SECURITY COUNCIL REPORT Monthly MAr 2009 26 February 2009 This report is available online and can beFORECAST viewed together with Update Reports on developments during the month at www.securitycouncilreport.org OVERVIEW FOR MARCH CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE Status Update since our February Libya will preside over the Council’s work in n Kosovo; and Forecast ........................................ 2 March. In addition to its regular activities, n the Middle East. during this month, the Council will under- UN Support for Peacekeeping by A briefing on the Council’s trip to Haiti is take a mission to Haiti (from 11 to 14 Regional Organisations .............. 3 planned for 19 March. March) and will also hold its annual retreat Haiti ................................................... 6 with the Secretary-General. The Council will hold a meeting in consulta- Somalia ............................................. 8 tions on Liberia and is likely to be briefed by Djibouti/Eritrea ............................... 10 A public debate to review the report by the the Secretary-General’s Special Represen- Kosovo ............................................ 11 joint African Union-United Nations panel tative in charge of UNMIL, Ellen Løj. Afghanistan .................................... 13 on options for UN support to AU peace- Chad/CAR ....................................... 16 keeping operations is planned for 18 March. On Lebanon, the Council, will hold consul- Lebanon .......................................... 18 The meeting is likely to be chaired by tations on implementation of resolution Liberia ............................................. 20 Libya’s Minister for African Affairs Ali Treiki. 1701. A briefing by the Special Coordinator Iran .................................................. 21 Former Italian Prime Minister Romano for Lebanon Michael Williams is possible. Prodi, who headed the panel, is expected to Notable Dates for March .............. 24 Consultations on the situation between present the report. Important Dates over the Horizon 24 Eritrea and Djibouti are likely. There are also likely to be public debates on: On Sudan, a briefing by the chair of the on an arrest warrant against Sudanese n Afghanistan; sanctions committee is expected. And, in President Omar al-Bashir, some Council n Somalia; view of the likely decision by the ICC judges discussions are likely. Aide-Memoire Important matters pending for the Council S/2000/809), the Council decided to review are now also very delayed. (The last report, include: periodically the implementation of the pro- released in December, covered the period n The 2005 World Summit requested that the visions contained in the resolution’s annex. from 1 January-30 June 2008.) Security Council consider reforms for the No such reviews have occurred in the past n The Secretary-General’s recommenda- Military Staff Committee. This has yet to four years. However, in January the Coun- tions to the Council regarding specific be addressed. cil embarked on an initiative to look at ways action on sexual violence as put forward in n In a presidential statement on Darfur in July of improving the Council’s handling of his latest report on protection of civilians 2008 (S/PRST/2008/27) the Council wel- peacekeeping issues. An outcome is in armed conflict (S/2007/643) have yet to comed the UN investigation underway into expected in August. be systematically implemented in country- the 8 July attack against UNAMID peace- n The quarterly reports of the International specific situations. keepers. The Council is still awaiting the Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan n The Council requested the Secretariat on results of this investigation. are now always outdated when released. 21 November 2006 (S/2006/928) to update n There was no monthly report from the Kosovo (The last report, released in December, cov- the index to Council notes and state- Force (KFOR) in November. The last one ered the period 1 May-31 July 2008.) The ments on working methods. This has not available covers the period 1-31 July 2008. next report covering the period 1 August-30 been published. n In resolution 1327 on the implementation of October 2008 is yet to be released. n On Western Sahara, in April 2008 the Coun- the report of the Panel on United Nations n UNAMl reports on human rights, in the cil in resolution 1813 called upon the parties Peace Operations (the Brahimi Report, past produced every two to three months, >>page 2 Security Council Report One Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza, 885 Second Avenue, 31st Floor, New York, NY 10017 T:1 212 759 9429 F:1 212 759 4038 www.securitycouncilreport.org 1 Aide-Memoire (continued) to continue negotiations. But there have forced displacement,” respectively, despite n The Council has yet to address the latest been no further talks, nor any briefings to MONUC’s reports about the problems report of the Lebanon Independent Bor- the Council on the situation. continuing on a serious scale. der Assessment Team, which was issued n On the DRC, the Council sanctions