Security Council Programme of Work for April 2026
Bahrain is the president of the Security Council in April. Council members adopted the provisional programme of work for the month earlier today (1 April).
Bahrain has chosen to organise four signature events. One is a high-level open debate on maritime security under the “Maintenance of international peace and security” agenda item. Secretary-General António Guterres is scheduled to brief.
The quarterly open debate on “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question” (MEPQ) will also be held as a high-level signature event. A UN Secretariat official is expected to brief.
Two signature events will be held tomorrow (2 April) under the agenda item “Cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations”. The first is a briefing on cooperation with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the second is a briefing on cooperation with the League of Arab States (LAS). Bahraini Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani is expected to chair both briefings. Council members are currently negotiating two draft presidential statements proposed by Bahrain in connection with the meetings. The anticipated briefers at the first meeting are Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations (DPPA-DPO) Mohamed Khaled Khiari and GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi. Khiari and LAS Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit are expected to brief at the second meeting.
In April, the Security Council will hold a briefing on cooperation between the UN and the European Union (EU), also under the agenda item “Cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations”. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas is the anticipated briefer.
The Council will also receive its second annual briefing on the implementation of resolution 2730 of 24 May 2024 on the protection of humanitarian and UN personnel. The expected briefers are Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security Gilles Michaud and an official from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The annual briefing with the heads of military components of UN peacekeeping operations will also be held this month. The anticipated briefers are Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix and the heads of military components of two UN peacekeeping operations: Lieutenant General Humphrey Nyone, the Force Commander of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), and Major General Ganesh Kumar Shrestha, the Acting Head of Mission and Force Commander of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).
In addition to the open debate on the MEPQ, other Middle Eastern issues on the programme in April include the monthly meetings on Yemen and on the political and humanitarian situations in Syria.
The briefing on Yemen will feature briefings from UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg and an OCHA official. Closed consultations are scheduled to follow the open briefing.
The Council’s briefing on the political and humanitarian situations in Syria will include briefings by Deputy Special Envoy for Syria Claudio Cordone and an OCHA official. Closed consultations are scheduled to follow.
Several African issues are on the programme this month.
Regarding Libya, the Security Council is expected to renew the authorisation of measures contained in resolution 2146 of 19 March 2014 related to the illicit export of petroleum from the country. It is also expected to extend the mandate of the Panel of Experts (PoE) assisting the 1970 Libya Sanctions Committee. Additionally, the Council will hold its 60-day briefing on the situation in Libya. Special Representative and Head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) Hanna Serwaa Tetteh will brief on recent political, security, and humanitarian developments in the country. The meeting might also feature a briefing on the work of the 1970 Libya Sanctions Committee. (At the time of writing, the Committee’s chair had not yet been appointed, as Council members continue to negotiate this year’s allocation of subsidiary bodies.)
The Security Council is expected to vote on a draft resolution renewing the mandate of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) ahead of its 30 April expiry. Prior to that, Council members will hold a meeting with UNMISS troop-contributing countries, at which Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for South Sudan and UNMISS Officer-in-Charge Anita Kiki Gbeho is expected to participate. There will also be a briefing and consultations on developments in South Sudan, including the work of UNMISS. Gbeho is the anticipated briefer.
Special Envoy of the Secretary-General 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.
Consultations on the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) are planned for April. A UN Secretariat official is expected to brief. In line with resolution 2797 of 31 October 2025, which most recently extended MINURSO’s mandate, the Secretary-General is expected to submit a strategic review regarding MINURSO’s future mandate in April.
Two issues in the Americas are featured on this month’s programme.
The Security Council will hold its quarterly open briefing on Colombia and the work of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia. Special Representative and Head of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia Miroslav Jenča is expected to brief. Closed consultations are scheduled to follow the open briefing.
The Council will also hold its 90-day briefing on the situation in Haiti. Special Representative and Head of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) Carlos Ruiz Massieu will brief on recent political, security, and humanitarian developments in the country and on the Secretary-General’s latest report on BINUH. Closed consultations are expected to follow.
Regarding European issues, the Council is expected to hold a briefing on Kosovo. Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) Peter Due is the anticipated briefer.
As in past months, there are likely to be one or more meetings on Ukraine in April.
The Council is also likely to follow closely developments related to the Middle East crisis, including in Iran and Lebanon. Council members are currently negotiating a draft resolution presented by Bahrain on behalf of the GCC and Jordan that addresses the threats to the freedom of navigation in and near the Strait of Hormuz. This afternoon, members are holding closed consultations to discuss the draft, at France’s request.
Members are also monitoring developments in Sudan and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). On the latter issue, Council members continue to negotiate a draft presidential statement on the dire security and humanitarian situation in eastern DRC, which was proposed by France (the penholder on the file).
Negotiations are also ongoing on a draft presidential statement on the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT), which was penned by the DRC.
Other issues could be raised during the month, depending on developments.
