Week 89, 19 – 23 September 2022

This bulletin will provide a brief analysis of last week’s meetings at the UN Security Council (UNSC), and an overview of the upcoming meetings this week.

(UNSC), and an overview of the upcoming meetings this week.

Last week, the Security Council held meetings on Sudan, Syria, and South Sudan and on recent clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Special Envoy for Myanmar, Noeleen Heyzer, briefed the Council in a closed consultation following her recent visit to the country. Ireland and Brazil called for a Security Council meeting on conflict induced hunger. Elsewhere in the United Nations, the 77th Session of the UN General Assembly began last week, and Ireland’s new UN youth delegates, Jessica Gill and David Giles participated in the UN’s ‘Transforming Education Summit’ 2022

• On 13 September 2022, Volker Perthes, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS), briefed the Security Council on Sudan’s political stalemate amid a worsening humanitarian and socioeconomic crisis. He pointed to the lack of implementation of the Juba Peace Agreement as a contributory factor to the ongoing instability. He also noted that protocols to address the drivers of the conflict in Darfur, including equitable wealth sharing, justice and reconciliation, land reform, and return of internally displaced persons, remain unfulfilled. Ireland added that in addition to these conflict drivers, hunger is now a looming reality for millions in the country, with the situation worsening due to severe flooding and the impacts of climate change. Ireland noted that it would continue to provide humanitarian assistance to those that need it most.
• On 14 September 2022, Najat Rochdi, Deputy Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria, briefed the Council. She underlined that stabilising the conflict and advancing a sustainable political solution are the best ways to stem the country’s economic collapse, further emphasising that Syrian women can and must play an active role in shaping the political solution. Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said the cholera outbreak in Syria is a “stark reminder” of the vital support Syrians need, as well as an indicator of severe water shortages throughout the country. Ireland called on Syria’s Government to engage fully and meaningfully in the Constitutional Committee and renewed its call for the full implementation of resolution 2254 (2015).

                      Najat Rochdi                   

• On 15 September 2022, the Security Council decided to extend the mandate of the United Nations team tasked with investigating crimes committed by Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh), by unanimously adopting resolution 2651 (2022).
• On 15 September 2022, the Council met to discuss conflict-induced hunger in a meeting called by Ireland and Brazil. Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, provided a brief overview of the bleak situations in Yemen, South Sudan, Ethiopia and north-east Nigeria, where a total of approximately 43 million people face high levels of food insecurity. Máximo Torero, Chief Economist of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), underscored that conflict impacts every aspect of agrifood systems, reducing food production, destroying crops, disrupting markets and restricting access to food. David Beasley, Executive Director of the World Food Programme, informed the Council that up to 345 million people are “marching towards starvation” in the 82 countries where the WFP currently operates, and of those, 50 million people living in 45 countries are “knocking on famine’s door”. Ireland pointed out that United Nations agencies and non-governmental organisations are being forced to take food from the hungry to feed the starving and reiterated that hunger is not only a consequence of conflict, but also used by some as a weapon of war. Ireland emphasised that there can be no impunity for parties to armed conflict who target humanitarian actors and utilize starvation and denial of access to humanitarian assistance to civilians.
• On 15 September 2022, Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and Americas for the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, briefed the Council on recent escalation of tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan, with authorities on both sides reported heavy fighting on their border, with heavy artillery, drones and large-calibre weapons used. He welcomed the latest ceasefire agreement reached on 14 September and expressed hope that it will hold. He underlined that the recent clashes are a stark reminder that tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan also have the potential to destabilize the region. Ireland urged all forces to return to the positions they held before the recent escalation in hostilities and underlined that Ireland, together with its partners in the European Union, continues to support renewed efforts towards a negotiated, comprehensive and sustainable settlement of the broader conflict, particularly on the long-term status of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Miroslav Jenča

• Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for South Sudan and Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), briefed the Council on 16 September 2022. The Council was that informed despite consensus by key signatories on a road map to complete South Sudan’s democratic transition to elections and a new Government, the country’s humanitarian situation is more dire than ever, with increasing violence and sexual assaults, the Government struggling to fulfil terms of the peace accord, and the entire country facing devastating food insecurity. Ireland condemned the continued violence, human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law in the country in the strongest possible terms and called on the authorities in South Sudan to urgently take necessary steps to address the issue of impunity, as well as the drivers of conflict and insecurity.
• The Council was briefed by UN Special Envoy for Myanmar, Noeleen Heyzer, in a closed consultation on 16 September 2022. The Special Envoy discussed the deteriorating situation in Myanmar following her recent visit to the country, which marked the first time she was granted access to Myanmar since she was appointment to the position in October 2021.

Noeleen Heyzer

The Week Ahead (19 - 23 September 2022)

This week, France, as President of the Security Council for the month of September, will convene a ministerial-level meeting on Ukraine.

Monday – 19 September 2022

• No official meetings.  

Tuesday – 20 September 2022

• No official meetings.  

Wednesday – 21 September 2022

• No official meetings.  

Thursday – 22 September 2022

• France, as President of the Security Council for the month of September, will convene a ministerial-level meeting on Ukraine, to be chaired by French Foreign Minister, Catherine Colonna. The meeting, which takes place during the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week (19 – 23 September 2022), will focus on impunity and accountability for crimes committed in Ukraine. The Foreign Minister of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, is expected to participate. 

Friday – 23 September 2022

• No official meetings.