What's In Blue

Posted Fri 1 Jul 2016

Security Council’s July Programme of Work

In July, the Security Council will begin its consideration of candidates for the post of UN Secretary-General, having scheduled the first straw polls to gauge the viability of candidates for 21 July. There will also be informal meetings with at least eight candidates this month ahead of the straw polls; three of the candidates have already met informally with Council members.

Japan, as president, is planning two debates this month. There will be a ministerial-level open debate, presided over by Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, on peacebuilding in Africa with a focus on institution-building, and a presidential statement as a possible outcome. As one of the highlights of its presidency, and to mark the tenth anniversary of the culmination of its first working methods initiative, Japan is organising an open debate on working methods.

There will be discussions on several African issues this month. On the Central African Republic, there will be a briefing by Special Representative Parfait Onanga-Anyanga on the strategic review of the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), ahead of the mission’s mandate renewal. In addition, the Chair of the CAR sanctions committee, Ambassador Volodymyr Yelchenko (Ukraine), who was in the CAR from 27 – 27 May, is expected to brief the Council on the Committee’s work.

Maman Sambo Sidikou, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), will brief the Council on the work of the mission, with consultations to follow. A briefing by Department of Peacekeeping head, Hervé Ladsous, followed by consultations on South Sudan, is expected ahead of the mandate renewal of the UN Mission in South Sudan UNMISS). At press time, Council members were negotiating a press statement condemning recent violence in South Sudan’s Wau state. On Somalia, there will be a meeting to renew AMISOM’s authorisation as well as a discussion of the 751/1907 sanctions regime.

A briefing on the situation in Western Sahara and the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), and an update on when MINURSO will return to its full functionality, is expected at the end of the month. An update is also expected on the activities of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS).

Council members will continue to monitor developments regarding Syria on the political, humanitarian and chemical weapons tracks. Special Representative Ján Kubi&#349 will brief the Council on the Secretary-General’s report on the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) ahead of the mission’s renewal at the end of the month.

There will be a briefing by Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman on the report on the implementation of resolution 2231 adopted on 20 July 2015, which endorsed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran’s nuclear programme. A briefing by the Council’s 2231 facilitator, Ambassador Román Oyarzun (Spain), is also expected.

Other Middle East meetings include the regular quarterly debate on Israel/Palestine, and an update by the Special Coordinator for Lebanon Sigrid Kaag and Ladsous on the implementation of resolution 1701 and the activities of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon.
Council members will meet on the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) ahead of the mission’s mandate renewal. Elizabeth Spehar, the new Special Representative and head of the mission, will brief the Council on the latest UNFICYP report, which is due in early July. Special Adviser Espen Barth Eide is expected to brief on the progress in the negotiations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots.

In addition, members are expected to discuss a report prepared by the Secretary-General on the threat posed to Libya and neighbouring countries by foreign terrorist fighters recruited by or joining the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant.

Finally, Council members will be following developments in Colombia in the wake of the 20 June signing of a bilateral ceasefire agreement. Resolution 2261 requested that the Secretary-General provide the Council with recommendations for a political mission to monitor the ceasefire within 30 days of the signature of the agreement. There may also be discussions on how to respond to the 1 July report of the Middle East Quartet.

The footnotes of the programme of work include regular items such as non-proliferation and Ukraine, as well as the Secretary-General selection and Guinea-Bissau.

Sign up for What's In Blue emails

Subscribe to receive SCR publications