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Security Council

 

 

Note by the President of the Security Council concerning its Working Methods (S/2024/507)

 

The Note by the President of the Security Council dated 13 December 2024 (S/2024/507), known as “Note 507”, is the latest compendium of measures and practices of the Council’s working methods (previous compendiums were adopted in 2006 (S/2006/507), 2010 (S/2010/507) and 2017 (S/2017/507). The Note incorporates and further develops 15 presidential notes on the working methods of the Council adopted since the issuance of S/2017/507 in August 2017. The updated Note 507 includes provisions on, among other matters: arrangements for penholders and co-penholders; the value of briefers under rule 39 of the provisional rules of procedure and the need to ensure their full, safe and meaningful participation; the principle of full access to relevant Council documentation for all members of the Council and the procedure for requesting access thereto; strengthening collaboration between the Council and the Peacebuilding Commission; and the inclusion of special reports on the use of the veto in the annual report of the Council to the General Assembly.

The interactive platform offers a search function and displays a set of curated keywords and phrases of relevant paragraphs and documents based on the index, initially developed by the Permanent Mission of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in 2022 (S/2022/88) and further enhanced by the Permanent Mission of Japan in 2024. For more information about the history of Note 507 and the work of the Informal Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions (IWG), please visit here.

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Programme of work

1 While ensuring the capacity to hold Council meetings at any time and at short notice, in accordance with rules 1, 2 or 3 of its provisional rules of procedure, the members of the Security Council, during their respective presidencies, should ordinarily plan, with the support of the Secretariat, not more than four days per week of Council business, with Fridays normally being reallocated to facilitate the work of the Council’s subsidiary bodies.

Council meetings; Meetings of the Security Council [Scheduling]; Meetings of the Security Council (general) [Scheduling]; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Programme of work]; Programme of work; Provisional rules of procedure (Notes by the President) [Rule 1, Rule 2 and Rule 3]; Subsidiary bodies; Subsidiary bodies [Conduct of work]

2 The members of the Security Council encourage the incoming presidencies to discuss the provisional monthly programme of work with other members of the Council well in advance of their respective presidencies.

Presidency/President of the Security Council [Programme of work]; Programme of work

3 In order to strike the right balance between the transparency and the efficiency of its work, the Security Council reaffirms its commitment to use both open and closed meetings, as well as informal consultations, depending on the situation and the stage in its consideration of a matter. Notwithstanding the choice of format, the Security Council will aim to promote transparency in its work.

Efficiency, efficient; Informal consultations of the whole; Meetings of the Security Council (general) [Format of meetings]; Meetings of the Security Council (general) [Open meetings]; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Programme of work]; Programme of work; Transparency

4 The members of the Security Council encourage the President of the Security Council to hold an informal briefing on the programme of work open to all Member States, after its adoption by the Council.

Briefings to Member States [Informal briefing on the programme of work]; Member state(s); Presidency/President of the Security Council [Engagement with wider membership]; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Programme of work]; Programme of work

5 The members of the Security Council agree that the President of the Security Council should update the provisional monthly programme of work (calendar) and make it available to the public through the Council website each time it is revised and distributed to Council members, with appropriate indication of the revised items.

Presidency/President of the Security Council [Programme of work]; Programme of work

6 All activities not currently listed in the Council’s monthly provisional programme of work are to be listed in an unofficial addendum document prepared by and at the discretion of the President of the Security Council.

Addendum to monthly programme of work; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Programme of work]; Programme of work; Transparency

7 The members of the Security Council invite the Secretariat to notify Member States of unscheduled or emergency meetings by email and through the Council website.

Meetings of the Security Council (general) [Emergency meetings]; Member state(s); Presidency/President of the Security Council [Programme of work]; Programme of work

8 The members of the Security Council encourage the President of the Security Council to hold an informal briefing session with the wider membership on the work of the Council at the end of its presidency, as appropriate, including through the organization of a wrap-up session:

  • (a) The President of the Security Council is encouraged to utilize the “Toledo- style” format during such informal briefing sessions, whereby members of the Council present the activity of the Council for the month jointly and in an interactive manner;
  • (b) The President of the Security Council is encouraged to forgo detailed summaries of the Council’s activities during the month in favour of a more analytical discussion with non-Council members and utilize more time to hear their feedback;
  • (c) The President of the Security Council may invite the lead or co-leads of a Council visiting mission that was held during that month to actively contribute to the wrap-up session;
  • (d) The members of the Security Council encourage the President of the Security Council to announce the date of the wrap-up session with sufficient time to allow for adequate preparation by all participants and request the inclusion of the wrap-up session in the Council’s monthly programme of work and the Journal of the United Nations.

Briefings to Member States [Informal briefing on the programme of work]; Interactivity; Journal of the United Nations; Missions of the Security Council; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Engagement with wider membership]; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Programme of work]; Programme of work; Toledo-style format; Transparency; Wider membership; Wrap-up session

9 A formal wrap-up session may also continue to be organized by the President of the Council when appropriate and with the consent of all members of the Security Council.

Presidency/President of the Security Council [Engagement with wider membership]; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Programme of work]; Programme of work; Transparency; Wrap-up session

Monthly forecast

10 The members of the Security Council encourage the President of the Council to publish a streamlined tentative monthly forecast of the programme of work on the Council website as soon as it has been distributed to Council members.

Monthly forecast; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Programme of work]; Programme of work

11 The forecast should be made available in all official languages “for information only/not an official document”, and there should be a cover note which reads:

This tentative forecast of the programme of work of the Security Council has been prepared by the Secretariat for the President of the Council. The forecast covers in particular those matters that may be taken up during the month pursuant to earlier decisions of the Council. The fact that a matter is or is not included in the forecast carries no implication that it will or will not be taken up during the month: the actual programme of work will be determined by developments and the views of members of the Council.

Monthly forecast; Official languages; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Programme of work]; Programme of work

12 The members of the Security Council have agreed that the following reminder should be placed in the Journal of the United Nations each month.

The monthly tentative forecast has been made available at the website of the Security Council, in accordance with the note by the President of the Security Council dated 13 December 2024 (S/2024/507).

Journal of the United Nations; Monthly forecast; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Programme of work]

A. Agenda

13 The members of the Security Council recall, and are committed to, the primary responsibility of the Council for the maintenance of international peace and security.

Agenda (of the Security Council); Charter of the United Nations; Charter of the United Nations [Article 24]

14 The provisional agenda for formal meetings of the Council should be included in the Journal of the United Nations.

Agenda (of the Security Council); Journal of the United Nations; Meetings of the Security Council (general) [Formal meetings]

15 The members of the Council recall the desirability, whenever possible, of using descriptive formulations of agenda items at the time of their initial adoption to avoid having a number of separate agenda items on the same subject. When such a descriptive formulation exists, consideration may be given to subsuming earlier agenda items on the same subject under the descriptive formulation.

Agenda (of the Security Council)

B. Matters of which the Council is seized

16 Rule 11 of the provisional rules of procedure of the Security Council provides that the Secretary-General shall communicate each week to the representatives on the Security Council a summary statement of matters of which the Security Council is seized and of the stage reached in their consideration.

Agenda (of the Security Council); Presidency/President of the Security Council [Summary statement]; Provisional rules of procedure (Notes by the President) [Rule 11]; Secretary-General; Summary statement

17 The practice of including an agenda item in the summary statement once it has been adopted at a formal meeting of the Security Council will remain unchanged.

Agenda (of the Security Council); Meetings of the Security Council (general) [Formal meetings]; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Summary statement]; Summary statement

18 At the beginning of each year, the Security Council will review the summary statement in order to determine if the Council has concluded its consideration of any of the listed items. Further, except as herein provided, any item which has not been considered by the Security Council at a formal meeting during the preceding three calendar years will also be deleted.

Agenda (of the Security Council); Meetings of the Security Council (general) [Formal meetings]; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Summary statement]; Summary statement

19 The preliminary annual summary statement issued in January of each year by the Secretary-General of matters of which the Council is seized will identify the items to be deleted from the list. The first summary statement issued in March of each year will reflect the deletion of those items, unless a State Member of the United Nations notifies the President of the Security Council by the end of February of that year that it requests an item to remain on the summary statement, in which case such item will remain on the statement for one year, unless the Security Council decides otherwise.

Agenda (of the Security Council); Presidency/President of the Security Council [Summary statement]; Secretary-General; Summary statement

20 The deletion of an item does not imply that such an item cannot be taken up by the Security Council as and when it deems necessary in the future.

Agenda (of the Security Council); Presidency/President of the Security Council [Summary statement]; Summary statement

21 The summary statement will be presented in the format of two sections, as follows: one section comprising items which have been considered by the Security Council at a formal meeting during the preceding three-year period and another section comprising items which have not been considered at a formal meeting during the preceding three-year period, but which the Security Council has decided to retain at the request of a Member State.

Agenda (of the Security Council); Meetings of the Security Council (general) [Formal meetings]; Member state(s); Presidency/President of the Security Council [Summary statement]; Summary statement

22 The Security Council reconfirms that the first summary statement of each month will contain a full, updated list of items of which the Security Council is seized. For intervening weeks, a weekly addendum to the summary statement will be issued listing only those items on which further action has been taken by the Council during the previous week or indicating that there has been no change during that period.

Addendum to Summary Statement; Agenda (of the Security Council); Presidency/President of the Security Council [Summary statement]; Summary statement

23 The Security Council reconfirms that references given for each item listed in the summary statement will be the dates when the item was first taken up by the Council at a formal meeting and the most recent formal meeting of the Council held on that item.

