Security Council Programme of Work for May 2026
China is the president of the Security Council in May. Council members adopted the provisional programme of work for the month earlier today (1 May).
As the signature event of its presidency, China will convene a ministerial-level open debate titled “Upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and strengthening the UN-centered international system” under the “Maintenance of international peace and security” agenda item. Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi will chair the meeting, during which UN Secretary-General António Guterres is expected to brief.
In May, the Security Council is also expected to hold its annual open debate on the protection of civilians to discuss the Secretary-General’s annual report on this topic. The anticipated briefers are International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) President Mirjana Spoljaric Egger and an official from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The Security Council is expected to address several Middle Eastern issues this month.
Council members expect to receive a briefing in consultations 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. Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo is the anticipated briefer.
The Council’s monthly 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.
The Council will also hold its regular monthly briefing on “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question” (MEPQ). Briefings are expected from Deputy Special Coordinator and Resident Coordinator at the Office of the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO) Ramiz Alakbarov and a civil society representative. Closed consultations are scheduled to follow the open briefing.
At today’s press briefing on the Security Council’s programme of work in May, Ambassador Fu Cong (China) noted that some Council members have requested an additional meeting on the MEPQ, in order to discuss the first biannual written report of the Board of Peace (BoP), which is due by 15 May in line with resolution 2803 of 17 November 2025 that endorsed the BoP.
Several African issues are on the programme in May.
The Security Council is expected to vote on a draft resolution extending the South Sudan sanctions regime, which expires on 31 May, and renewing the mandate of the Panel of Experts assisting the 2206 South Sudan Sanctions Committee, which expires on 1 July.
The Council is also expected to vote this month on a resolution renewing the authorisation for member states, acting nationally or through regional organisations, to inspect vessels on the high seas off the coast of Libya that they have reasonable grounds to believe are violating the arms embargo. The current authorisation expires on 25 May. The Council will also receive the semi-annual briefing on the activities of the International Criminal Court (ICC) related to the situation in Libya. ICC Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan is the anticipated briefer at that meeting.
There will also be a briefing on the Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of the mandate of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), which is due by 1 May in line with resolution 2802 of 14 November 2025. The expected briefers are Assistant Secretary-General for Africa in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations (DPPA-DPO) Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee and Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Horn of Africa Guang Cong. Closed consultations are scheduled to follow the open briefing.
Regarding European issues, the Council will hold its semi-annual debate on Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). High Representative for BiH Christian Schmidt may brief. As in past months, there are likely to be one or more meetings on Ukraine in May.
In terms of non-proliferation issues, Council members are expected to receive a briefing in consultations on the work of the 1718 Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Sanctions Committee. At the time of writing, committee chairs had not been appointed as Council members continue to negotiate this year’s allocation of subsidiary bodies chairs. China may therefore brief at the meeting in its capacity as Council president.
The Council is also likely to follow closely developments related to the Middle East crisis, including in Iran and Lebanon, and any other spillover effects, such as the disruption to the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Members are monitoring the situation in Sudan. They are also following developments in Mali, which has been experiencing heightened instability since 25 April, when Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaida affiliate, launched a coordinated attack with Tuareg separatists from the northern Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) on major cities across the country.
Negotiations are ongoing on a draft presidential statement on the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT), which was penned by the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
In May, Council members are also expected to discuss the modalities for meeting the candidates running for the position of UN Secretary-General.
Other issues could be raised during the month, depending on developments.
