Week 18: 3 - 7 May 2021

Recent developments at the UNSC

• Minister Simon Coveney addressed the Security Council in a high level open debate on ‘Indispensable Civilian Objects’ on Tuesday 27 April 2021, following which UNSC members adopted a resolution on the protection of civilian objects.
• Minister Simon Coveney expressed his condolences on the death of Irish national, Rory Young, in Burkina Faso on Wednesday 28 April 2021.
• As co-penholders on the Syria Humanitarian file, Ireland and Norway highlighted the importance of humanitarian operations and assistance in the Syrian context at a meeting of the Security Council on Wednesday 28 April 2021.
• Minister Simon Coveney called on the Palestinian Authority to renew its commitment to strong and inclusive democratic institutions after elections were postponed on Thursday 29 April 2021.
• Ireland co-chaired a meeting of the Informal Expert Group on Climate & Security with Niger on Friday 30 April 2021.

Monday – 3^rd May

• Adoption of the Security Council programme of work for May. China takes over from Vietnam as the President for this month.

Tuesday – 4^th May

• Semi-annual debate on Bosnia and Herzegovina. High Representative Valentin Inzko is expected to brief on the latest report of the Office of the High Representative (OHR).

Wednesday – 5^th May

• The 2374 Mali sanctions committee will hold a closed meeting with regional states to discuss the implementation of the sanctions regime.

Thursday – 6^th May

• Briefing on the Syria chemical weapons track. High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu will brief. The Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Fernando Arias, may also be invited to brief. Closed consultations are scheduled to follow the briefing.

Friday – 7^th May

• • High level open debate on the “Maintenance of international peace and security: Upholding multilateralism and the United Nations-centred international system”. Wang Yi, China’s State Councillor and Minister for Foreign Affairs will chair the meeting. Volkan Bozkir, the president of the General Assembly, is the anticipated briefer.