Panama's UN Security Council Presidency: August 2025 Agenda and Key Issues

Panama's August 2025 Security Council Agenda

• 🗓️ Panama will preside over the UN Security Council for August 2025, presenting its program of work which includes 22 meetings.
• 🌍 Country-specific briefings will cover ongoing situations in West Africa and the Sahel, Yemen, Lebanon, South Sudan, and Syria.
• 🇺🇦 An emergency meeting on Ukraine has been scheduled for the afternoon of the briefing.

Signature Event: Maritime Security

• ⚓ Panama's signature event on August 11th will be a high-level open debate titled "Maritime Security, Prevention, Innovation and International Cooperation to Address Emerging Challenges."
• 🚢 This debate, chaired by the President of Panama, will feature briefers from the IMO, Interpol, and the Panama Canal Authority.
• 🌐 The focus will be on global maritime security challenges, linking them to international peace, economic stability, and environmental sustainability.
• 🇵🇦 The event aims to highlight Panama's positive contributions to global maritime services, including the canal and ship registration, without sending messages to specific governments.

Key Issues and Discussions

• 🇭🇹 Haiti's complex crisis, involving political, economic, and security aspects, remains a significant concern, with potential for a council meeting in the latter half of August.
• 🇱🇧 The renewal of the UNIFIL mission in Lebanon is anticipated to be a contentious issue, with differing views on its temporariness and future.
• 🇵🇸 Gaza's situation, including the humanitarian crisis and the political future, is on the council's mind, with potential for formal engagement due to recent momentum.
• 🇮🇷 Iran's refusal to cooperate with the IAEA and the possibility of JCPOA sanctions snapback are expected to be discussed.
• 🇦🇷 The recognition of the State of Palestine by European countries is viewed as a significant development with potential effects, though Panama has not yet recognized it.
• 🚢 Discussions on maritime security may touch upon ongoing hostilities in the Red Sea and their impact on navigation and freedom of passage.

Migration and Cannabis Policy

• 🚶 Panama, situated geographically between production and consumption zones, faces challenges with drug transit and migration flows, though recent efforts have reduced migrant traffic through the Darién Gap.
• 🌿 Regarding cannabis, Panama legalized medical cannabis in 2021, but full adult use would require significant political debate in the relatively conservative and religious country.