Brazil's Presidency of the United Nations Security Council – October 2023

Brazil will hold the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) presidency during the month of October. This is the second time the country assumes the body’s presidency during its 11th mandate in the Security Council (2022-2023 term). Brazil is the developing country that has served the most terms as a non-permanent member of the UNSC.

In October, the UNSC will have a busy calendar of meetings on topics of the international peace and security agenda, including the situation in Colombia, Yemen, Somalia, Western Sahara, and the African Great Lakes Region. Discussions on the mandates and duties of UN peacekeeping missions in Iraq (UNAMI), Libya (UNSMIL), Kosovo (UNMIK), Haiti (BINUH), Syria (UNDOF), and the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) will also feature on the month’s agenda. The Brazilian government will invite representatives from regional organizations and civil society, and experts to make presentations on these topics to the members of the Council.

On October 5-6, the 8th Joint Informal Seminar and the 17th Joint Consultative Meeting between the UN Security Council and the Peace and Security Council of the African Union will be held in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia). The meetings will offer an opportunity to examine cooperation between the two councils, the financing of the African Union peace operations, the Youth, Peace and Security agenda, and the  situation in Sudan, the Sahel, Somalia and eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Brazilian presidency will promote three open debates chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mauro Vieira. On Oct. 20, a debate on the role of regional, sub-regional, and bilateral arrangements in preveting and promoting the peaceful settlement of disputes will be held. The Brazilian presidency will bring to the Council's attention the need to strenghten its role in anticipating and solving conflicts before they arise, following the example of successful regional initiatives.

On Oct. 24, an open debate on the Israeli-Palestinian issue will be held. On Oct. 25, the Women, Peace and Security Agenda will be debated with a focus on a broader, more significant participation of women in international peacekeeping and security-related issues.

By promoting dialogue, peaceful conflict solution, and the participation of women in peace negotiations, Brazil strenghtens the role of its active diplomacy towards multilateralism as an instrument to promote peace and development. Brazil's role in the current UNSC term, particularly during its presidency in October, adds to the country's credentials to hold a permanent seat in a reformed Security Council.