End of the Brazilian Presidency of the United Nations Security Council

Brazil's presidency of the United Nations Security Council ended on October 31, 2023. China will preside over the Council in November.

Under Brazil's presidency, the Security Council adopted seven resolutions: two on the situation in Haiti; two on the situation in Libya; one on the situation in Western Sahara; one on the situation in Colombia; and one on the situation in Somalia.

Over the course of the month, 18 information sessions, 16 closed consultations, one private meeting, and three open debates were held, as well as numerous rounds of informal negotiations on a variety of issues on the Council's agenda. A joint meeting was also held with the African Union Peace and Security Council in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Minister Mauro Vieira was present in New York on three occasions to preside over Security Council meetings.

The outbreak of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict coincided with Brazil's presidency of the Council and was the subject of five formal meetings, three of which were chaired by Minister Vieira. The High-Level Debate on the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question, on October 24, was attended by more than twenty foreign ministers and vice-ministers and allowed all United Nations members to express their views on the developments of the crisis in Israel and Palestine and on ways to contain the conflict and resume the peace process.

The Security Council examined four draft resolutions on the conflict. The draft presented by Brazil, which was put to a vote on October 18, received the most support (12 votes in favor and 2 abstentions), but was not adopted due to the negative vote of the United States, a permanent member of the Council, which constituted a veto.

In its capacity as President of the Security Council, Brazil sought agreement on a ceasefire, the protection of civilians, and the relief of the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. Until the last hours of its presidency, the country worked to approve a document that would determine the implementation of humanitarian pauses, the release of hostages, and the exit of civilians who so wished from Gaza.

The Security Council also met on five occasions to discuss the conflict in Ukraine, without making progress in promoting dialogue. Brazil has emphasized its concern about the lack of progress, which penalizes, first and foremost, civilian populations.

During its presidency, on October 20, Brazil organized an event entitled "Peace through Dialogue." The debate was attended by former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet; former South African President Thabo Mbeki; and Josefina Echevarria, representative of the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies (Colombia). The meeting valued Brazil's diplomatic tradition of prioritizing political and diplomatic solutions to conflicts, especially in times of great geopolitical tensions.

On October 25, Minister Vieira presided over the open debate "Women's participation in international peace and security: from theory to practice." The event brought together representatives from more than 80 countries, including ten ministers, and highlighted the fundamental importance of the full, equal, and significant participation of women in peace and security processes.

Brazil's performance at the helm of the Security Council, with an emphasis on the search for peace and the protection of civilians, reinforced the country's credentials to act, on a permanent basis, in the body responsible for maintaining international peace and security. The recurring use of the veto and the difficulties for the Council to perform its functions properly, as exemplified during the Brazilian presidency, confirm the need for reform to make the Council more representative, legitimate, and effective.

Brazil will remain a member of the Security Council until December 31, 2023, when its 11th term on the body ends. Brazil's conduct will continue to be guided by the search for dialogue and the building of bridges, with the aim of finding peaceful and lasting solutions to conflicts, always prioritizing the preservation of human life.