Panama adopts Security Council program for August, schedules high‑level maritime security debate

Panama, which holds the United Nations Security Council presidency for August, told reporters that the council adopted a program of work that for now lists 22 meetings and will include a high‑level open debate on maritime security on Aug. 11 chaired by President Jose Raul Molino.

At a press briefing at U.N. headquarters, Panama’s permanent representative to the United Nations (speaking as council president for August) said the program "has been adopted" and that printed copies had been distributed to attendees. The representative also announced an emergency meeting on the maintenance of international peace and security in Ukraine scheduled for 3 p.m. the same day the briefing took place.

The program lists country‑specific briefings and consultations on situations remaining on the council’s agenda, including "particularly West Africa and the Sahel, Yemen, Lebanon, South Sudan, and Syria," the representative said. He added that, while Haiti is not formally on the month’s adopted agenda, the council intends to hold a briefing on the situation there, possibly in the final week of Panama’s presidency.

Why it…