Week 55, 24-28 January 2022

Last week, the Security Council addressed the situation in Sudan/South Sudan, Israel-Palestine, Colombia, as well as the recent attacks against civilians in the UAE. As President for the month of January, Norway, led by Ambassador Mona Juul, held a high-level event on Women, Peace, and Security, which focused on ending violence against women peacebuilders and human rights defenders. Finally, the Swiss Foreign Policy Association published an essay by Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason on the impact that small countries can make at the Security Council. A round up of the week’s key meetings and developments can be found below.

• ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan addressed the Security Council on 17 January 2022 on the situation in Darfur. Ireland joined with Albania, Brazil, France, Gabon, Ghana, Norway, the UK, and Mexico in a joint press stakeout after the meeting.
• In a Security Council meeting organised by Norway on Women, Peace, and Security on 18 January 2022, Ireland echoed Norway’s call to end violence against women peacebuilders and human rights defenders. 
• Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, briefed the Security Council on the situation in Israel-Palestine on 19 January 2022. In light demolitions carried out by Israel in Sheikh Jarrah, Ireland called for an end to evictions and demolitions and joined France and former Security Council meeting Estonia in a joint stakeout after the meeting.
• The Security Council was briefed on the situation in Colombia on 20 January 2022. Ireland highlighted the need for ongoing implementation of the peace agreement.
• Ireland joined with the US, Albania, Brazil, France, Japan, UAE, and the UK in a joint stakeout before a Security Council meeting on recent DPRK missile launches on 20 January 2022. The joint statement called on all states to implement Security Council resolutions on the DPRK.
• The Security Council issued a Press Statement condemning the recent attacks in the UAE which caused 3 civilian deaths and injured 6 other civilians on 17 January 2022. 

The Week Ahead

This week, events at the Security Council will continue to be overshadowed by the ongoing crisis on the Ukraine-Russia border. While a Security Council Resolution on the situation is highly unlikely due to Russia’s veto power, any new offensive against Ukraine would likely lead to a high-profile US showdown with Russia in the Council. Security Council members are also likely to closely follow developments in Myanmar after reports of further military violence against civilians.

Monday – 24 January 2022 

• There will be a briefing, followed by consultations, on the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo and a civil society representative are expected to brief. The chair of the 1970 Libya Sanctions Committee, Ambassador T.S. Tirumurti (India), is scheduled to brief on the committee’s work.

Tuesday – 25 January 2022 

• Norway will convene a high-level open debate on the protection of civilians, under the theme “Wars in cities: protection of civilians in urban settings”. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre will chair the meeting. The anticipated briefers are Secretary-General António Guterres, ICRC President Peter Maurer and a civil society representative.

Wednesday – 26 January 2022

• There will be a briefing, followed by closed consultations, on the situation in Afghanistan. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre will chair the meeting. Secretary-General António Guterres is expected to participate. Special Representative and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) Deborah Lyons and a civil society representative will also brief.
• There will be a briefing, followed by closed consultations, on political developments in Syria. Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen and a civil society representative are the anticipated briefers.

Thursday – 27 January 2022

• Security Council members are scheduled to vote on two draft resolutions: one renewing UNSMIL’s mandate and another renewing the mandate of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).
• Security Council members will hold closed consultations on the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA).
• There will be a briefing, followed by closed consultations, on humanitarian developments in Syria. The anticipated briefers are Acting Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Ramesh Rajasingham and a civil society representative.

Friday – 28 January 2022  

• No official meetings.