Overview
Uganda will hold the presidency of the Security Council in October. The month’s programme is likely to be very tightly packed, especially since it seems the Council will undertake a mission to Sudan (Juba, Khartoum and Darfur and perhaps also Kampala, Uganda) during the week of 4 October. The elections in the General Assembly for five new Security Council members on 12 October will also be a focus.
Several debates are planned. In the first half of the month, the Council will hold a debate on post-conflict peacebuilding. Later in the month there is likely to be a debate onpeace and security in Africa with a focus on AU peacekeeping and will be presided over by Uganda’s Foreign Minister Sam Kutesa. In late October a ministerial-level open debate on women, and peace and security is planned to mark the tenth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1325. An open debate on the Middle East and a debate on Timor Leste are also expected.
Several briefingsare expected on:
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the DRC, by MONUSCO’s head, Roger Meece, to be followed by consultations;
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the 28 September to 6 October visit to the DRC by Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict Margot Wallström;
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MONUSCO’s strategy for the protection of civilians and its implementation challenges from the Secretariat;
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the operation in Chad and Central African Republic, most likely by MINURCAT’s head, Youssef Mahmoud, also to be followed by consultations;
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Lebanon in the context of resolution1559, by Special Envoy Terje Rød-Larsen (in consultations);
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UNMIN, by Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe, following his visit to Nepal;
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the operation in Sudan, UNMIS and preparations for the referenda (also in consultations);
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the operation in Darfur, UNAMID, to be followed by consultations;
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Somalia, to be followed by a private meeting;
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the Council visiting mission to Sudan; and also
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by the President of the International Court of Justice, Hisashi Owada (in a private meeting).
Consultations are also expected on Cote d’Ivoire and the operation there, UNOCI.
A number of adoptions are due and will occur in formal sessions of the Council:
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the renewal of the peacekeeping operation in Haiti, MINUSTAH;
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the authorisation of the international forces in Afghanistan, ISAF;
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the renewal of the mandate of the Sudansanctions panel of experts; and
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the renewal of Cote d’Ivoiresanctions and the panel of experts.
The Council will also likely approve in October its annual report to the General Assembly.