Agenda (of the Security Council); Meetings of the Security Council (general) [Formal meetings]; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Summary statement]; Summary statement

C. Format of meetings

24 In an effort further to advance the resolution of a matter under consideration, the members of the Security Council agree to use a range of meeting options from which they can select the one best suited to facilitate specific discussions. Recognizing that the provisional rules of procedure of the Security Council and their own practice provide them with considerable flexibility in choosing how best to structure their meetings, members of the Council agree that meetings of the Council could be structured according to but not limited to the following formats:

  • 1. Public meetings
    • (a) Functions
      To take action and/or hold, inter alia, briefings and debates.
    • (b) Presence and participation
      The presence and participation of non-Council members in public meetings should be in accordance with the provisional rules of procedure. The Council’s practice, as described below, is understood as being in accordance with the provisional rules of procedure, although it should not under any circumstances be understood as replacing or substituting for the provisional rules of procedure.
      • (i) Any Member of the United Nations that is not a member of the Security Council may be present at its delegation’s designated seats in the Council Chamber;
      • (ii) On a case-by-case basis, any Member of the United Nations that is not a member of the Security Council, members of the Secretariat and other persons may be invited to participate in the discussion, including for the purpose of giving briefings to the Council, in accordance with rule 37 or 39 of the provisional rules of procedure.
    • (c) Descriptions in the provisional monthly programme of work
      The members of the Security Council intend to continue to include the following formats for public meetings in the provisional monthly programme of work (calendar) when they plan to adopt, in general, the corresponding procedures:
      • (i) “Open debate”: briefings may or may not be conducted, and Council members may deliver statements; non-Council members may also be invited to participate in the discussion upon their request;
      • (ii) “Debate”: briefings may be conducted, and Council members may deliver statements; non-Council members that are directly concerned or affected or have a special interest in the matter under consideration may be invited to participate in the discussion upon their request;
      • (iii) “Briefing”: briefings are conducted, and Council members may deliver statements following briefings;
      • (iv) “Adoption”: Council members may or may not deliver statements before and/or after adopting, inter alia, resolutions and presidential statements; non-Council members may or may not be invited to participate in the discussion upon their request.
  • 2. Private meetings
    • (a) Functions
      To conduct discussion and/or take actions, for example, recommendation regarding the appointment of the Secretary-General, without the attendance of the public or the press.
    • (b) Presence and participation
      The presence and participation of non-Council members in private meetings should be in accordance with the provisional rules of procedure. The Council’s practice, as described below, is understood as being in accordance with the provisional rules of procedure, although it should not under any circumstances be understood as replacing or substituting for the provisional rules of procedure:
    • On a case-by-case basis, any Member of the United Nations which is not a member of the Security Council, members of the Secretariat and other persons may be invited to be present or to participate in the discussion, including for the purpose of giving briefings to the Council, in accordance with rule 37 or 39 of the provisional rules of procedure.
    • (c) Descriptions in the provisional monthly programme of work
      The members of the Security Council intend to continue to include the following formats for private meetings in the provisional monthly programme of work (calendar) when they plan to adopt, in general, the corresponding procedures:
      • (i) “Private meeting”: briefings or debates may be conducted, and Council members may deliver statements; any Member of the United Nations which is not a member of the Security Council, members of the Secretariat and other persons may be invited to be present or to participate in the discussion, upon their request, in accordance with rule 37 or 39 of the provisional rules of procedure;
      • (ii) “TCC meeting”: briefings may be conducted, and Council members may deliver statements; parties described in resolution 1353 (2001) are invited to participate in the discussion, in accordance with the resolution.

Affected States/parties; Appointment [Secretary-General]; Briefings in meetings and informal consultations; Briefings in meetings and informal consultations [Briefing (format of meetings)]; Concerned States/parties/members/delegations; Debates (format of meetings); Functions; Meetings of the Security Council (general) [Format of meetings]; Meetings of the Security Council (general) [Private meetings]; Meetings of the Security Council (general) [Public meetings]; Meetings of the Security Council (general) [TCC meetings]; Open debates; Participants/participation [Meetings]; Participants/participation [Non-Council members]; Presidential statements, statements by the President; Programme of work; Provisional rules of procedure (Notes by the President); Provisional rules of procedure (Notes by the President) [Rules 37 and 39]; Resolution(s); Secretary-General; Statements in meetings and consultations [Statements by Council members]; Statements in meetings and consultations [Statements by non-Council members]; Troop- and police-contributing countries

D. Delivery of statements

25 The Security Council recalls its commitment to making more effective use, as appropriate, of open meetings and to this end encourages, as a general rule, all participants, both members and non-members of the Council, in Council meetings to deliver their statements in five minutes or less.

Effective(ness); Meetings of the Security Council (general) [Open meetings]; Non-members of the Council; Participants/participation [Meetings]; Statements in meetings and consultations [Delivery of statements]; Statements in meetings and consultations [Statements in Council meetings]

26 The Security Council encourages participants in Council meetings to express agreement without repeating the same content, if they agree, in part or in whole, with the content of a previous statement.

Participants/participation [Meetings]; Statements in meetings and consultations [Delivery of statements]; Statements in meetings and consultations [Statements in Council meetings]

1. Speaking order of Council members

27 The speaking order for meetings of the Security Council as a general practice is established by a draw. In certain cases, the speaking order is established by the use of a sign-up sheet.

Draw (speaking order); Meetings of the Security Council (general); Presidency/President of the Security Council [Speaking order]; Sign-up sheet (speaking order); Speaking order; Speaking order [Establishment]; Speaking order [Council members]

28 The President of the Security Council, as a general practice, makes his or her national statement last of all Council members. In certain cases, he or she may make a single statement comprising introductory remarks and his or her national statement before the other members take the floor. The President is encouraged to inform the other members in advance of his or her wish to do so in order to ensure that there are no objections.

Presidency/President of the Security Council [Speaking order]; Speaking order; Speaking order [President of the Council]; Speaking order [Council members]; Statements in meetings and consultations [Joint statements]; Statements in meetings and consultations [Statements by Council members]

29 In certain cases, the President of the Security Council may adjust the list of speakers and inscribe first the delegation(s) responsible for the drafting process in order to allow it or them to make an introductory or explanatory presentation. In cases when an unscheduled or emergency meeting is convened, the President may also adjust the list so that the delegation having requested the meeting can speak before the other Council members in order to present the reasons for convening the meeting.

Drafting process; Meetings of the Security Council (general) [Emergency meetings]; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Speaking order]; Speaking order; Speaking order [Adjustment]; Speaking order [Council members]

30 The President of the Security Council may inscribe first the Chairs of the subsidiary bodies of the Council when presenting to the Council their work or reporting on outstanding issues within their mandate.

Mandate(s); Presidency/President of the Security Council [Speaking order]; Speaking order; Speaking order [Adjustment]; Speaking order [Council members]; Subsidiary bodies

31 The members of the Security Council can trade slots in the list of speakers. It is recommended that delegations involved inform the Secretariat as to what was agreed. The members of the Security Council are encouraged to inform the Secretariat of such changes as soon as possible, especially if the meeting has already started, in order to allow the interpreters to be ready to interpret from the language which will be used.

Meetings of the Security Council (general); Presidency/President of the Security Council [Speaking order]; Speaking order; Speaking order [Adjustment]; Speaking order [Council members]

32 When high-level officials are representing Security Council members at a meeting, the list of speakers will be entitled “The list of speakers, after the draw and adjusted for protocol”. For each category of high-level officials, the speakers will be listed within that category according to the order of the draw. The speakers within each category will speak after those in a category of higher-level officials and before those in a category of lower-level officials. If, after the list of speakers has been circulated, there is a change in the level of a delegation’s representative, that representative’s speaking order will be readjusted according to protocol and his or her place within categories of same-level officials will be determined according to the order of the original draw.

Draw (speaking order); Lower-level officials as speakers; Meetings of the Security Council (general); Meetings of the Security Council (general) [High-level meetings]; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Speaking order]; Speaking order; Speaking order [High-level officials]; Speaking order [Council members]

33 The permanent representative of a Security Council member who also holds a post at the Cabinet or ministerial level within his or her Government will speak by order of the draw, without adjustment for protocol.

Cabinet or ministerial level permanent representatives; Draw (speaking order); Permanent representatives; Permanent representatives [Cabinet or ministerial level]; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Speaking order]; Speaking order; Speaking order [Council members]

34 For meetings announced as high-level in advance, where higher-level officials are representing other Security Council members, a permanent representative serving at the Cabinet or ministerial level may request an adjustment by protocol of his or her place on the list of speakers. The delegation concerned is encouraged to inform the Secretariat and the other Council members in advance of its request to have that representative’s speaking order adjusted by protocol. After being informed of such a request, the Secretariat will add, beside the name of the representative on the list of speakers, that he or she is speaking as a member of his or her Cabinet. When a permanent representative at the Cabinet or ministerial level has spoken in that capacity at a formal meeting, it will be noted in appendix II to the annual report of the Council.

Annual Report; Cabinet or ministerial level permanent representatives; Meetings of the Security Council (general) [Formal meetings]; Meetings of the Security Council (general) [High-level meetings]; Permanent representatives; Permanent representatives [Cabinet or ministerial level]; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Speaking order]; Speaking order; Speaking order [Council members]

35 For meetings not announced as high-level in advance, visiting higher-level officials may be accorded a speaking slot before permanent representatives as a matter of courtesy where there is no objection by members of the Security Council.

Meetings of the Security Council (general) [High-level meetings]; Permanent representatives; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Speaking order]; Speaking order; Speaking order [Council members]

2. Statements by non-Council members

36 The Security Council agrees that, when non-members are invited to speak to the Security Council, those who have a direct interest in the outcome of the matter under consideration may speak prior to Council members, if appropriate.

Non-members of the Council; Participants/participation [Non-Council members]; Speaking order [Non-Council members]; Statements in meetings and consultations [Statements by non-Council members]

37 When non-members of the Security Council are invited to speak at its meetings, they will be seated at the Council table on alternate sides of the President, the first speaker being seated on the President’s right.

Non-members of the Council; Participants/participation [Non-Council members]; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Conduct of meetings and consultations]; Speaking order [Non-Council members]; Statements in meetings and consultations [Statements by non-Council members]

3. Distribution of statements and meeting records; Meetings of the Security Council (general)

38 The members of the Security Council recognize that the texts of the statements made at the meetings of the Council can be a useful additional tool for the preparation of the verbatim records of the Council and the interpretation, and therefore encourage members and non-members of the Council to provide those texts to the Secretariat (estatements@un.org) in advance of their delivery.

Meetings of the Security Council (general); Meeting records; Non-members of the Council; Statements in meetings and consultations [Distribution/circulation of statements]; Statements in meetings and consultations [Statements in Council meetings]; Translation/Interpretation; Verbatim records

39 The members of the Security Council encourage members and non-members of the Council to contact the Verbatim Reporting Service of the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management (verbatimrecords@un.org) in cases where, with a view to ensuring the accuracy of the official records of the Council, corrections or adjustments in the verbatim records reflecting their own statements are needed either in the official language used by each delegation or in any other of the official languages of the United Nations.

Meeting records; Non-members of the Council; Official languages; Official records; Statements in meetings and consultations [Distribution/circulation of statements]; Statements in meetings and consultations [Statements in Council meetings]; Verbatim records

E. Conduct of open debates

40 It is the understanding of the members of the Security Council that open debates can benefit from the contributions of both Council members and the wider membership.

Open debates; Wider membership

41 With this in mind, the date of the open debate should be announced with sufficient time to allow for adequate preparation by all participants.

