UN Debates Will Focus on Middle East, Africa Issues

United Nations, Jul 3 (Prensa Latina) The Permanent Representative of Sweden to the UN, Olof Skoog, announced that several issues about the Middle East and Africa will be the focus of attention during debates of the Security Council this month, in which the European delegation assumes the presidency.

Three sessions will be dedicated to Syria (days 3, 26 and 30) and special emphasis will be placed on the humanitarian situation of that Arab country after eight years of conflict, he said.

Yemen is also on the agenda, this is one of the issues that are very much addressed in the 15-member body that is deeply concerned about the violence scenario there and closely follows how the events develop, added the Swedish ambassador.

Next Monday there will be an open debate on children and armed conflict, which seeks to draw attention to the need to offer greater protection for minors and to devote more efforts in the prevention of a war, he said.

In addition, the adoption of a resolution on the protection of children in armed conflicts is envisaged.

Meanwhile, on July 18 the session will be devoted to the partnership between the African Union and the United Nations, while in the rest of the month the situation of countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan will be addressed.

Consultations on July 23 will be focused on Myanmar and a report is expected to discuss the possibility of a voluntary, safe and dignified return of the Rohingya people who fled the violence and are refugees in Bangladesh.

The Security Council will discuss on July 26 the way to continue supporting the peace efforts in Colombia, in the face of the change of government.

Another of the open debates will be on July 11 on the maintenance of international peace and security, with emphasis on the risks related to climate change.