Anatolio Ndong Mba, Permanent Representative of Equatorial Guinea to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for February, briefs the press on the Security Council's program of work for February, at the UN headquarters in New York, on Feb. 1, 2019. United Nations Security Council will hold an open debate on the African Union initiative "Silencing the Guns in Africa" in February, Anatolio Ndong Mba said Friday. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)
UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Security Council will hold an open debate on the African Union initiative "Silencing the Guns in Africa" in February, Anatolio Ndong Mba, President of the Security Council for February, said Friday.
Ndong Mba, also UN ambassador of Equatorial Guinea, told reporters at a press conference that the Security Council will also organize a high-level debate on "Mercenary activities as a source of insecurity and destabilization in Africa," with the Central African sub-region as a focus.
A debate on transnational organized crime at sea is also planned, the ambassador added.
"The program of work for February is still in the negotiation stage because there is a specific point that we still need to reach agreement on," the ambassador noted.
As planned, the Security Council will undertake a visiting mission to Cote d'Ivoire and Guinea-Bissau in the month, Ndong Mba said, adding that the visit is to "encourage the political leadership in Guinea-Bissau to ensure peaceful, transparent and inclusive elections."
"That will hopefully draw a line under the chronic instability of institutions in Guinea-Bissau," Ndong Mba noted.
Organizing legislative elections has remained a priority in trying to move Guinea-Bissau beyond a political crisis that has now lasted three and a half years. The elections were delayed twice in 2018.
Also in February, the Security Council is expected to renew the mandate of the UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNIOGBIS), which expires on Feb. 28.
The other mandate renewal expected this month is for the Panel of Experts of the 1591 Sudan Sanctions Committee, said Ndong Mba.
The Security Council is expected to follow developments in Yemen closely, according to the Security Council Report (SCR), whose mission is to advance the transparency and effectiveness of the Security Council.
During the month, the Security Council will also pay attention to other Middle East issues covering Iraq, Israel and Palestine, and Syria, according the SCR.