Open debates; Participants/participation [Meetings]

42 The members of the Security Council acknowledge the usefulness of concept notes to help focus discussion during an open debate, and encourage the early elaboration of such notes.

Open debates

43 All participants speaking in an open debate, including members of the Security Council, are encouraged to be succinct and focused in their interventions, which, whenever possible, should not exceed five minutes, or any other time suggested by the President at the start of the debate. If necessary, the text of a more detailed statement may be circulated to Council members and participants.

Open debates; Participants/participation [Meetings]; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Conduct of meetings and consultations]; Statements in meetings and consultations [Statements by Council members]; Statements in meetings and consultations [Distribution/circulation of statements]; Statements in meetings and consultations [Statements by non-Council members]; Statements in meetings and consultations [Statements in Council meetings]

44 The members of the Security Council may agree, by consensus on a case-by- case basis and when they consider it appropriate for certain open debates, to invite non-members to alternate their interventions with those of Council members. In such situations, those Council members who wish to do so will give up their slot on the speakers’ list to non-members.

Non-members of the Council; Open debates; Speaking order; Speaking order [Non-Council members]; Statements in meetings and consultations [Statements by Council members]; Statements in meetings and consultations [Statements by non-Council members]; Statements in meetings and consultations [Statements in Council meetings]

45 The Security Council expresses its commitment to continue to take steps to improve the focus and interactivity of its open debates. In this regard, the Security Council welcomes joint statements by both Security Council members and other Member States.

Interactivity; Member state(s); Open debates; Statements in meetings and consultations [Joint statements]; Statements in meetings and consultations [Statements by Council members]; Statements in meetings and consultations [Statements by non-Council members]; Statements in meetings and consultations [Statements in Council meetings]

46 Where appropriate for certain open debates, the adoption of an outcome might occur at a date subsequent to that of the open debate in order to allow it to more fully reflect, if the Security Council considers it appropriate, matters raised during the debate.

Open debates

F. Conduct of minutes of silence

47 The members of the Security Council agree that requests for the observance of a minute of silence by the members of the Security Council by any representative of a Council member or other representative of a non-Council member shall be communicated to the President no later than 60 minutes before the start of the meeting, unless in cases of emergency.

Minutes of silence; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Minutes of silence]

48 The members of the Security Council agree that the President shall inform the members of the Security Council and duly consult with them on the request, and shall inform Council members or any representative of a non-Council member of his or her ruling.

Minutes of silence; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Minutes of silence]

49 In accordance with rule 19 of the provisional rules of procedure, the members of the Security Council agree that the observance of minutes of silence by the members of the Security Council shall only be initiated by the President.

Minutes of silence; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Minutes of silence]; Provisional rules of procedure (Notes by the President) [Rule 19]

50 Without prejudice to rule 9 of the provisional rules of procedure, the members of the Security Council agree that the observance of minutes of silence shall be held after the opening of the meeting and before the adoption of the agenda of the meeting of the Security Council.

Agenda (of the Security Council); Minutes of silence; Provisional rules of procedure (Notes by the President) [Rule 9]

51 The members of the Security Council encourage the President of the Council, with the assistance of the Secretariat, to actively promote additional appropriate measures to increase interactivity and a more efficient use of time during informal consultations of the whole.

Efficiency, efficient; Informal consultations of the whole; Interactivity; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Conduct of meetings and consultations]

52 The members of the Security Council encourage the President of the Council to suggest, through consultations with interested members and/or the Secretariat, as appropriate, a few areas for Council members and the Secretariat to focus on at the Council’s next informal consultations, without the intention of prescribing the scope of discussion, at least one day before the consultations are to be held.

Informal consultations of the whole; Interested States/parties/members; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Conduct of meetings and consultations]

53 The members of the Security Council plan to minimize, to the extent possible, the reading out of lengthy pre-prepared statements in informal consultations of the whole. The members of the Security Council intend, where they agree with a previous speaker, in part or in whole, to express that agreement without repeating the same content.

Informal consultations of the whole; Participants/participation [Informal consultations]; Statements in meetings and consultations [Statements in informal consultations]

54 The members of the Security Council agree that, as a general rule, the President of the Council should adhere to the prescribed speakers’ list. The members of the Security Council encourage the President to facilitate interaction by inviting any participant in the consultations to speak at any time, irrespective of the order of the prescribed speakers’ list, when the discussion requires it.

Informal consultations of the whole; Participants/participation [Informal consultations]; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Conduct of meetings and consultations]

55 The members of the Security Council encourage speakers to direct their questions not only to the Secretariat, but also to other members.

Informal consultations of the whole

56 The members of the Security Council do not discourage each other from taking the floor more than once, in the interest of making consultations more interactive.

Informal consultations of the whole; Interactivity

57 The members of the Security Council agree that when briefings are being provided to the Council members by senior Secretariat officials, the number of staff members accompanying those officials in the consultations should be kept to a strict minimum. Unless otherwise decided, the Secretariat staff from offices other than those of the designated briefer or from United Nations agencies will normally not be invited to attend consultations. Unless otherwise decided, the Security Council Affairs Division of the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs will be responsible for keeping the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General informed of matters which may require its action.

Briefings in meetings and informal consultations; Informal consultations of the whole; Secretary-General

58 The members of the Security Council encourage the use of practical measures such as those mentioned in the present note, which would make it feasible, whenever possible, to hold informal consultations on two issues at a three-hour Council meeting, notably with regard to situations routinely on its agenda, thereby promoting planning accuracy and overall efficiency in the Council’s work.

Agenda (of the Security Council); Efficiency, efficient; Informal consultations of the whole

59 The members of the Security Council and the Secretariat should continue to use the “Other matters” agenda item during informal consultations to raise issues of concern. The members of the Security Council encourage each other to signal intention to raise an issue under “Other matters”, along with the intended aim, to the President of the Security Council and all Council members, at least one day before the consultations, whenever possible.

Agenda (of the Security Council); Informal consultations of the whole; Other matters (“Any Other Business”/AOB); Presidency/President of the Security Council [Conduct of meetings and consultations]

60 In order to make consultations result-oriented, as well as to increase the transparency of the work of the Security Council while securing confidentiality, the members of the Security Council encourage the President of the Council to make efforts, whenever appropriate, to suggest, at the end of consultations, general lines or elements to be used when providing briefings to the press, bearing in mind that such lines or elements should be agreed upon by consensus.

Briefings to the press; Informal consultations of the whole; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Conduct of meetings and consultations]; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Engagement with wider membership]; Press elements; Transparency

61 The members of the Security Council agree that the President of the Council or his or her designate is encouraged to provide briefings to Member States in a timely manner on an informal basis. Such briefings should take place shortly after informal consultations of the whole. The members of the Security Council encourage the President of the Council to provide the attending Member States with copies of statements that he or she makes to the media following the informal consultations, if appropriate.

Briefings to Member States [Briefings after informal consultations]; Informal consultations of the whole; Member state(s); Presidency/President of the Security Council [Engagement with wider membership]; Timeliness
anchor

62 The members of the Security Council encourage briefers to be succinct and to focus on key issues rather than reading out lengthy pre-prepared statements. At public meetings and private meetings, they encourage each briefer to limit initial remarks to 15 minutes, unless otherwise decided by the Council. In informal consultations, they encourage each briefer who is not a member of the Council to limit initial remarks to 10 minutes or, when informal consultations are preceded by open briefings, to 5 minutes, unless otherwise decided by the Council.

Briefings in meetings and informal consultations; Briefings in meetings and informal consultations [Time limits]; Informal consultations of the whole; Meetings of the Security Council (general) [Private meetings]; Meetings of the Security Council (general) [Public meetings]; Statements in meetings and consultations [Joint statements]; Statements in meetings and consultations [Statements in informal consultations]

63 As a general rule, the purpose of initial remarks or ad hoc briefings delivered by members of the Secretariat is to supplement and update written reports of the Secretary-General or to provide members of the Security Council with more specific on-the-ground information on the most recent developments, which may not be covered in the written report. The members of the Security Council encourage members of the Secretariat to provide the latest information, as necessary, without repeating the content of written reports already available to members of the Council.

Briefings in meetings and informal consultations; Briefings in meetings and informal consultations [Ad hoc briefings by the Secretariat]; Informal consultations of the whole; Reports of the Secretary-General; Secretary-General

64 The members of the Security Council invite the Secretariat to continue its practice of circulating, immediately after the briefings, the texts of the interventions delivered by the briefers, in particular, where their statements contain extensive or complicated factual information, encourage briefers to circulate written summaries of that information as far as possible in advance to allow for a more focused discussion during informal consultations. The members of the Security Council invite the Secretariat, as a general rule, to provide a printed fact sheet, presentation materials and/or any other relevant reference materials, whenever possible, to Council members on the day prior to the informal consultations when briefings in the Security Council consultations room are not given on the basis of a written report.

Briefings in meetings and informal consultations; Informal consultations of the whole; Statements in meetings and consultations [Distribution/circulation of statements]

65 The members of the Security Council encourage the Secretariat to make the briefings in informal consultations as efficient and user-friendly as possible, including by using visual aids on the screen and relevant data, as appropriate. The members of the Security Council also encourage briefers to be succinct and direct in their response to questions and/or comments by Council members. In cases where information or clarification requested by Council members is not readily available during the briefings in informal consultations, briefers may provide it at a later time.

Briefings in meetings and informal consultations; Efficiency, efficient; Informal consultations of the whole

66 The members of the Security Council intend to resort, where appropriate, to the use of video teleconferencing for briefing the Council, while preserving a balanced approach between video teleconferencing and briefings in person, including during open meetings in the open chamber.

Briefings in meetings and informal consultations; Informal consultations of the whole; Meetings of the Security Council (general) [Open meetings]; Video teleconferences

67 The members of the Security Council intend to continue to consider requesting the Secretariat to give an ad hoc briefing at Security Council meetings in cases in which an emergent situation which justifies a briefing arises. The members of the Security Council also intend to request the Secretariat to give ad hoc briefings at informal consultations on a daily basis, if necessary, when a situation justifies such briefings.

Briefings in meetings and informal consultations; Briefings in meetings and informal consultations [Ad hoc briefings by the Secretariat]; Informal consultations of the whole; Meetings of the Security Council (general)

68 The members of the Security Council note the value of hearing the perspectives of a variety of briefers, in accordance with rule 39 of the provisional rules of procedure. The members of the Council are encouraged to, with the support of the Secretariat, implement good practices to mitigate risks and threats of reprisals and ensure the full, safe and meaningful participation of briefers in the deliberations of the Council.

