What's In Blue

Posted Wed 1 Mar 2023

Programme of Work for March 2023

Mozambique is the president of the Security Council in March. Council members adopted the provisional programme of work for the month earlier today (1 March).

As one of the signature events of its presidency, Mozambique will organise an open debate on “Women, Peace and Security: Towards the 25th Anniversary of Resolution 1325”. The meeting will be chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Mozambique, Verónica Nataniel Macamo Dlhovo. The expected briefers are UN Women Executive Director Sima Sami Bahous, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, and AU Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security Bineta Diop.

The second signature event this month is a high-level debate on “Countering terrorism and preventing violent extremism conducive to terrorism by strengthening cooperation between the UN and regional organisations and mechanisms”. President Filipe Jacinto Nyusi of Mozambique is expected to chair the meeting. Secretary-General António Guterres is the anticipated briefer.

In addition to these signature events, Mozambique will organise an open debate that will focus on the effects of development policies on the implementation of the AU initiative “Silencing the Guns in Africa”. Briefings may be provided by Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed, AU High Representative for Silencing the Guns Mohamed Ibn Chambas, and a civil society representative.

This month, the Security Council will hold a briefing on security sector reform (SSR). The meeting will provide an opportunity to review the implementation of resolution 2553 of 3 December 2020, the Council’s second thematic resolution on SSR. Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix and Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security of the AU Commission Bankole Adeoye may brief. Ambassador Mathu Joyini (South Africa) might also brief on behalf of the Group of Friends of Security Sector Reform.

As in past months, there are likely to be one or more meetings on Ukraine in March.

A Council visiting mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is scheduled for 9-12 March. Later in the month, the Council will also hold an open briefing, followed by closed consultations, on the DRC. Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) Bintou Keita is the anticipated briefer.

Several other African issues are on the programme this month.

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 15 March expiry. Prior to this, the Council is expected to hold a briefing, followed by consultations, on the Secretary-General’s 90-day report on UNMISS. Special Representative and head of UNMISS Nicholas Haysom is expected to brief. A civil society representative may also brief. The Council will also hold a meeting with UNMISS’ troop-contributing countries, in which Haysom will participate.

On Sudan, the chair of the 1591 Sudan Sanctions Committee, Ambassador Harold Adlai Agyeman (Ghana), is expected to provide the quarterly briefing on the Committee’s work. Council members also expect to renew the mandate of the Panel of Experts assisting the 1591 Sudan Sanctions Committee, which expires on 12 March. There will also be a briefing on the Secretary-General’s 90-day report on the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) by Special Representative for Sudan and head of UNITAMS Volker Perthes. Consultations are expected to follow the briefing.

This month, the Council is expected to hold a meeting on Somalia that will focus on the implementation of the Somalia Transition Plan (STP). The format of the meeting has yet to be decided at the time of writing.

The Security Council will discuss several Middle Eastern issues in March.

The Council will hold its monthly 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 will include briefings from Special Envoy for Syria Geir O. Pedersen and an OCHA representative.

The Council will also hold its monthly briefing and consultations on Yemen. UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths are expected to brief. The chair of the 2140 Yemen Sanctions Committee, Ambassador Ferit Hoxha (Albania), may also brief. The head of the UN Mission to support the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA), Major General Michael Beary, might brief in consultations.

Council members will receive a briefing in consultations on the Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of resolution 1701 of 2006, which called for a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Joanna Wronecka and Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix are expected to brief.

The Council will convene for its monthly meeting on “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question”. Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland is the anticipated briefer.

Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix will also brief Council members in consultations on the activities of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in the Golan.

Three Asian issues are featured on this month’s programme.

Council members are expected to vote on a draft resolution extending the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) ahead of its 17 March expiry. Prior to this, there will be an open briefing and closed consultations on the situation in Afghanistan. Special Representative and head of UNAMA Roza Otunbayeva is the anticipated briefer.

The Security Council is expected to extend the mandate of the Panel of Experts assisting the 1718 Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Sanctions Committee.

On Myanmar, the Council is expected to receive an oral briefing on the UN’s support for the implementation of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Five-Point Consensus, in line with resolution 2669 of 21 December 2022. Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Myanmar Noeleen Heyzer is expected to brief. Retno Marsudi, the Foreign Minister of Indonesia—which serves as ASEAN’s 2023 chair—may also brief. At the time of writing, the format of the meeting has yet to be decided.

In March, the chair of the 1540 Committee, Ambassador Hernán Pérez Loose (Ecuador), will brief the Council on the Committee’s work. (Adopted in 2004, resolution 1540 aims to prevent non-state actors from obtaining access to weapons of mass destruction.)

Other issues could be raised during the month, depending on developments.

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