Week 2: 11-15 January 2021

Recent developments at the UNSC

• On 7 January 2021, the Subsidiary body appointments were made by the P5. Ireland’s roles are as follows:
  • Chair of the Somalia Sanctions Committee
  • Facilitator for implementation of resolution 2231 (Iran nuclear deal)
  • Co-chair with Mexico of Informal Expert Group (IEG) on Women, Peace and Security
  • Co-chair with Niger of Informal Expert Group of UNSC members on Climate and Security
• Ireland will also act as co-penholder with Niger on the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel file and with Norway on the Syrian humanitarian file.
• Minister of State Thomas Byrne addressed the Council in the first signature event of Tunisia’s presidency on the topic of maintaining peace and security in fragile contexts on 6 January.
• Finally, in a meeting on the use of Chemical Weapons in Syria on 5 January 2021, High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu said that the declaration that Syria had submitted on its chemical weapons status “cannot be considered accurate and complete in accordance with the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC)”. Ambassador Byrne Nason called on the Syrian government to cooperate with the work of the OPCW and fully eliminate its chemical weapons programme.

Monday – 11^th January

• Briefing by Special Representative and head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) Mohamed Ibn Chambas, who will present the Secretary-General’s recent report on West Africa and the Sahel. A presidential statement is being prepared that is likely to be proposed for adoption later this month by co-penholders Ireland and Niger.

Tuesday – 12^th January

• Open debate at ministerial level on “Threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts: International cooperation in combating terrorism 20 years after the adoption of resolution 1373”. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tunisia is expected to chair the meeting. The anticipated briefers are: Vladimir Voronkov, Under-Secretary-General of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism; Michèle Coninsx, Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate; and Fatima Akilu, Executive Director of the Neem Foundation. A presidential statement is under negotiation and is an anticipated outcome.

Wednesday – 13^th January

• Briefing, followed by VTC consultations, on the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). Special Representative and head of MINUSMA Mahamat Saleh Annadif is the anticipated briefer.
• Council members may also discuss the Central African Republic under “any other business”.

Thursday – 14^th January

• Monthly briefing on Yemen in VTC format, followed by VTC consultations. Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock are the expected briefers. General Abhijit Guha, who heads the UN Mission to support the Hodeidah Agreement, plans to participate in consultations.
• The Council is also scheduled to meet with troop contributing countries of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).

Friday – 15^th January

• No official meetings scheduled.