Briefings in meetings and informal consultations; Informal consultations of the whole; Participants/participation [Meetings]; Participants/participation [Rule 39 briefers]; Participants/participation [Safe and meaningful participation pf briefers]; Provisional rules of procedure (Notes by the President) [Rules 37 and 39]

69 The members of the Security Council agree to consider setting a six-month interval as the standard reporting period, unless the situation provides reason for shorter or longer intervals. The members of the Security Council are encouraged to consider reviewing the reporting intervals and mandating cycle based on the situation on the ground. The members of the Security Council also agree to define reporting intervals as clearly as possible when adopting resolutions. The members of the Security Council further agree to request oral reporting, which does not require submission of a written report, if the members of the Council consider that it would serve the purpose satisfactorily, and to indicate that request as clearly as possible.

Reports of the Secretary-General; Resolution(s)

70 The Security Council agrees to cooperate with other organs of the United Nations in synchronizing reporting obligations of the Secretariat on the same subject, if appropriate, while giving priority to the effective work of the Council.

Effective(ness); Organs of the United Nations; Reports of the Secretary-General

71The members of the Security Council agree that reports of the Secretary-General should be circulated to Council members and made available in all official languages of the United Nations at least four working days before the Council is scheduled to consider them. The members of the Security Council also agree that the same will apply to making such reports available to relevant participants in Council meetings at which those reports are discussed, including the distribution of the reports on peacekeeping missions to all participants in meetings of troop- and police-contributing countries.

Meetings of the Security Council (general); Meetings of the Security Council (general) [TCC meetings]; Official languages; Peacekeeping missions/operations; Reports of the Secretary-General; Secretary-General; Troop- and police-contributing countries

72 The members of the Security Council encourage the Secretary-General to make reports as concise as possible and give an ample cut-off time in order for the reports to be issued in a timely manner.

Reports of the Secretary-General; Secretary-General; Timeliness; Transparency

73 The members of the Security Council encourage the Secretary-General to include a section in his or her reports where all recommendations are listed, when presenting recommendations to the Council regarding the mandate of a United Nations mission. They also encourage the Secretary-General to include, where appropriate and possible, fact sheets, maps, statistics and charts in his or her reports in order to make the reports as user-friendly as possible.

Mandate(s); Reports of the Secretary-General; Secretary-General

74 The members of the Security Council intend to request the Secretary-General to include policy recommendations on long-term strategy in his or her reports, if appropriate.

Reports of the Secretary-General; Secretary-General

75 The members of the Security Council request the Secretariat to update the Council towards the end of each month on the progress in the preparation of the reports of the Secretary-General to be issued the following month. The members of the Security Council also request the Secretariat to communicate with the Council immediately if it expects reports to be delayed beyond their deadlines or if reports that have not been requested by the Council are expected to be issued.

Reports of the Secretary-General; Secretary-General

76 The members of the Security Council invite the Secretariat to continue its practice of circulating all press statements issued by the Secretary-General or by the Secretary-General’s spokesperson in connection with matters of concern to the Security Council.

Press statements [Secretary-General]; Secretary-General

77 The members of the Security Council encourage the Secretariat to ensure that all information provided to Council members is transmitted electronically.

Reports of the Secretary-General; Secretary-General

78 The members of the Security Council intend to make the best use of all mechanisms available, as appropriate, to convey policy guidance to the Secretary- General, including dialogue, letters from the President, adoption of resolutions or presidential statements, or any other means deemed appropriate. The members of the Security Council express general support for continuing the practice of holding monthly luncheons with the Secretary-General in an informal setting to allow interactive action-oriented exchanges.

Interactivity; Letters from the President; Luncheons with the Secretary-General; Presidential statements, statements by the President; Reports of the Secretary-General; Resolution(s); Secretary-General

79The members of the Security Council, through the Secretary-General, invite new Special Representatives of the Secretary-General to engage in dialogue with members of the Council before assuming their duties under new mandates, including in the field, in order to obtain Council members’ views on the objectives and the mandates.

Mandate(s); Reports of the Secretary-General; Secretary-General; Special envoys/representatives of the Secretary-General

80 The members of the Security Council reaffirm that the work of the Council is a collective endeavour and responsibility, and that enhanced cooperation and consultation among all Council members is vital for the efficient and transparent functioning of the Council.

Efficiency, efficient; Intra-Council cooperation and consultation; Transparency

81 All members of the Security Council acknowledge the principle of full access to relevant documents for the examination of an issue under active consideration by the Council or its subsidiary bodies.

Access to documentation; Intra-Council cooperation and consultation; Subsidiary bodies

82 All members of the Security Council reiterate the principle of confidentiality to their work and commit to avoid disclosure of private documents received or authored by the Council, as well as to further avoid disclosure of informal communications between Council members.

Access to documentation; Intra-Council cooperation and consultation

83 The members of the Security Council also reaffirm the importance of continuing to improve intra-Council dialogue, communication and exchange of information, especially in crisis or fast-evolving situations.

Intra-Council cooperation and consultation

84 The members of the Security Council therefore agree to continue to enhance dialogue among all Council members, in particular in crisis or fast evolving situations, so that the Council may respond more efficiently and therefore better fulfil its responsibility of maintaining international peace and security.

Efficiency, efficient; Intra-Council cooperation and consultation

85 The members of the Security Council, in this context, recognize the important role of the President of the Security Council, including in facilitating communication and the exchange of information and securing implementation of the present note.

Effective(ness); Implementation of Note 507; Intra-Council cooperation and consultation; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Intra-Council cooperation]

86 For the purpose of ensuring the implementation of the present note and enhancing the effectiveness, efficiency and transparency of the Security Council, the President of the Council is encouraged to continue the practice of circulating written monthly commitments at the beginning of the presidency, recalling critical provisions of the present note and subsequent notes.

Effective(ness); Efficiency, efficient; Implementation of Note 507; Intra-Council cooperation and consultation; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Intra-Council cooperation]; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Monthly commitments]; Transparency

87 Without prejudice to the role of the experts, the members of the Security Council recognize that those who coordinate the monthly activities of the respective missions on the Council are critical to securing the implementation of the present note.

Coordinators of monthly activities; Experts of permanent missions; Implementation of Note 507; Intra-Council cooperation and consultation

88 The members of the Security Council recognize the importance of review and timely updates of its documentation on working methods, in particular the compilation of Security Council presidential notes. The members of the Council acknowledge the work of the Secretariat and encourage it to continue to maintain, update and ensure ease of access to, among other documentation, the notes by the President and other decisions related to the working methods of the Council, as well as the Repertoire of the Practice of the Security Council, in accordance with the mandate set out in General Assembly resolution 686 (VII) of 5 December 1952 and subsequent General Assembly resolutions.

Documentation on working methods; Drafting process; Intra-Council cooperation and consultation; Resolution(s); Repertoire of the Practice of the Security Council; Timeliness

A. Arrangement for penholders and co-penholders

89 Without prejudice to the rights accorded by the Charter of the United Nations and the provisional rules of procedure of the Security Council, and reaffirming paragraph 80 of the present note, the members of the Security Council support, where appropriate, the informal arrangement whereby one or more Council members (as “penholder(s)” or “co-penholder(s)”) initiate, facilitate and chair the informal drafting process, as well as timely initiatives, of the Council, among others and related tasks, while recognizing any Council member may take up the pen for any file. This informal arrangement, where appropriate, aims to facilitate timely initiatives to ensure Council action while preserving an element of continuity, with a view to enhancing the efficiency of the Council’s work.

Charter of the United Nations; Drafting process; Efficiency, efficient; Penholders/co-penholders; Provisional rules of procedure (Notes by the President); Timeliness

90 The members of the Security Council affirm their willingness and encourage continued efforts to ensure that the arrangement of penholder or co-penholder reflects openness, a shared responsibility and fair burden-sharing and further agree to the following:

  • (a) Any member of the Security Council should have the opportunity to be a penholder or co-penholder. Members of the Council are encouraged to act as the penholder(s) or co-penholder(s) in the drafting of documents, including resolutions, presidential statements and press statements of the Council;
  • (b) Any member of the Security Council may act and add value as a penholder or co-penholder. Such a member or members may include, but shall not be limited to, those with expertise in and contributions to the subjects, regional perspectives on the subjects, chairing of relevant subsidiary bodies and specific interests. In this regard, the members of the Council agree to make enhanced use of such particular expertise and interests with regard to which Council member or members would serve as penholder or co-penholder on country-specific and/or thematic files;
  • (c) Current Security Council members are encouraged to have regular exchanges with incoming Security Council members on best practices and lessons learned, as necessary, including through, the Informal Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions, as appropriate.

Drafting process; Elected members of the Security Council [Incoming elected members]; Penholders/co-penholders; Presidential statements, statements by the President; Press statements [Security Council members]; Resolution(s); Subsidiary bodies; Thematic situations/files; Working group(s) [Informal Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions (IWG)]

B. Conduct of penholders and co-penholders

91 The members of the Security Council reaffirm that all members of the Security Council should be allowed to participate fully in the preparation of, inter alia, the resolutions, presidential statements and press statements of the Council. The members of the Security Council also reaffirm that the drafting of all documents, such as resolutions and presidential statements, as well as press statements, should be carried out in an inclusive manner that will allow participation of all members of the Council. To this end, without prejudice to the relevant provisions of the Charter of the United Nations and the provisional rules of procedure, the members of the Security Council encourage penholders and co-penholders to conduct negotiations in an inclusive and respectful manner by:

  • (a) Abiding by objectivity and impartiality during the drafting and negotiation process and prioritizing forging consensus, whenever possible, and promoting the unity of the Council;
  • (b) Ensuring as early as possible in the drafting exercise an exchange of information among all Security Council members and engaging in timely consultations with all Security Council members with openness and flexibility. For each draft resolution which is not a technical rollover or for each presidential statement, the members of the Security Council encourage the penholder or co-penholders to present and discuss the draft with all members of the Security Council in at least one round of informal consultations or informal informals held in person or via an appropriate virtual meeting platform, as far as practicable;
  • (c) Informally consulting in an early manner with the broader United Nations membership, and in particular the States concerned, including but not limited to countries directly involved or specifically affected, neighbouring States and countries with particular contributions to make, as well as with other relevant parties, regional organizations and Groups of Friends, when drafting, inter alia, resolutions, presidential statements and press statements and, as appropriate, taking into full consideration their views and concerns, including when considering mandate renewals or modifications;
  • (d) Sharing draft documents as early as possible, depending on the subject as well as the urgency of the situation on the ground, to provide a reasonably sufficient time for consideration by all Council members when draft resolutions, presidential statements and press statements of the Council are placed under a silence procedure, bearing in mind that the Council needs to act swiftly if the situa tion so requires recognizing that any Council member may request extension of and/or break silence if further consideration is required;
  • (e) Informally consulting the Chairs of the subsidiary bodies concerned before circulating an early draft of a document involving the same country or region, in particular in the case of renewal of sanctions measures or bodies;
  • (f) Building consensus, whenever possible, through sufficient informal consultations or informal informals on draft documents among Council members, and making every effort to address divergences among Council members in a flexible and timely manner;
  • (g) Striving to ensure, whenever possible, that the silence procedure for draft resolutions is of at least 24 hours to allow sufficient time for Council members to consult their capitals;
  • (h) Striving to ensure, whenever possible, that, after draft resolutions are put in blue, at least 24 hours should be allowed for consideration by Council members before drafts are put to a vote.
Affected States/parties; Charter of the United Nations; Concerned States/parties/members/delegations; Draft documents; Drafting process; Groups of Friends; Inclusivity; Informal consultations of the whole; Informal consultations of the whole; Informal-informals; Mandate(s); Member state(s); Penholders/co-penholders; Presidential statements, statements by the President; Press statements [Security Council members]; Provisional rules of procedure (Notes by the President); Regional organizations; Resolution(s); Sanctions [Sanctions renewal]; Subsidiary bodies; Technical rollover; Timeliness; Wider membership

92 The members of the Security Council also encourage those members that are not penholders or co-penholders to strive to provide timely feedback, including written comments, during the negotiation of draft documents and to conduct negotiations in a constructive and respectful manner.