com- n The Secretary-General has yet to put on 25 August 2008 (S/2008/582). mittee has not acted on individual forward proposals for the delineation of n The Council is awaiting the Peacebuilding sanctions under resolutions 1698 and the international borders of Lebanon, Commission’s response to its May request 1807 against armed groups that recruit especially in the Sheb’a Farms area, in for advice and recommendations on the children and or commit “serious violations accordance with resolution 1701, and situation in the Central African Republic of international law involving the targeting respond to the cartographic, legal and (S/2008/383). of children or women in situations of political implications of the alternative path n The Secretariat is yet to report to the Coun- armed conflict, including killing and suggested by the Government of Lebanon cil on Kenya as requested in the 6 February maiming, sexual violence, abduction and in its seven-point plan. presidential statement (S/PRST/2008/4). Status Update since our February Forecast Recent developments on the situations On 17 February, Under Secretary-General for Council, Japanese Ambassador Yukio covered in this Forecast are addressed in Peacekeeping Operations Alain Le Roy Takasu, conveyed to the press Council mem- the relevant briefs. Interesting develop- briefed the Council in closed consultations on bers’ views on the humanitarian situation in ments on other issues in the Council during the Secretary-General’s report (S/2009/83) on Gaza, including their concern for full imple- February included: Darfur and progress regarding the deploy- mentation of resolution 1860 and that there n Pakistan: On 2 February the Secretary- ment of AU-UN Hybrid Operation in Darfur was convergence of views to welcome the General informed the Council (S/2009/67) (UNAMID) and the implications of a possible establishment of the Board of Inquiry and the he had agreed to the government of ICC warrant against Sudanese President Secretary-General’s intention to report its Pakistan’s request for an international Omar al Bashir. On 23 February the ICC conclusions to the Council. commission to determine the facts and cir- announced that its decision on an arrest On 18 February, the Special Coordinator cumstances of the assassination of former warrant against al Bashir is likely on 4 March. for the Middle East Peace Process, Robert Pakistani Prime Minister Mohtarma Benazir n Sierra Leone: On 9 February, the Council Serry, briefed the Council (S/PV.6084). He Bhutto. The three-member commission of held an open debate (S/PV.6080) to consider emphasised the challenges facing the inquiry will operate for a period of six months. the first report of the Secretary-General region, in particular: the repercussions of the Ambassador Heraldo Muñoz of Chile will (S/2009/59) on the UN Integrated Peace- Gaza crisis; continued Palestinian divisions head the commission. building Office in Sierra Leone (UNIPSIL). and lack of reconciliation; the new political n Iraq: On 3 February the Security Council Michael von der Schulenburgand, the Exec- situation in Israel; unmet road map obliga- released a press statement (SC/9587) wel- utive Representative of the Secretary-General, tions, especially regarding settlements; and coming the holding of provincial elections in briefed the Council. The Council was also the freeze in indirect Israeli-Syrian negotia- Iraq on 31 January and congratulating Iraqis. briefed by Netherlands’ Ambassador Frank tions. He emphasised the need for a On 20 February the Secretary-General Majoor, Chairman of the Peacebuilding permanent Gaza ceasefire. A return to vio- released his quarterly report on Iraq Commission’s Sierra Leone configuration. lence was always possible. He said Israel (S/2009/102). The Special Representative On 25 February, the Special Court for had not made all crossings into Gaza avail- for Iraq, Staffan de Mistura, briefed the Coun- Sierra Leone found three leaders of the rebel able for humanitarian convoys. cil on 26 February in an open meeting. Revolutionary United Front, Issa Sesay, n DPRK: On 12 February, Turkish Ambassa- n Sudan: On 3 February the Council was briefed Morris Kallon and Augustine Gbao, guilty of dor Baki Ilkin, chairman of the 1718 by Assistant Secretary-General for Peace- war crimes and crimes against humanity. Sanctions Committee on the DPRK briefed keeping Operations Edmond Mulet on the n Middle East: On 10 February the Secretary- the Council. continued fighting between Justice and Equal- General told the Council in consultations that n Georgia: On 13 February, the Council ity Movement forces and the Sudanese he had established a UN investigation into adopted resolution 1866 extending the military in Muhajeriya in southern Darfur. On 5 incidents involving death and damage at UN mandate of the UN Observer Mission in February the Secretary-General’s Special premises in Gaza between 27 December and Georgia (UNOMIG) until 15 June. The reso- Representative, Ashraf Qazi, briefed the Coun- 19 January and that he would report back to lution also called for provisions set out in cil (S/PV.6079).