The Security Council will hold high-level open debates on promoting and strengthening the rule of law and on the Middle East in January, its President for the month told those gathered at a Headquarters press conference today.
At the outset, Abukar Dahir Osman (Somalia) - whose country holds the 15-member organ's rotating monthly presidency - spoke in his national capacity to note that it has been 54 years since his country last held this position. It is a "significant milestone", he said, adding that Somalia's return to the Council symbolizes its "commitment to strengthening multilateralism".
During its tenure so far, Somalia has strived to be a "voice of reason, a bridge-builder and principled advocate for respect for international law, adherence to the UN Charter, the protection of civilians and the peaceful settlement of disputes", he said. He added: "We will prioritize efficiency, transparency, inclusivity and consensus-building."
Then, in his capacity as Council President, he outlined the organ's scheduled work for January. This includes meetings on Syria - both on the chemical-weapons file and on political and humanitarian aspects of the situation there - as well as on the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), Yemen, Haiti and Colombia. The Council will also receive a briefing from the International Criminal Court regarding Sudan on 19 January.
On 26 January, the Council will hold a high-level open debate on promoting and strengthening the rule of law in the maintenance of international peace and security. This is Somalia's signature event - to be chaired by its President - and will invite a "meaningful dialogue on the concrete steps the UN and its membership can take to advance peace through multilateralism and the rule of law in this new year", he said.
The Council will also hold its quarterly open debate on the Middle East on 28 January, which will also be chaired by the President of Somalia. Pointing to recent developments in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Yemen, Syria and Lebanon, he said that his delegation believes it is "very important and timely" to have a high-level, lively discussion on this topic.
Additionally, he noted that the Council is expected to vote on resolutions concerning Yemen, the United Nations Mission to Support the Hudaydah Agreement (UNMHA), UNFICYP and the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) in January. And, observing that several issues not currently contained in the programme of work may require the organ's attention depending on developments on the ground, he said that the presidency remains ready to convene the Council "as needed".
On working methods, he stressed: "We believe that how the Council works is just as important as the decisions that it takes." Therefore, Somalia's presidency will prioritize consensus-building, transparency and efficiency.
He concluded: "This presidency offers Somalia a moment of historic responsibility and opportunity, both to contribute meaningfully to the Council's work and to champion the core principles of the United Nations Charter that have shaped our own national journey."
He also responded to questions posed by media correspondents, many of which centred on Israel's recent decision to recognize the independence of "Somaliland" - a matter on which the Council met on 29 December 2025. (For background, see Press Release SC/16270 .)
Asked about plans to further address this issue in the Council, he first offered a brief overview of the relevant history. Somalia, he said, was ruled by a military regime for 21 years before being eventually overthrown by many "movements". During that time, atrocities were committed by both the regime and some of these movements. However, he underscored that these atrocities "can never be called genocide" as they did not target specific groups.
Israel's claim of a "genocide" that occurred more than 40 years ago in Somalia "was kind of like a shock to us", he said. While atrocities did take place during that time, the current Government is trying to reconcile these issues. Thanking those supporting Somalia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, he also pointed out: "We have representatives from that region in the Government and there is a dialogue."
A question on what makes the people of "Somaliland" different from others in the context of the right to self-determination offered the opportunity for more background. Emphasizing that Somalis are "one people" with shared ethnicity, religion, language and culture, he recalled that his country was divided by Europeans in 1884. It achieved independence in 1961 - including for "British Somaliland" in the country's north, at which time the current flag of Somalia was raised and the current national anthem sung. "'Somaliland' no longer exists," he said.
Now, amidst reports that 1.5 million Palestinians will be exported to "Somaliland" - "and that is unacceptable" - he said: "I think this whole thing is a distraction." This is a point he made several times during the press conference. "The occupying force are using this to see if they can move those Palestinians to that land and also to distract the international community from focusing on what I call 'genocide' - and not only me, but all the international humanitarian organizations," he said.
He added: "I don't think it's going to work."
Other questions pertained to anti-Somali rhetoric in the United States, whose President has taken to social media to label Somalia the "worst country in the world" and its people "garbage". Asked about his reaction to this, he observed that this rhetoric is "far beyond what reality is" and that social media has "created an environment where everybody has become like an expert". He added: "To me, it's just a way to distract."
On whether the United States President's comments and Israel's recognition of "Somaliland" were linked - and if this has affected Somalia's relationship with the United States - he said that there has been no policy change from Washington, D.C. Further, the United States is helping Somalia fight Al-Shabaab. "I don't see any difference in terms of policy," he reiterated, adding that his delegation has a "very good relationship" with their United States counterparts in New York.
He was also asked about efforts to build an inclusive Government in Syria, to which he said that his country will work closely with all Council members to ensure respect for Syria's sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity. And on whether the renewal of UNFICYP's mandate will be smooth, he said: "I don't think it's going to be any problem." Regarding a question on recent developments in Iran, he said: "I think this is something that we follow and we are serious about."
Turning to recent events in Yemen, he was asked whether the Council expects to meet prior to its scheduled 14 January meeting on the country to address the crisis. "Yemen is a priority for Somalia," he stressed, expressing concern over recent developments. Dialogue is currently ongoing, and he added that the organ is awaiting a report from the Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Yemen "soon". He also said that many Council members "suggest that there should be a discussion" on Ukraine sometime in January.
One journalist, noting Somalia's experience with "humanitarian struggles", asked how this will shape the way the Council approaches "similar layered emergencies" in other regions, such as Gaza. To that, he recalled the recent adoption of resolution 2803 (2025) and said that his delegation looks forward to working with all UN agencies "to see how best to address this humanitarian crisis". He also underlined the importance of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in addressing this situation - "not only in Gaza, but also the West Bank".
For the full programme of work, please see: https://main.un.org/securitycouncil/en/content/programme-work .