Draft documents; Drafting process; Penholders/co-penholders; Resolution(s); Timeliness

93 The members of the Security Council encourage all members, and in particular penholders and co-penholders, to monitor the implementation of Council decisions by:

  • (a) Regularly consulting the Secretariat, the broader United Nations membership, and in particular the States concerned and troop- and police-contributing countries, as appropriate;
  • (b) Proposing and organizing additional activities of the Council in monitoring and promoting implementation, as necessary.

Affected States/parties; Concerned States/parties/members/delegations; Drafting process; Penholders/co-penholders; Presidential statements, statements by the President; Resolution(s); Troop- and police-contributing countries; Wider membership

C. Outcome documents

94 The members of the Security Council strive to make Council documents, including resolutions, presidential statements and press statements, focused, succinct and action-oriented, in principle. In this connection, each member of the Council, including and in particular the penholder or co-penholders, whenever possible, should make every effort in this direction.

Outcome documents; Presidential statements, statements by the President; Press statements [Security Council members]; Resolution(s)

95 The members of the Security Council recognize that when draft resolutions, presidential statements and press statements of the Council are placed under a silence procedure, any Council member may request an extension of silence if further consideration is needed. In making their determination, the penholder or co-penholder should take into full account such requests of Member States.

Draft documents; Drafting process; Member state(s); Outcome documents; Presidential statements, statements by the President; Press statements [Security Council members]; Resolution(s); Silence procedure

96 The members of the Security Council agree to consider making draft resolutions and presidential statements as well as other draft documents available as appropriate to non-members of the Council as soon as such documents are introduced within informal consultations of the whole, or earlier, if so authorized by the authors of the draft document.

Draft documents; Drafting process; Informal consultations of the whole; Informal consultations of the whole; Non-members of the Council; Outcome documents; Presidential statements, statements by the President; Resolution(s)

97 Where appropriate, the members of the Council should ordinarily seek to avoid the need for draft resolutions or other documents to be translated over the weekend.

Draft documents; Drafting process; Outcome documents; Presidential statements, statements by the President; Resolution(s); Translation/Interpretation

98 The President of the Security Council should, when so requested by the Council members, and without prejudice to his or her responsibilities as President, draw the attention of the representative(s) of the Member State(s), regional organizations and arrangements concerned to relevant statements to the press made by the President on behalf of Council members or decisions of the Council. The Secretariat should also continue to bring to the knowledge of those concerned, including non-State actors, through the relevant Special Representatives, Representatives and Envoys of the Secretary-General and United Nations Resident Coordinators, resolutions and presidential statements of the Security Council, as well as statements to the press made by the President of the Council on behalf of the Council members, and ensure their most prompt communication and the widest possible dissemination. The Secretariat should further issue as United Nations press releases all written statements to the press made by the President of the Security Council on behalf of Council members, upon clearance by the President.

Drafting process; Member state(s); Outcome documents; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Engagement with wider membership]; Presidential statements, statements by the President; Press statements [Security Council members]; Regional organizations; Resident Coordinator(s); Resolution(s); Secretary-General; Special envoys/representatives of the Secretary-General

99 The members of the Security Council intend to intensify their efforts to publicize decisions and other relevant information of the Council to the Member States and other organizations through correspondence, websites, outreach activities and other means, when appropriate. The members of the Security Council intend to continue to examine ways to enhance its activities in this regard.

Drafting process; Member state(s); Outcome documents
anchor

100 The members of the Security Council recall that consultations between the Security Council, the Secretariat and troop- and police-contributing countries should enhance the ability of the Council to make appropriate, effective and timely decisions in fulfilling its responsibilities.

Effective(ness); Timeliness; Troop- and police-contributing countries

101 The members of the Security Council reaffirm their commitment to making full use of and improving existing consultation with troop- and police-contributing countries with a view to ensuring the full consideration of the views and concerns of troop- and police-contributing countries by the Council.

Troop- and police-contributing countries

102 The members of the Security Council agree that the following measures, which are complementary to those contained in its resolutions 1353 (2001) and 2086 (2013) as well as the statement by the President of the Security Council of 31 December 2015 (S/PRST/2015/26), contribute to the aim of enhancing interaction and consultation with troop- and police-contributing countries:

  • (a) Prior to the constitution of a peacekeeping operation, the Secretariat is encouraged to make the broadest possible call for contributions to that operation. Once potential contributors have been identified, the Secretariat will provide them with all necessary information in order to facilitate their decision-making regarding participation in the operation;
  • (b) The members of the Security Council underscore the importance of consultations with relevant troop- and police-contributing countries, including at their request, on urgent situations that affect their operations, particularly regarding the safety and security of their personnel on the ground;
  • (c) The members of the Security Council also underscore the importance of consultation with troop- and police-contributing countries in cases of transition from a peacekeeping to a peacebuilding operation and on major changes in an operation, such as withdrawal, scaling down of the size or termination, as well as in cases of operational challenges or developments requiring mandate adjustments;
  • (d) The members of the Security Council emphasize the importance of consulting with troop- and police-contributing countries, including holding meetings, preferably one week, before the Security Council considers mandate renewals or modifications. The Secretariat will, pursuant to paragraph 71 above, provide the relevant troop- and police-contributing countries with a copy of the report of the Secretary-General with, as far as practicable, enough anticipation in order to allow the preparation for and the timely holding of meetings with troop- and police-contributing countries before discussion among Council members;
  • (e) In order to further encourage substantive discussions with troop- and police-contributing countries, in accordance with Security Council resolution 1353 (2001), the members of the Security Council encourage the attendance of appropriate military and political officers from each participating mission at meetings with troop-contributing countries;
  • (f) The members of the Security Council encourage the President of the Security Council to provide sufficient time for the meetings with troop- and police- contributing countries;
  • (g) The President of the Security Council will report to the Council on consultations with troop- and police-contributing countries with a summary of the meetings;
  • (h) The Security Council encourages its members to continue to hold and further develop informal meetings in order to encourage more interactive and focused consultations between Council members, the Secretariat and troop- and police- contributing countries, pursuant to resolution 1353 (2001) and the statement by the President of the Security Council of 31 December 2015 (S/PRST/2015/26);
  • (i) Recalling the functions of the Security Council Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations in accordance with the note by the President of the Security Council (S/2002/56), the members of the Security Council welcome the participation in the meetings of the Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations of the Secretariat, troop- and police-contributing countries and other major stakeholders, and encourage this practice in order to foster closer cooperation between the Council and those actors. The Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations will continue to hold regular meetings with troop-contributing countries and police-contributing countries on relevant issues.

Interactivity; Mandate(s), Meetings of the Security Council (general) [TCC meetings]; Participants/participation [Meetings]; Peacekeeping missions/operations; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Troop- and police contributing countries]; Presidential statements, statements by the President; Reports of the Secretary-General; Resolution(s); Secretary-General; Timeliness; Troop- and police-contributing countries; Working group on peacekeeping operations

103 The members of the Security Council intend to seek the views of Member States that are parties to a conflict and/or other interested and affected parties. For that purpose, the Security Council may, inter alia, utilize private meetings when public meetings are not appropriate, in which case invitations are also to be extended in accordance with rules 37 and 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure. The Security Council, when it deems appropriate, may also utilize informal dialogues.

Affected States/parties; Dialogue with non-Council members and other bodies; Informal interactive dialogue; Interested States/parties/members; Meetings of the Security Council (general) [Private meetings]; Meetings of the Security Council (general) [Public meetings]; Member state(s); Provisional rules of procedure (Notes by the President) [Rules 37 and 39]

104 The Security Council underscores the importance of increased coordination, cooperation and interaction among the principal organs of the United Nations, in particular the Security Council, the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and the Secretariat, as well as with other relevant bodies, including the Peacebuilding Commission, and regional organizations, including the African Union, and reaffirms that the relationship between the principal organs of the United Nations is mutually reinforcing and complementary, in accordance with and with full respect for their respective functions, authority, powers and competencies, as enshrined in the Charter.

African Union; Charter of the United Nations; Coordination; Dialogue with non-Council members and other bodies; Economic and Social Council; Functions; General Assembly; Organs of the United Nations; Peacebuilding Commission; Regional organizations

105 The members of the Security Council intend to continue to maintain regular communication with the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council for better coordination among the principal organs of the United Nations. To that end, the members of the Security Council encourage the President of the Council to continue holding meetings with the Presidents of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council on a regular basis.

Coordination; Dialogue with non-Council members and other bodies; Economic and Social Council; General Assembly; Organs of the United Nations; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Engagement with UN principal organs]

106 The members of the Security Council also acknowledge the importance of strengthening the collaboration with the Peacebuilding Commission as an intergovernmental advisory body and express their intention to regularly request, deliberate and draw upon its specific, strategic and targeted advice in a timely manner, based on which the Organizational Committee of the Commission shall establish the agenda of the Commission, in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions. The Chair of the Commission and the Chairs of country-specific configurations of the Commission will be invited, as appropriate, to participate in public Council meetings. The members of the Council encourage, in addition, informal exchanges with the Chair of the Commission and the Chairs of the country-specific configurations, as appropriate, through informal interactive dialogues.

