Checked against delivery
Thank you, Mr. President,
I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Co-Chairs of the Informal Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions, Denmark and Pakistan.
At the outset, we would like to thank Sierra Leone for organising this critical open debate.
We also welcome our briefers, Loraine Sievers of Security Council Procedure, and Shamala Kandiah of Security Council Report to the Chamber today. They are undeniable experts, and their organisations remain go-to resources for Security Council expertise.
Mr. President,
We are all aware that the Security Council holds the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.
It does so on behalf all Member States.
However, to fulfil that mandate effectively, the Council must not only act decisively but also operate in a manner that is transparent, inclusive, and worthy of the confidence of the wider membership through its working methods.
Today’s open debate is a recognition of this fact.
It is also an acknowledgement that the Security Council does not hold a monopoly on good ideas. We therefore look forward to the concrete suggestions and proposals from all speakers today.
Mr. President,
In our discussions on the Council’s working methods, our aim should not be to reopen settled debates arbitrarily, but to build on the foundation laid by Note 507.
One the one hand, we must ensure that our procedures are fit for purpose and that they are implemented consistently.
On the other, we should not be afraid to adapt them to meet new realities and new challenges as they arise.
Indeed, since the adoption of Note 507 in 2017, seventeen new Notes have been adopted and subsequently incorporated and streamlined into the updated Note last year.
As Co-Chairs of the Informal Working Group, we have also identified several core topics for discussion, while maintaining the flexibility needed to address emerging issues.
Mr. President,
Our first IWG meeting was held on 21 July of this year. More than half way through the year.
The unprecedented delay in the allocation of the chairs and vice-chairs of the subsidiary bodies sets a clear reminder: the Council’s working methods are not merely procedural formalities, but the very mechanisms that enable it to function effectively.
When these processes are delayed or disrupted, the Council’s capacity to work effectively is hindered. Clarifying and improving the procedures outlined in Note 507 on this process is therefore essential for the Council’s work.
Mr. President,
As the high number of inscriptions on today’s speakers list demonstrates, the wider UN membership has a keen interest in how this Council operates.
It is our view that Rule 37 and Rule 39 participants enhance the deliberations of this Council. That is true for open debates, but also debates and briefings, where the voices of those concerned and affected are highly relevant.
As a Council, we should therefore work to ensure that this crucial Rule, as the avenue for wider participation and inclusivity, is consistently, transparently and fairly applied.
As Co-Chairs, we stand ready to facilitate further discussion on this critical topic and welcome suggestions on a consensus-based path forward.
Mr. President,
As the year draws to a close, the Council approaches one of its most significant responsibilities. Namely the process of selection of the next Secretary-General.
Despite the Charter devoting only seventeen words to it, this process is, at its core, a matter of working methods.
In the coming months, the Council will be discussing how it votes, how it engages with candidates, how it informs the wider membership of its progress and its outcomes.
These are fundamentally questions of process and working methods and we believe they should be guided by the principles of transparency, inclusivity and predictability. That the process should be structured and timely. That all Council members engage actively and equally.
In closing, Mr. President,
Ultimately, working methods are the vehicle through which the Council implements its mandate. They are not a technical afterthought, but a political tool in our collective pursuit to maintain international peace and security.
As Co-Chairs of the IWG, Denmark and Pakistan are committed to a Security Council that is accountable, effective, transparent and representative.
We will continue to engage with all Council members, and listen to the views of the wider membership.
Following today’s debate, we will prepare an analytical Co-Chair’s summary and facilitate a discussion on the suggestions raised in the upcoming meetings of the IWG.
We look forward to the ideas and proposals from all Member States in this regard.
Thank you.
