperson (SRCC) for Somalia and Head of the AU Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) El Hadji Ibrahima Diene. The chair of the 2713 Al-Shabaab Sanctions Committee, Ambassador Eloy Alfaro de Alba (Panama), is also expected to brief on the committee’s work. Additionally, the Council is expected to review the progress of UNTMIS’ transition by 31 October.
The Council expects to renew the mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), which expires on 31 October. Ahead of the mandate renewal, the Council will hold a private meeting with MINURSO troop-contributing countries, at which Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara and Head of MINURSO Alexander Ivanko will participate. Council members will also receive a briefing in consultations from Ivanko and Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara Staffan de Mistura.
The Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region, Huang Xia, is expected to provide the biannual briefing to the Council on the implementation of the 2013 Peace, Security, and Cooperation Framework (PSC-F) for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Great Lakes region. Closed consultations are scheduled to follow the open briefing.
Council members expect to vote on a draft resolution renewing the mandate of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) ahead of its 31 October expiry. Prior to that, the Council will hold its bimonthly briefing on the situation in Libya, at which Special Representative and Head of UNSMIL Hanna Serwaa Tetteh is expected to brief. Closed consultations are scheduled to follow the open briefing.
There will be a briefing, followed by consultations, on the work of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), which will feature a briefing by Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the Central African Republic (CAR) and Head of MINUSCA Valentine Rugwabiza. The Council will also hold a private meeting with MINUSCA troop-contributing countries, at which Rugwabiza is expected to participate.
Council members will also continue monitoring developments in Sudan. This afternoon, members held closed consultations to receive an update on the humanitarian and political situations in the country, at the request of Denmark, France, Greece, Panama, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Slovenia, and the UK (the penholder on the file).
Several Middle Eastern issues will be addressed in October.
Council members will hold their monthly meeting on Yemen in closed consultations. Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg and Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Joyce Msuya are expected to brief.
On Lebanon, Council members are expected to be briefed in closed consultations by Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo on the Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of resolution 1559. (Adopted in 2004, the 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.)
Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific Mohamed Khaled Khiari will also brief Council members in closed consultations on the work of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in the Golan.
There will be a meeting on the political and humanitarian tracks in Syria. The anticipated briefers are Deputy Special Envoy for Syria Najat Rochdi and UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Director of Coordination Ramesh Rajasingham.
Two issues in the Americas will be discussed this month. The Council expects to renew the 2653 Haiti sanctions regime ahead of its 18 October expiry. It also plans to hold a briefing, followed by consultations, on the situation in Haiti. Special Representative and Head of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) Carlos Ruiz Massieu will provide his first briefing in this role.
The Council expects to discuss the renewal of the mandate of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia before its 31 October expiry. Ahead of that, it will also hold its quarterly meeting on Colombia. Miroslav Jenča—who was appointed Special Representative and Head of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia on 8 September and is expected to assume his post in the country in mid-October—will provide his first briefing in this role.
Regarding European issues, the Council will hold its semi-annual briefing on the situation in Kosovo. The anticipated briefer is Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Officer-in-Charge of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) Milbert Dongjoon Shin.
The semi-annual debate on Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) will be held in October. The Council is also expected to vote at the end of the month on the reauthorisation of the EU-led multinational stabilisation force in BiH (EUFOR ALTHEA) prior to its 1 November expiry.
As in previous months, the Council may hold one or more meetings on Ukraine in October.
Other issues, including Iran (non-proliferation) and Sudan, could be raised during the month depending on developments.
