Programme of work for the UN Security Council under Norway’s leadership in January

Press release | Date: 04/01/2022 | Ministry of Foreign Affairs

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The programme of work for the UN Security Council in January is now in place. ‘Norway is ready to shoulder its responsibility and lead the Security Council in January. We will focus in particular on the role of women in promoting peace, the protection of civilians and on peace mediation efforts, and will follow up a number of complex country-specific situations such as Afghanistan, Syria and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,’ said Minister of Foreign Affairs Anniken Huitfeldt.

Norway holds the presidency of the Security Council in January 2022.

‘Norway will use its presidency to promote a coherent and consistent foreign policy. We will seek to gain support for Norwegian interests and values, and will work to find common solutions through dialogue and cooperation with other Council members,’ Ms Huitfeldt said.

See the full digital programme of work online. The programme will be subject to adjustment as needed.

‘We will invite civil society representatives, in particular women, to brief the Security Council at a number of the meetings. We consider it important to give a voice to those who are most severely affected by violence and conflict, but who rarely have the opportunity to participate in political processes. This is a platform where their views will be heard by everyone,’ said Norway’s Ambassador to the UN Mona Juul.

Provisional programme

4 January	Working breakfast for the ambassadors serving on the Security Council, followed by consultations and provisional approval of the programme of work for January.
5 January	Briefing and consultations on Syria (chemical weapons).
10 January	Briefing and consultations on the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (Unowas).
11 January	Briefing and consultations on the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (Minusma).
12 January	Briefing and consultations on Yemen. Meeting with member states providing personnel to the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), with a briefing by Force Commander Ingrid Gjerde of Norway.
13–14 January	Oslo Forum. Informal gathering for the ambassadors serving on the Security Council and the UN Secretary-General to discuss preventive diplomacy and peace mediation efforts with selected experts, mediators and stakeholders. The organisation of the event may be adjusted to comply with applicable infection control measures.
17 January	Briefing on Sudan and the International Criminal Court. Consultations on the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).
18 January	Open debate on women, peace and security, highlighting the issue of protection of women who take part in peace and security processes. Minister of Foreign Affairs Anniken Huitfeldt will chair the meeting. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms Michelle Bachelet, and a civil society representative will brief the Council.
19 January	Open debate on the situation in the Middle East. Minister of Foreign Affairs Anniken Huitfeldt will chair the meeting, which will be held at ministerial level. The UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Mr Tor Wennesland will be one of the speakers at the meeting.
20 January	Briefing and consultations on Colombia.
24 January	Briefing and consultations on the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL). Briefing and consultations on Syria (political), in which UN Special Envoy Geir O. Pedersen will brief the Council.
25 January	Open debate on the need to protect civilians in armed conflict in densely populated and urban settings. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre will chair the meeting. The UN Secretary-General, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Mr Peter Maurer, and a civil society representative will brief the Council.
26 January	Briefing and consultations on the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre will chair the meeting. The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Ms Deborah Lyons and a civil society representative, will brief the Council.
27 January	Adoption of the mandate for the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). Consultations on the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA). Briefing and consultations on Syria (humanitarian).

Coverage of the meetings in the Security Council

Press conferences and open debates will be broadcast directly on UN Web TV. Video files may be obtained afterwards on request. Photos from the meetings may be obtained from UN Photo/photolibrary@un.org. Norway’s statements in the Security Council are available here. Norway’s Permanent Mission to the UN in New York publishes photos on its Flickr account.

Press contacts
New York: Astrid Sehl, astrid.sehl@mfa.no, tel. +1 646 642-9910.
Oslo: Ragnhild H. Simenstad, ragnhild.simenstad@mfa.no, tel. + 47 91 71 74 59.