Advisory body (Peacebuilding Commission); Chairs [Country-specific configuration]; Dialogue with non-Council members and other bodies; Informal interactive dialogue; Meetings of the Security Council (general) [Public meetings]; Participants/participation [Chairs of Peacebuilding Commission]; Peacebuilding Commission; Peacebuilding Commission [Chairs of country-specific configurations]; Resolution(s); Timeliness

107 In line with paragraph 170 (a) of the 2005 World Summit Outcome (General Assembly resolution 60/1) and Security Council resolution 1631 (2005), as well as subsequent relevant documents, the members of the Security Council agree to continue to expand consultation and cooperation with regional and subregional organizations, including by inviting relevant organizations to participate in the Council’s public and private meetings, when appropriate.

Dialogue with non-Council members and other bodies; General Assembly; Meetings of the Security Council (general) [Private meetings]; Meetings of the Security Council (general) [Public meetings]; Participants/participation [Regional organizations]; Regional organizations; Subregional organizations; World Summit Outcome (A/RES/60/1)

108 In this regard, the members of the Security Council acknowledge the importance of annual joint consultative meetings and informal dialogues with the members of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union, to exchange views on ways to strengthen cooperation and partnership, building on the progress made. The dates, venues, agendas, modalities and outcomes will be determined through consultations between the two Councils.

African Union; African Union [Joint consultative meetings]; Dialogue with non-Council members and other bodies

109 The members of the Security Council intend to utilize "Arria-formula" meetings as a flexible and informal forum for enhancing their deliberations. To that end, members of the Security Council may invite on an informal basis any Member State, relevant organization or individual to participate in "Arria-formula" informal meetings. The members of the Security Council agree to consider using such meetings to enhance their contact with civil society and non-governmental organizations, including local non-governmental organizations suggested by United Nations field offices. The members of the Security Council encourage the introduction of such measures as lengthening lead times, defining topics that participants might address.

Arria-formula meetings; Civil society; Dialogue with non-Council members and other bodies; Member state(s); Non-governmental organizations; Participants/participation [Arria-formula meetings]

110 The members of the Security Council will consider ways and means of further enhancing interaction with and seeking the views of non-Council members and bodies, particularly the interested or concerned States, on issues on its agenda, including by making more effective use, as appropriate, of public meetings, informal interactive dialogues and "Arria-formula" meetings.

Affected States/parties; Agenda (of the Security Council); Arria-formula meetings; Concerned States/parties/members/delegations; Dialogue with non-Council members and other bodies; Effective(ness); Informal interactive dialogue; Interested States/parties/members; Meetings of the Security Council (general) [Public meetings]; Participants/participation [Arria-formula meetings]

111 The members of the Security Council are committed to continuing to provide opportunities to hear the views of the broader membership on the working methods of the Council, including in any open debate on the implementation of the present note, and to welcoming the continued participation by the broader membership in such debates. The Chair of the Informal Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions (IWG) is encouraged to coordinate with the President of the Security Council to schedule an annual open debate on the working methods of the Security Council. By holding such an open debate, Council members affirm the commitment to continue to keep its working methods under consideration in the regular work of the Council with a view to ensuring their effective and consistent implementation, in accordance with the statement by the President of the Security Council of 30 October 2015 (S/PRST/2015/19).

Dialogue with non-Council members and other bodies; Effective(ness); Implementation of Note 507; Open debates; Open debates [Annual open debate on working methods]; Participants/participation [Non-Council members]; Presidential statements, statements by the President; Wider membership; Working group(s) [Informal Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions (IWG)]

A. Subsidiary bodies

112 The members of the Security Council encourage the Chairs of all subsidiary bodies to continue to report to the Council on any outstanding issues, when necessary and in any event on a regular basis, in order to receive strategic guidance from the Council. The members of the Security Council also encourage all the Chairs to continue to brief the Council, including on relevant reports, at open meetings of the Council, as appropriate.

Briefings in meetings and informal consultations; Briefings in meetings and informal consultations [Chairs of subsidiary bodies]; Meetings of the Security Council (general) [Open meetings]; Subsidiary bodies; Subsidiary bodies [Conduct of work]

113 The Security Council encourages its members to promote greater coordination between the Council as a whole and its subsidiary bodies, when considering thematic or country-specific situations.

Country-specific situations; Coordination; Subsidiary bodies; Subsidiary bodies [Conduct of work]; Thematic situations/files

114 The members of the Security Council request the Secretariat to make the schedules of all meetings and provisional agendas of the subsidiary bodies of the Council available to the public, through their websites and the Journal of the United Nations.

Journal of the United Nations; Subsidiary bodies; Subsidiary bodies [Conduct of work]

115 The members of the Security Council encourage Chairs of all subsidiary bodies of the Council, as appropriate, to provide an agreed brief summary of relevant meetings of the subsidiary bodies of the Council to non-members of the Council, including through press releases.

Non-members of the Council; Subsidiary bodies; Subsidiary bodies [Conduct of work]

116 The members of the Security Council encourage Chairs of all subsidiary bodies of the Security Council or their designates to give, on a regular basis, informal substantive interactive briefings, when appropriate, on their activities to non-Council members, recognizing that doing so can add value to the work of those bodies. The members of the Security Council agree that the time and place of such briefings should be published in the Journal of the United Nations. The members of the Security Council encourage Chairs of all subsidiary bodies to consider any other opportunities for non-Council members to provide input to their work.

Briefings to Member States [Briefings by Chairs of subsidiary bodies]; Interactivity; Journal of the United Nations; Subsidiary bodies; Subsidiary bodies [Conduct of work]

117 The members of the Security Council encourage subsidiary bodies of the Council to seek the views of Member States with strong interest in their areas of work. The members of the Security Council in particular encourage sanctions committees to seek the views of Member States that are particularly affected or concerned by the sanctions and to foster early and periodic engagement and dialogue between them and relevant sanctions monitoring teams, groups and panels throughout the course of their mandate.

Affected States/parties; Concerned States/parties/members/delegations; Mandate(s); Member state(s); Sanctions [Sanctions committees]; Sanctions [Sanctions experts and monitoring teams]; Subsidiary bodies; Subsidiary bodies [Conduct of work]

118 The members of the Security Council encourage subsidiary bodies of the Council to seek the views of relevant Special Representatives of the Secretary- General and mediators on the role of sanctions relevant to their work.

Sanctions [Role of sanctions]; Special envoys/representatives of the Secretary-General; Subsidiary bodies; Subsidiary bodies [Conduct of work]

119 The members of the Security Council encourage Chairs of the subsidiary bodies to ensure, with the assistance of the Secretariat, timely circulation of all relevant documents prior to a meeting, providing sufficient time for their review before the meeting.

Subsidiary bodies; Subsidiary bodies [Conduct of work]; Timeliness

120 The members of the Security Council encourage Chairs of all subsidiary bodies to continue to travel periodically to regions applicable to their work, with the consensus of all members of the subsidiary body if the travel is in the name of the subsidiary body, to seek the views of and engage with affected or concerned States and explain and promote the objectives of the subsidiary body’s mandate.

Affected States/parties; Concerned States/parties/members/delegations; Mandate(s); Subsidiary bodies; Subsidiary bodies [Conduct of work]

121 The members of the Security Council encourage subsidiary bodies with similar themes and geographical scope, to meet regularly to discuss common concerns, best practices and ways to improve mutual cooperation when necessary, and request the Secretariat to provide support for such meetings.

Subsidiary bodies; Subsidiary bodies [Conduct of work]

122 The members of the Security Council intend to intensify their efforts to publicize decisions and other relevant information of the subsidiary bodies of the Council to the Member States and other organizations through correspondence, websites, outreach activities and other means, when appropriate. The members of the Security Council intend to continue to examine ways to enhance its activities in this regard. The members of the Security Council encourage subsidiary bodies of the Council to continue to review periodically policies concerning access to their documents, as appropriate.

Member state(s); Subsidiary bodies; Subsidiary bodies [Conduct of work]

123 The members of the Security Council encourage the Secretariat to provide administrative and substantive support to the subsidiary bodies of the Council. The members of the Security Council encourage the Secretariat to maintain the translation of all United Nations sanctions lists, including the Consolidated List, into all six official languages of the United Nations in a timely manner. The members of the Security Council also encourage the Secretariat to continue to ensure that the information on the websites of the subsidiary bodies of the Council is accurate and updated in all official languages of the United Nations, including the reports of sanctions monitoring teams, groups and panels.

Official languages; Sanctions [Sanctions lists]; Sanctions [Sanctions experts and monitoring teams]; Subsidiary bodies; Subsidiary bodies [Conduct of work]; Timeliness; Translation/Interpretation

B. Selection of Chairs of subsidiary bodies

124 The members of the Security Council should make every effort to agree provisionally on the appointment of the Chairs of the subsidiary bodies for the following year no later than 1 October.

Appointment [Chairs of subsidiary organs]; Subsidiary bodies; Subsidiary bodies [Selection of Chairs (consultations)]

125 To that end, the members of the Security Council will start an informal process of consultations, with the participation of all Council members, on the appointment of the Chairs of the subsidiary bodies from among the members of the Council for the following year as soon as possible after each election of members of the Council. The members of the Council should also consult informally with the newly elected members in the process.

Appointment [Chairs of subsidiary organs]; Elected members of the Security Council [Incoming elected members]; Subsidiary bodies; Subsidiary bodies [Selection of Chairs (consultations)]

126 This informal process of consultations will be undertaken in a balanced, transparent, efficient and inclusive way so as to facilitate an exchange of information related to the work of the subsidiary bodies involved and will be facilitated jointly by two members of the Security Council working in full cooperation.

Appointment [Chairs of subsidiary organs]; Efficiency, efficient; Inclusivity; Subsidiary bodies; Subsidiary bodies [Selection of Chairs (consultations)]; Transparency

127 The members of the Security Council stress that this informal consultation process should take into account the need for a shared responsibility and a fair distribution of work for the selection of the Chairs among all members of the Council, bearing in mind the capacities and resources of members.

Appointment [Chairs of subsidiary organs]; Subsidiary bodies; Subsidiary bodies [Selection of Chairs (consultations)]

128 All members and newly elected members of the Security Council should be informed of the outcome of the informal process of consultations on the appointment of the Chairs of the subsidiary bodies in a transparent and substantive way prior to the provisional agreement on the appointment.

