Programme of Work for May 2024
Mozambique 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 one of the signature events of its presidency, Mozambique will convene an open debate on strengthening the role of African states in addressing global security and development challenges under the “Maintenance of international peace and security” agenda item. Secretary-General António Guterres and an AU official are expected to brief.
The second signature event is a debate on the role of women and youth in maintaining peace and security, also under the “Maintenance of international peace and security” agenda item. Mozambique’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Verónica Nataniel Macamo Dlhovo is expected to chair the meeting. Briefers at the meeting are expected to include Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo, Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs Felipe Paullier, and UN Women Executive Director Sima Sami Bahous.
This month, the Security Council will hold its annual open debate on the protection of civilians (PoC) in armed conflict. This year’s meeting will mark the 25th anniversary of resolution 1265 of 17 September 1999, which introduced PoC as an item on the Council’s agenda. The anticipated briefers are Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, and a civil society representative.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi is also expected to brief the Council in May.
Several African issues will be discussed this month.
On Sudan/South Sudan, the Council is expected to hold an open briefing, followed by closed consultations, on the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA). Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix and Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Horn of Africa Hanna Serwaa Tetteh may brief.
Regarding Libya, the Security Council expects to receive the biannual briefing of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor, Karim Asad Ahmad Khan, on the ICC’s Libya-related activities. The Council is also scheduled to vote on a draft 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, bound to or from Libya, that they have reasonable grounds to believe are violating the arms embargo.
Closed consultations are scheduled on the Joint Force of the Group of Five for the Sahel (FC-G5S), originally established in 2017 by Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger (G5 Sahel). An official from the Department of Peace Operations (DPO) is expected to brief.
The Council expects to vote on a draft resolution renewing the 2206 South Sudan sanctions regime (including targeted sanctions and the arms embargo), which expires on 31 May, and the mandate of the Panel of Experts assisting the 2206 South Sudan Sanctions Committee, which expires on 1 July.
Several Middle Eastern issues are on the programme of work this month.
The Security Council is expected to vote on a draft resolution renewing the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) ahead of its 31 May expiry. Prior to that, outgoing Special Representative for Iraq and Head of UNAMI Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert will brief the Council on recent developments in Iraq and the Secretary-General’s upcoming reports on UNAMI and the issue of missing Kuwaiti and third-party nationals and missing Kuwaiti property. Closed consultations are scheduled to follow the open briefing.
Council members expect to receive their biannual briefing in consultations on the Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of resolution 1559. Adopted in 2004, this 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.
There will also be an open briefing, followed by closed consultations, on Yemen. Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg and an OCHA official are expected to brief. Head of the UN Mission to Support the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA) Major General Michael Beary is expected to brief during the consultations.
The Security 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 expected to brief. Additional meetings on this file may be convened depending on developments in Israel and Gaza.
The Council will hold its monthly meeting on the political and humanitarian tracks in Syria. Special Envoy for Syria Geir O. Pedersen and an OCHA official are expected to brief on political and humanitarian developments, respectively.
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 previous months, the Security Council may hold one or more meetings on Ukraine in May.
This month, the chair of the 1718 Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) Sanctions Committee, Ambassador Pascale Baeriswyl (Switzerland), will brief Council members in closed consultations on the 90-day report regarding the committee’s work. Council members are also expected to discuss how to respond to the expiration of the mandate of the Panel of Experts assisting the 1718 DPRK Sanctions Committee, which ended yesterday (30 April).
Council members will also be closely following developments related to Haiti, Somalia, and Sudan. They may choose to convene meetings on these and other issues.
