James Kariuki, Security Council President for February

United Nations

Sphinx News: Ahmed Ali

As Ambassador James Kariuki assumes the United Kingdom’s presidency of the Security Council for the month of February, he lays out the UK’s agenda, aimed at “the maintenance of international peace and security across three different continents, assessing the most important global issues right now.” He lists the three main focuses of the Council for the month as “Ukraine, Sudan, and Gaza.”

On Ukraine, the United Kingdom welcomes the nascent political arrangements ongoing between President Trump and President Zelensky, with the UK Prime Minister noting, “we are closer to peace than ever before.” Ambassador Kariuki suggests Ukraine to be “the party of peace,” while Russia “continues to block progress and terrorize Ukraine and its people.” The United Kingdom urges more staunch measures against Russia, attempting to coerce Moscow through “maximum economic pressure” in order to “sit at the negotiating table.” Kariuki reaffirms the United Kingdom’s “ironclad support for Ukraine,” where a meeting on the matter will be deliberated amongst Council members on February 24th “to mark the four-year anniversary of Russia’s illegal invasion.”

On Sudan, Kariuki posits the matter as one imminent to the UK’s agenda, where London is exercising all its “diplomatic resources in order to bring both parties (the RSF and SAF) to agree to a ceasefire proposal.” In efforts to garner political momentum and “alleviate the conflict’s ongoing devastation,” the United Kingdom will convene a series of Council meetings on the matter on February 24th, with the aim of “protecting civilians and ending the catastrophic violence.” There will be a particular focus on the conflict’s endemic repression of women and girls, which Ambassador Kariuki says UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will be present for.

On Gaza, the UK reasserts its diplomatic support for Trump’s 20-point Gaza Peace Plan. Ambassador Kariuki adds that “that plan is what has achieved the ceasefire, return of all hostages, and humanitarian aid now being allowed.” Acknowledging that the nascent agreement requires much more political momentum, financial backing, and mutual cooperation, a critical step, he says, “will be the disarmament of Hamas, and the establishment of the Palestinian National Committee for the administration of Gaza,” key to “putting Palestinians at the heart of efforts to recover and rebuild.” Despite welcoming the opening of the Rafah Crossing, Kariuki suggests “this is not enough.” The Council’s focus will therefore be to push for “peace in Gaza,” focusing on addressing the 20-point plan’s outlined deficiencies, as well as “the deteriorating situation in the West Bank.”

Ambassador Kariuki outlines focus on the three key international conflicts as essential for the restoration of international peace and security, setting a much-needed precedent aimed at “strengthening civil society, amplifying its voice, and speaking for human rights and freedoms across the world.”