Appointment [Chairs of subsidiary organs]; Elected members of the Security Council [Incoming elected members]; Subsidiary bodies; Subsidiary bodies [Selection of Chairs (consultations)]; Transparency

129 Without prejudice to paragraph 4 (b) of the note by the President of the Security Council dated 30 October 1998 (S/1998/1016) and paragraphs 124 to 128 of the present note, unless agreement is reached by 1 January on the appointment of the Chairs and, consequently, Vice-Chairs of the subsidiary bodies of the Council for the year, as a contingency measure, the responsibilities of Chairs of all of the subsidiary bodies of the Council during the month of January shall devolve to the President for the month of January.

Appointment [Chairs of subsidiary organs]; Subsidiary bodies; Subsidiary bodies [Selection of Chairs (consultations)]

C. Preparation of Chairs of subsidiary bodies

130 The Chairs of the subsidiary bodies are encouraged, with the assistance of the Secretariat as required, to provide those members of the Council that will take over the chairmanships with written and oral briefings about the work done during the outgoing chairmanship and to maintain informal meetings with the incoming Chairs, as necessary, including with the assistance of the Secretariat.

Subsidiary bodies; Subsidiary bodies [Preparation of incoming Chairs]

131 The briefings will be accompanied by documents adopted during the outgoing chairmanship and all informal documents and background information the outgoing Chair deems pertinent for enlightening the incoming Chair, including draft documents being discussed by the subsidiary body. Taking into account that such documents and information might not have been made public, they will be provided to the members that will take over the chairmanships as soon as possible after the chairmanships have been provisionally decided.

Draft documents; Subsidiary bodies; Subsidiary bodies [Preparation of incoming Chairs]

132 The members of the Security Council acknowledge the support given to incoming Chairs by the Secretariat and request the Secretariat to consider further measures to provide incoming Chairs and their staffs with additional substantive and methodological briefings on the work of relevant subsidiary bodies.

Subsidiary bodies; Subsidiary bodies [Preparation of incoming Chairs]

133 The members of the Security Council encourage early consultations between sanctions monitoring teams, groups and panels and incoming Chairs of the sanctions committees.

Sanctions [Sanctions committees]; Sanctions [Sanctions experts and monitoring teams]; Subsidiary bodies; Subsidiary bodies [Preparation of incoming Chairs]

134 The members of the Security Council underline and reaffirm the value of Security Council missions for understanding, assessing and preventing escalation of particular conflicts or situations on the agenda of the Council. Security Council missions should be planned as early as practicable with the members of the Security Council that will be participating in the mission in a transparent, efficient and inclusive manner. Members of the Security Council will designate a member or members to coordinate a particular Security Council mission.

Agenda (of the Security Council); Efficiency, efficient; Inclusivity; Missions of the Security Council; Transparency

135 As soon as the members of the Security Council agree to conduct a particular mission, the President of the Security Council will continue to inform the Secretary- General of that decision with the intended destinations and dates, in order to request the support of the Secretariat in making all the necessary arrangements to facilitate the mission.

Missions of the Security Council; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Missions]; Secretary-General

136 The designated member or members will draft terms of reference for the mission as early as possible in consultation with Security Council members, the host country and the Secretariat. The terms of reference should outline the dates of the mission, its purpose, the proposed agenda and the composition of the mission. The terms of reference, agreed upon by all members of the Security Council, should be issued as a Security Council document.

Host countries (Security Council missions); Missions of the Security Council

137 The members of the Security Council stress the importance of effective communication and engagement with the host country, particularly during the early stages of planning a Council visiting mission, and considering the security situation on the ground during the planning of a Council mission.

Effective(ness); Host countries (Security Council missions); Missions of the Security Council

138 With a view to enhancing synergy and maximizing impact, the members of the Security Council agree to consider joint missions of the Security Council and the Peace and Security Council of the African Union to conflict situations in Africa.

African Union; Joint missions to the field; Missions of the Security Council

139 Bearing in mind that all visiting missions should be agreed upon by consensus, and in an effort to promote greater efficiency and flexibility, the members of the Security Council agree to consider different composition formats when planning Council missions, including considering the possibility of, and subject to consensus by the Council, sending smaller groups of Council members on missions, inviting the Chairs of country-specific configurations of the Peacebuilding Commission to participate as observers in Council missions and dispatching joint missions with regional and subregional organizations, as appropriate and when relevant. The members of the Council reaffirm that the modalities of any such joint missions will be discussed and agreed upon on a case-by-case basis by the Council and the relevant regional and subregional organizations.

Chairs [Country-specific configuration]; Efficiency, efficient; Joint missions to the field; Missions of the Security Council; Peacebuilding Commission; Peacebuilding Commission [Chairs of country-specific configurations]; Regional organizations; Subregional organizations

140 The members of the Security Council agree on the importance of conducting missions within a conflict prevention framework, whereby the Council conducts missions to countries or regions on the seizure list with developing crises, in addition to countries hosting peace operations mandated by the Council, which could serve to lend greater insight to mandate development.

Host countries (Security Council missions); Mandate(s); Missions of the Security Council

141 The members of the Security Council encourage closer coordination within the United Nations system regarding visiting missions to the same country, including missions of the Council, the Chairs of its subsidiary bodies and the Secretariat, and also encourage joint briefings to the Council upon the missions' completion.

Briefings in meetings and informal consultations; Coordination; Missions of the Security Council; Subsidiary bodies

142 The members of the Security Council encourage Security Council missions to have a focused itinerary, with a schedule of meetings which would allow meaningful exchanges at each meeting. The members of the Security Council encourage Security Council missions to continue to avoid restricting their meetings to those with governmental interlocutors and interlocutors of conflict parties and to hold, as appropriate, meetings with local civil society leaders, non-governmental organizations and other interested parties.

Civil society; Interested States/parties/members; Missions of the Security Council; Non-governmental organizations

143 The members of the Security Council agree that Security Council missions should be followed up as appropriate. Upon the return of the mission, the designated member or members should brief the Security Council on the mission as early as possible and preferably within one month after the return of the mission, orally and/or with a written report, which should be issued as a document of the Security Council.

Briefings in meetings and informal consultations; Missions of the Security Council
anchor

144 The Security Council will take the necessary action to ensure the timely submission of its report to the General Assembly in accordance with Article 24, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations.

Annual Report; Charter of the United Nations; Charter of the United Nations [Article 24]; General Assembly; Timeliness

145 The Security Council will continue with the existing practice whereby the annual report is submitted to the General Assembly in a single volume. The period of coverage for the reports shall be from 1 January to 31 December.

Annual Report; General Assembly

146 The report shall consist of an introduction, containing an agreed concise summary prepared on behalf of the Council under the coordination of the President of the Council for the month of July. In the case of the presidency for the month of July ending its tenure on the Council that year, the task of coordinating the introduction of the report shall then devolve on the member of the Council next in English alphabetical order and who will not be leaving the Security Council that calendar year.

Annual Report; Annual Report [Introduction]; Coordination; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Annual report]

147 The introduction, which should not exceed 10,000 words, may contain, inter alia, a brief description of the key activities and trends and the nature of decisions taken by the Security Council during the period covered by the report.

Annual Report; Annual Report [Introduction]

148 While drafting the introduction to the report, the member of the Council preparing the introduction is encouraged to consult for reference the monthly assessments described in paragraph 155 below, and may, when necessary, seek advice from other members of the Council. It may also consider organizing, where appropriate, interactive informal exchanges of views with the wider membership.

Annual Report; Annual Report [Introduction]; Interactivity; Wider membership

149 The introduction to the report should continue to be approved by all members of the Council who served on the Council during the reporting period. The introduction shall be completed no later than 31 January so as to allow the Secretariat enough time for translation.

Annual Report; Annual Report [Introduction]; Official languages; Translation/Interpretation

150 The remainder of the report shall be prepared by the Secretariat and shall be approved by all current members of the Council and the immediate past elected members who served on the Council during the reporting period covered, and shall contain the following parts:

  • (a) Part I shall contain a brief statistical description of the key activities relating to all questions considered by the Security Council under its responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security during the period covered by the report, including a list of each of the following, with document symbols, as appropriate:
    • (i) All decisions, resolutions, presidential statements and official communiqués adopted by the Security Council;
    • (ii) Meetings of the Security Council, including with troop- and police-contributing countries;
    • (iii) Meetings of subsidiary bodies, including counter-terrorism committees, sanctions committees and working groups;
    • (iv) Reports of panels and monitoring mechanisms;
    • (v) Reports of Security Council missions undertaken;
    • (vi) Peacekeeping operations established, functioning or terminated;
    • (vii) Assistance missions and offices established, functioning or terminated;
    • (viii) Reports of the Secretary-General submitted to the Security Council;
    • (ix) Special reports on the use of the veto;
    • (x) References to the summary statements by the Secretary-General of matters of which the Security Council was seized for the period covered by the report;
    • (xi) Notes by the President of the Security Council and other documents issued by the Security Council for the further improvement of the work of the Council;
    • (xii) Assessment reports issued by the individual monthly presidencies of the Council on its work;
  • (b) Part II shall contain information relating to each question considered by the Council during the reporting period, in at least one formal meeting, under its responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security:
    • (i) Factual data on the number of meetings and informal consultations;
    • (ii) A notice of all decisions, resolutions, presidential statements and draft resolutions considered by the Council at its meetings but not adopted;
    • (iii) A list of the peacekeeping operations and assistance missions and offices established, functioning or terminated, as appropriate;
    • (iv) A list of the relevant panels and monitoring mechanisms and their reports, as appropriate;
    • (v) A list of the reports of the Secretary-General submitted to the Security Council;
    • (vi) A list of the Security Council missions undertaken and their reports, as appropriate;
    • (vii) All communications issued by the Council or transmitted to the Council in connection with each agenda item considered;
  • (c) Part III shall contain an account of the other matters considered by the Security Council;
  • (d) Part IV shall contain an account of the work of the Military Staff Committee;
  • (e) Part V shall cover matters that were brought to the attention of the Council but not discussed at the meetings of the Council during the reporting period;
  • (f) The members of the Security Council acknowledge that the work of the Security Council subsidiary bodies is an inseparable part of the Council’s work. Part VI of the report shall therefore contain information pertaining to the work of subsidiary bodies of the Security Council, including counter-terrorism committees, sanctions committees, working groups, and international tribunals established by the Security Council, as appropriate. This information shall be presented by means of references and hyperlinks to the separate annual reports of the subsidiary bodies of the Council.

