Denmark Assumes UN Security Council Presidency as Food Crises Top Agenda

August 4, 2026
By Mintesinot Nigussie

Denmark has assumed the rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council for August, placing conflict-driven food insecurity at the centre of the body's agenda as members prepare to address humanitarian emergencies and security challenges spanning Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Europe. The Danish presidency will convene a high-level open debate titled "Food Under Fire: The Security Council's Role in Mitigating Global and Local Food Crises" under the Council's "Maintenance of international peace and security" agenda item.

Denmark's Foreign Minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, is expected to chair the meeting, with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, World Food Programme Acting Executive Director Carl Skau and a civil society representative scheduled to brief Council members. The debate will serve as Denmark's signature event during its one-month presidency, reflecting growing international concern over the impact of armed conflicts on global and local food supplies.

Beyond food security, the Council's August programme includes meetings on several major conflict and humanitarian situations. Council members are expected to hold closed consultations on Sudan on August 5 to discuss the humanitarian situation, particularly in Darfur, Blue Nile and Kordofan. Denmark and the United Kingdom requested the meeting following recent developments. The Council will also hold scheduled briefings on South Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Syria, alongside its monthly meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question. Additional meetings could be convened if conditions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory deteriorate further.

Counterterrorism will remain on the Council's agenda through a briefing on the Secretary-General's biannual strategic assessment of the threat posed by Islamic State (ISIL/Da'esh). Officials from the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism and the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate are expected to present the report. The Council is also scheduled to conduct consultations on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea sanctions regime, while one or more meetings on Ukraine could take place depending on developments. Members are additionally expected to mark the 18th anniversary of the 2008 Russia-Georgia war during discussions under "any other business".

Institutional matters will feature prominently during the month, including the Council's annual open debate on its working methods and implementation of procedural reforms adopted in 2024. Denmark has also indicated that the presidency intends to facilitate discussions on the future of UN engagement in Lebanon following the planned closure of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) at the end of 2026. The presidency also plans to draw attention to the fifth anniversary of the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Security Council members are expected to continue informal straw polls to gauge support for candidates seeking to become the next UN Secretary-General, with a second round of voting anticipated later this month. The Council is also expected to assess a forthcoming UN review of peace operations requested by member states under the 2024 Pact for the Future, adding another strategic discussion to a month dominated by conflict, humanitarian crises and global food security.

Source: FSX Business News