UK Presidency of Security Council – June 2013
The UK takes on the rotating Security Council Presidency for the month of June 2013
The United Kingdom takes on the Presidency of the Security Council for the month of June. The Presidency is a role that rotates among Members of the Council on a monthly basis. In June, the UK holds the Presidency, having taken over from Togo. The UK will then hand the Presidency to the United States in July. During time as President, the UK will preside over meetings of the Council and is responsible for coordinating when the Council meets and what it discusses.
The role of the Presidency also affords the presiding Member State to hold discretionary events. The United Kingdom has selected, and Security Council Members have agreed, to hold three spotlight events.
Somalia
There will be a briefing on Somalia on 6 June to follow up on the recent outcomes of the London Conference on Somalia. UK Minister for Africa, Mr Mark Simmonds, will attend session and UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson will brief the Council.
Conflict Prevention and Natural Resources
On 19 June there will be an Open Debate on Conflict Prevention and Natural Resources, highlighting how transparent management of extractive industries can prevent conflict, fight corruption, protect human rights and promote sustainable development. There will be three briefers from a range of organisations including UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson, World Bank Managing Director Caroline Anstey and Africa Progress Panel Chair Kofi Annan, who will brief by video from Geneva.
Prevention of Sexual Violence in Conflict
The centrepiece event will be an Open Debate on the Prevention of Sexual Violence in Conflict, chaired by UK Foreign Secretary William Hague, focusing on accountability for crimes of sexual violence on the national level and how the UN can better support states in holding perpetrators to account. This will be held on 24 June and the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and his Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict Zainab Hawa Bangura will brief.
For real-time developments, please visit the following online resources: