UNSC to use video teleconferencing technology for meetings amid COVID-19 pandemic

UNITED NATIONS - United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will use video teleconferencing (VTC) technology to continue its work amid the COVID-19 pandemic, incoming President for the month Jose Singer Weisinger said Wednesday.

Speaking by video conference, Weisinger, who is from the Dominican Republic, said "given the extraordinary circumstances" of the COVID-19 pandemic, the council will hold both open and closed VTC meetings, with the former replacing briefings and the latter substituting for closed consultations.

As for the council's April work program, he said the implementation of peace and reconciliation agreements in Mali, the humanitarian crises in Yemen and Syria, the situation in Sudan and South Sudan, and the impact of COVID-19 are among topics to be discussed.

Weisinger said negotiations on plans to hold an emergency meeting on COVID-19 are ongoing, and the council will "make it happen for sure" in the week starting April 6 or before.

He added that a potential resolution on the pandemic is yet to be discussed, but the council will "see how events play out" when such a discussion does occur.