Agenda (of the Security Council); Annual Report; Communiqués of the Council; Communications of the Security Council; Draft documents; Elected members of the Security Council [Past elected members]; Informal consultations of the whole; Meetings of the Security Council (general); Meetings of the Security Council (general) [Formal meetings]; Meetings of the Security Council (general) [TCC meetings]; Other matters (“Any Other Business”/AOB); Peacekeeping missions/operations; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Monthly assessments]; Presidential statements, statements by the President; Reports of the Secretary-General; Resolution(s); Sanctions [Sanctions committees]; Sanctions [Sanctions experts and monitoring teams]; Secretary-General; Subsidiary bodies; Subsidiary bodies [Conduct of work]; Troop- and police-contributing countries; Working group(s)

151 The Secretariat should submit the draft report, including the introduction to the report, to the members of the Council no later than 15 March following the period covered by the report, so that it may be discussed and thereafter adopted by the Council no later than 30 May, in time for consideration by the General Assembly immediately thereafter.

Annual Report; Annual Report [Introduction]; General Assembly

152 The Secretariat should, subject to regular review, in a timely manner and in all the official United Nations languages, prepare and post on the United Nations website information related to the Security Council activities that could have been contained in annexes to the annual report, including:

(a) Activities and items relating to each question considered by the Security Council under its responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security;

(b) Information about the work of subsidiary bodies of the Security Council, including counter-terrorism committees, sanctions committees, working groups and international tribunals established by the Security Council, as appropriate;

(c) Other information on activities relating to all questions considered by the Security Council under its responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.

Agenda (of the Security Council); Annual Report; Official languages; Sanctions [Sanctions committees]; Subsidiary bodies; Timeliness; Translation/Interpretation; Working group(s)

153 The report will continue to be adopted at a public meeting of the Security Council, at which members of the Council who wish to do so may comment on the work of the Council for the period covered by the report. The President of the Council for the month in which the report is presented to the General Assembly will also make reference to the verbatim record of the Council’s discussion prior to its adoption of the annual report.

Annual Report; General Assembly; Meetings of the Security Council (general) [Public meetings]; Meeting records; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Annual report]; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Engagement with UN principal organs]; Verbatim records

154 The Secretariat should, subject to regular review, in a timely manner and in all the official United Nations languages, prepare and post on the United Nations website information related to the Security Council activities that could have been contained in annexes to the annual report, including:

Annual Report

155 The members of the Security Council recognize the value of a monthly assessment of each presidency in providing as much information as possible on the main aspects of the work of the Council during that month, which can be useful in the preparation of the annual report. Each presidency is encouraged to prepare its monthly assessment soon after the end of the presidency in a timely manner and to include a concise summary in its monthly assessment, recalling paragraph 5 of the note by the President of the Security Council dated 12 June 1997 (S/1997/451). The monthly commitment on the working methods circulated at the beginning of the month, in accordance with paragraph 86 of the present note, may be part of the monthly assessment, if appropriate.

Annual Report; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Monthly assessments]; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Monthly commitments]; Timeliness

156 If appropriate, the President of the Security Council will continue the practice of not scheduling meetings or informal consultations of the Council on the first day of the debate on the report in the General Assembly.

Annual Report; General Assembly; Informal consultations of the whole; Meetings of the Security Council (general) [Scheduling]; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Annual report]

157 The members of the Security Council encourage the President of the Security Council in charge of the presentation of the report to the General Assembly to report to Council members on relevant suggestions and observations raised during the General Assembly debate on the annual report.

Annual Report; General Assembly; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Annual report]; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Engagement with UN principal organs]

158 The members of the Security Council encourage continuing efforts to ensure the inclusion in the annual report of more substantive information on the Council’s work. The Secretariat is encouraged to advise, at least once a year, the Informal Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions on the preparation of the draft annual report, including ways to improve its structure in a cost-efficient way and to take into account the publication of relevant information on the United Nations website. The members of the Security Council will continue their consideration of other suggestions concerning improvements to the annual report and related activities.

Annual Report; Working group(s) [Informal Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions (IWG)]

159 The Security Council invites the newly elected members of the Council to observe all meetings of the Council and its subsidiary bodies and the informal consultations of the whole for a period of three months, as from 1 October immediately preceding their term of membership.

Elected members of the Security Council [Incoming elected members]; Informal consultations of the whole; Meetings of the Security Council (general); Meetings of the Security Council (general) [Private meetings]; Observation by incoming members; Subsidiary bodies

160 The Security Council invites the newly elected members of the Council to observe informal consultations – as appropriate, and strictly without participation and with full respect for the confidentiality of the deliberations – on Council outcome documents for a period of three months, as from 1 October immediately preceding their term of membership, in addition to all meetings as stated in paragraph 159.

Elected members of the Security Council [Incoming elected members]; Informal consultations of the whole; Meetings of the Security Council (general); Observation by incoming members; Outcome documents

161 The Security Council invites the Secretariat to provide all communications of the Council to the newly elected members for a period of five months, as from 1 August immediately preceding their term of membership, to familiarize them with the Council’s work.

Access to documentation; Communications of the Security Council; Elected members of the Security Council [Incoming elected members]; Observation by incoming members

162 Effective throughout their term of membership, all members of the Security Council shall be granted the same level of access to documentation submitted to or originated by the Security Council or any of its subsidiary bodies, in line with the provisions as outlined in paragraph 163. Documents that are not accessible nor available in electronic or digital format may also be provided to members of the Security Council if requested, in line with the provisions as outlined in paragraph 163, in an appropriate format to be determined via consultation with the Secretariat, and mindful of the impact on existing resources.

Access to documentation; Elected members of the Security Council [Incoming elected members]; Subsidiary bodies

163 Elected members of the Security Council shall be granted immediate access, at their request, to existing Council documentation submitted to or originated by the Security Council or any of its subsidiary bodies, unless restricted by the provisional rules of procedure of the Security Council, relevant subsidiary body guidelines, a decision of the Council, or if it is a document authored by Member States or non-United Nations entities, including those submitted to the Ombudsperson or focal points for delisting, or if the originating author(s) has requested that the document in question remain restricted. When requesting a document submitted prior to its term in the Council, the requesting Council member should include a brief explanation as to how the additional documentation is relevant to the examination of an issue under active consideration. This request should be circulated to all members of the Security Council.

(a) If the document is not subject to any restrictions listed in paragraph 163, access to the requested document will be immediately granted to all members of the Security Council or relevant subsidiary body without a non-objection procedure;

(b) For documents where access is restricted by the relevant subsidiary body guidelines or a decision of the Council, the President of the Security Council or the Chair of the subsidiary body shall put the request to a decision by the Council or subsidiary body via a non-objection procedure. Should, in the course of a non-objection procedure, a Council or subsidiary body member oppose the request for access, that document will not be made available and a detailed notification shall be circulated to all Council or subsidiary body members. The opposing member is encouraged to provide a brief explanation of their position;

(c) For documents submitted by a Member State or any other non-United Nations entity, the members of the Security Council acknowledge the need to take into account the views of the author(s) to determine whether that document can be accessed. For such documents, the Chair of the subsidiary body or the President of the Security Council, where relevant, should seek the views of the originating author(s);

- If the author(s) agree(s) to its circulation, access will be immediately granted to all members of the Security Council or relevant subsidiary body. If an author objects to its circulation, that document will not be made available. This decision of the objecting author(s) should be circulated to all members of the Security Council or subsidiary body for information;

- If the views of the originating author(s) cannot be sought, the Chair of the subsidiary body or the President of the Security Council, where relevant, shall put the request to a decision by the subsidiary body or the Council via a non-objection procedure. If a member objects to its circulation, that document will not be made available and a detailed notification shall be circulated to all Council or subsidiary body members. The opposing member is encouraged to provide a brief explanation of their position. If no member objects, access will be immediately granted to all members of the Security Council or relevant subsidiary body.

Access to documentation; Elected members of the Security Council [Incoming elected members]; Member state(s); Non-objection procedure; Provisional rules of procedure (Notes by the President); Subsidiary bodies

164 Notwithstanding the foregoing measure, the Security Council will not invite the newly elected members to a specific private meeting of the Council or to specific informal consultations of the whole, if a request to that effect is made by a member of the Council where exceptional circumstances exist. The newly elected members will not be invited to the meetings of the Council or the informal consultations of the whole related to the selection and appointment of the Secretary-General. The newly elected members may be invited to the monthly luncheon with the Secretary-General held in December immediately preceding their term of membership, at the discretion of the President of the Council for that month.

Appointment [Secretary-General]; Elected members of the Security Council [Incoming elected members]; Informal consultations of the whole; Luncheons with the Secretary-General; Meetings of the Security Council (general) [Private meetings]; Observation by incoming members; Presidency/President of the Security Council [Conduct of meetings and consultations]; Secretary-General; Subsidiary bodies [Preparation of incoming Chairs]

165 Newly elected members of the Council are informed of matter spending within subsidiary bodies one month before their membership begins and are encouraged to inform the relevant subsidiary bodies of their position on these matters, including possible approval, objection or hold, at the time they become members.

Elected members of the Security Council [Incoming elected members]; Subsidiary bodies; Subsidiary bodies [Preparation of incoming Chairs]

166 The Security Council invites the Secretariat to continue to take appropriate measures to familiarize all members with the work of the Council and its subsidiary bodies, including by providing briefing materials and holding seminars before they begin to attend Council meetings and, to the extent feasible, by keeping a register of available training opportunities that are being offered. In particular, the Security Council invites the Secretariat to consider developing additional detailed background materials regarding the work of the Council’s subsidiary bodies.

Elected members of the Security Council [Incoming elected members]; Meetings of the Security Council (general); Register of trainings for incoming members; Subsidiary bodies; Subsidiary bodies [Preparation of incoming Chairs]; Training register

A. Gender inclusivity in the provisional rules of procedure

167 Following consultations among the members of the Security Council, and in line with the efforts of the United Nations and its Member States to promote the advancement of women and greater gender inclusivity and equality in their policies and practices, the members of the Council confirm, as a matter of existing Council practice, that any reference to a male person in the Council’s provisional rules of procedure is deemed not to be limited to male persons. Thus, any such reference also constitutes a reference to a female person, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

Gender inclusivity; Inclusivity; Member state(s); Provisional rules of procedure (Notes by the President) [Gender pronoun]

B. Multilingualism

168 Recalling chapter VIII of the provisional rules of procedure, the members of the Security Council, in an effort to enhance effectiveness, involvement and inclusivity during the Council’s discussions and strengthen the Council’s overall functioning, reaffirm their commitment to prioritizing multilingualism at all times.

Effective(ness); Inclusivity; Multilingualism; Provisional rules of procedure (Notes by the President) [Chapter VIII of the provisional rules of procedure]