Rabat – The UN Security Council has announced its Provisional Programme of Work of Security Council for January 2019.
In its agenda, the Security Council is dedicating January to consulting on peacekeeping missions in the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America.The Western Sahara conflict is on the agenda, with the consultation on MINURSO due to take place on January 29.
In December, the Security Council Report announced that the UN Secretary-General’s personal envoy, Horst Kohler, would brief the Security Council on the conflict and MINURSO in January.
The consultation agenda targeting UN missions follows US National Security Advisor John Bolton’s remarks addressing what he perceives to be unnecessary UN missions that fail to end stalled conflicts.
Regarding MINURSO, Bolton expressed frustration that 27 years after its creation, the body has proven “ineffective” and has not ended the conflict over the region.
Read Also: Kohler to Brief Security Council on Western Sahara, MINURSO in January
In addition to MINURSO, the 15 members of the Security Council will also consult on MONUSCO operating in the Republic of Congo, UNOWAS in West Africa and, UNFICYP in Cyprus.
In December at the Heritage Foundation, Trump’s national security advisor discussed the US’s financial contributions to the UN missions in African conflict zones.
“The United States will no longer provide indiscriminate assistance across the entire continent, without focus or prioritization,” Bolton said.
He added that his country will “not tolerate this longstanding pattern of aid without effect, assistance without accountability, and relief without reform.”
US Representative for UN Management and Reform Ambassador Cherith Norman Chalet echoed Bolton’s remarks.
“Unfortunately in a deeply dissatisfying and disappointing turn of events, every country decided reform was good and right for the UN, but not for how it is financed,” she said.
The US is a top contributor to the UN budget, providing $10 billion annually.
