28 August 2008
The Security Council met yesterday for the first time since 1994 to publicly discuss its working methods. The meeting was convened by Belgium, which holds the presidency of the Security Council for the month of August, following a request by the members of the so-called Small-Five group (S5) - Costa Rica, Jordan, Liechtenstein, Singapore and Switzerland. The meeting was based on Presidential Note S/2006/507, and aimed at addressing issues such as the agenda, access to meetings and briefings, documentation, informal consultations, program of work, resolutions and presidential statements, subsidiary bodies and newly elected members.
Opening the meeting, Secretary-General Ban-Ki moon noted his appreciation for the current efforts by the members of the Security Council to make it more transparent, open and inclusive, and he called the Presidential Note of two years ago (S/2006/507) a “key step in making the United Nations more efficient, effective and accountable.”
Following the remarks of the Secretary-General, some 45 countries delivered statements on a wide range of topics related to the above. While some speakers stressed that the issue of working methods transcends the Council’s limited membership, others noted a need for greater interaction between the Council and the wider membership, particularly the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council.
Some states also noted a need for the Council to be more inclusive, for instance by inviting affected countries or even civil society or other concerned parties to participate in negotiations. Others pointed to an overall need for greater transparency, as well as a more multi-layered involvement of troop-contributing countries in the Council’s decision-making on peacekeeping operations, especially before authorizing deployment or mandate renewals and adjustments. The lack of systematic access to subsidiary Security Council bodies was another concern, as was the fact that, for the last 60 years, the Council’s rules of procedure continue to remain provisional and easily subject to change. A few countries also noted a widespread frustration with the Council’s structure and composition, with some states suggesting a comprehensive reform and expansion of the organ’s membership.
The meeting did not result in any formal outcome; however, according to a recent paper from Security Council Report it is likely that the debate could be useful in stimulating further negotiations in the Security Council’s Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions, potentially generating some kind of outcome before the end of this calendar year.
For an overview of yesterday’s statements, please see following report from the UN Department for Public Information: Secretary-General Underscores Essential Importance of Addressing Security Council Working Methods as Member States Discuss Topic for First Time in 14 Years.
