What's In Blue

Posted Wed 1 Sep 2021

Programme of Work for September 2021

Ireland is the president of the Security Council in September. The Council adopted its provisional programme of work for the month earlier today (1 September). All meetings are expected to be held in person this month.

Ireland will convene a ministerial-level open debate on peacekeeping transitions. Simon Coveney, Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, will chair the meeting. UN Secretary-General António Guterres, former President of Liberia Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and a civil society representative are the anticipated briefers. A resolution on peacekeeping transitions is a possible outcome of the meeting.

There will also be an open debate on climate change and security, which will be chaired by Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin. Secretary-General António Guterres and a civil society representative are expected to brief.

As its third signature event, Ireland will convene a briefing on the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction to mark the 25th anniversary of the opening for signature of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). Simon Coveney, Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, will chair the meeting. High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu is expected to brief. Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) Robert Floyd and a civil society representative may also brief the Council.

This month, the Security Council will receive a briefing from The Elders on the maintenance of international peace and security. Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and Chair of The Elders, and Lakhdar Brahimi, former UN Special Envoy and Elder Emeritus, are the anticipated briefers.

On Afghanistan, the Council will convene for its quarterly debate on the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). Deborah Lyons, the Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA, and a civil society representative are expected to brief. Council members will also vote on a draft resolution renewing UNAMA’s mandate ahead of its 17 September expiry.

Several Middle Eastern issues are on the programme this month. On Iraq, the Council is expected to renew the mandate of the UN Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da’esh/ISIL (UNITAD), which expires on 18 September.

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 file. Special Envoy Geir O. Pedersen and a civil society representative are expected to brief on political developments, while Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths and a civil society representative may brief on the humanitarian situation.

There will be the monthly briefing, followed by consultations, on Yemen. Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths are expected to brief. A civil society representative may also brief the Council. General Abhijit Guha, head of the UN Mission to support the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA) and chair of the Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC), will brief in consultations.

The Council will convene for its monthly meeting on the “Middle East, including the Palestinian Question”. Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland is expected to brief. Civil society representatives may also brief.

Several African issues will also be discussed in September. Council members are expected to vote on a resolution renewing the mandate of the UN Support Mission for Libya (UNSMIL) ahead of its 15 September expiry. They will also renew the authorisations granted by resolution 2546 of 2 October 2020, allowing member states acting in their national capacity or through regional organisations to intercept vessels off the coast of Libya suspected of migrant smuggling. Prior to that, there will be a briefing, followed by consultations, on Libya. Special Representative and head of UNSMIL Ján Kubiš is expected to brief. A civil society representative may also brief. The chair of the 1970 Libya Sanctions Committee, Ambassador T.S. Tirumurti (India), is expected to present the periodic report on the committee’s activities.

On Sudan, there will be an open briefing, followed by closed consultations, on the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS). Special Representative for Sudan and head of UNITAMS Volker Perthes will present the Secretary-General’s 90-day report on the mission. A civil society representative may also brief. The chair of the 1591 Sudan Sanctions Committee, Ambassador Sven Jürgenson (Estonia), is also expected to provide the quarterly briefing on the committee’s work.

The Council will convene for an open briefing, followed by closed consultations, on the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). Special Representative and head of UNMISS Nicholas Haysom is expected to brief. An OCHA official and a civil society representative my also brief.

Council members will also be closely following developments related to Haiti, the Tigray region of Ethiopia and Myanmar. They may choose to convene meetings on these and other issues.

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