Reference Documents

S/2024/507

13 December 2024 | Note by the President of the Security Council

The Note incorporates and further develops the notes by the President of the Security Council of 30 August 2017 (S/2017/507), 27 December 2019 (S/2019/990, S/2019/991, S/2019/992, S/2019/993, S/2019/994, S/2019/995, S/2019/996 and S/2019/997), 12 July 2021 (S/2021/645, S/2021/646, S/2021/647 and S/2021/648), 21 August 2023 (S/2023/612 and S/2023/615) and 1 December 2023 (S/2023/945) by superseding those notes. It contains a concise and user-friendly list of the recent practices and newly agreed measures, to serve as guidance for the Council’s work.

S/2023/945

1 December 2023 | Note by the President of the Security Council

The members of the Security Council affirm that the work of the Council is a collective endeavour and responsibility, and support, where appropriate, the informal arrangement whereby one or more Council members (as “penholder” or “co-penholder”) initiate and facilitate the informal drafting process, as well as timely initiatives, of the Council and further 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.

S/2023/615

21 August 2023 | Note by the President of the Security Council

Consistent with paragraph 111 of the note by the President of the Security Council dated 30 August 2017 (S/2017/507), the Security Council reaffirms its commitment to making every effort to agree provisionally on the appointment of the Chairs of the subsidiary bodies for the following year no later than 1 October. The Council also agrees on a contingency measure in case the provisional agreement is not reached on time devolving the role of Chair onto the Presidency.

S/2023/612

21 August 2023 | Note by the President of the Security Council

The Security Council reaffirms the importance of ensuring the efficiency and effectiveness of the Council in conducting its business and agrees on the procedure for the observance of minutes of silence to ensure that it is conducted in an orderly manner.

S/2021/1074

22 December 2021 | Note by the President of the Security Council

The Security Council commits to maintaining its state of readiness under all circumstances and to ensuring its continuous function in accordance with Article 28 of the Charter of the United Nations.

S/2021/648

12 July 2021 | Note by the President of the Security Council

The members of the Security Council reaffirm their commitment to prioritizing multilingualism at all times.

S/2021/647

12 July 2021 | Note by the President of the Security Council

The members of the Security Council recognize the role played by the President of the Council in facilitating and securing implementation of the note by the President of 30 August 2017 (S/2017/507) and subsequent notes and invite each presidency to consider preparing and broadly distributing written monthly commitments on working methods at its discretion.

S/2021/646

12 July 2021 | Note by the President of the Security Council

The members of the Security Council recognize that those who coordinate the monthly activities of the respective missions on the Council are critical to seeing the implementation of the note by the President of 30 August 2017 (S/2017/507) and all subsequent notes.

S/2021/645

12 July 2021 | Note by the President of the Security Council

The Note amends paragraph 142 of the note by the President of 30 August 2017 (S/2017/507) and invites the Secretariat to familiarize all Council members with the work of the Security Council and its subsidiary bodies, including by keeping a register of available training opportunities.

S/2019/997

27 December 2019 | Note by the President of the Security Council

The Note specifies that the Security Council should adopt the annual report of the Council to the General Assembly no later than 30 May in time for its consideration by the General Assembly immediate thereafter.

S/2019/996

27 December 2019 | Note by the President of the Security Council

The Note provides that any reference to a male person in the Council’s provisional rules of procedure is deemed not to be limited to a male person and also constitutes a reference to a female person, unless the context indicates otherwise.

S/2019/995

27 December 2019 | Note by the President of the Security Council

The Note amends paragraph 64 of the note by the President of 30 August 2017 (S/2017/507) regarding the circulation of reports of the Secretary-General to Council members, relevant participants in Council meetings, including participants in meetings of troop- and police-contributing countries.

S/2019/994

27 December 2019 | Note by the President of the Security Council

The Note encourages the President of the Security Council to hold informal briefings with the wider membership jointly with other Council members, with the participation of leads or co-leads of Council missions, and the timely announcement of the date of wrap-up sessions and their inclusion in the Council’s provisional monthly programme of work and the Journal of the United Nations.

S/2019/993

27 December 2019 | Note by the President of the Security Council

The Note provides that newly elected members of the Council may be invited to observe informal consultations on Council outcome documents for a period of three months immediately preceding their term of membership and receive Council communications for a period of five months.

S/2019/992

27 December 2019 | Note by the President of the Security Council

The Note provides that all activities not currently listed in the Security Council’s monthly provisional programme of work are to be listed in an unofficial addendum.

S/2019/991

27 December 2019 | Note by the President of the Security Council

The Note stresses that the informal process for the selection of Chairs of subsidiary bodies should take into account the need for a shared responsibility and a fair distribution of work.

S/2019/990

27 December 2019 | Note by the President of the Security Council

The Note stresses the need for Security Council to engage with the host country in the planning of Council missions, sending smaller groups of Council members on mission, inviting the Peacebuilding Commission as observers, conducting joint missions with regional organizations, and coordinating missions within the United Nations system.

S/2017/507

30 August 2017 | Note by the President of the Security Council

The Note incorporates and further develops the notes by the President - S/2010/507, S/2012/402, S/2012/922, S/2012/937, S/2013/515, S/2013/630, S/2014/268, S/2014/393, S/2014/565, S/2014/739 and Corr.1, S/2014/922, S/2015/944, S/2016/170 and S/2016/619, by superseding those notes. It contains a concise and user-friendly list of the recent practices and newly agreed measures, to serve as guidance for the Council’s work.

S/2016/619

15 July 2016 | Note by the President of the Security Council

The Note conveys the commitment of Council members to implementing measures concerning newly elected members, including the preparation of newly elected members, the selection of Chairs of subsidiary organs, and the preparation of Chairs of subsidiary organs.

S/2016/170

22 February 2016 | Note by the President of the Security Council

The Note conveys the commitment of Council members to improving the work of its subsidiary organs and outlines the measures to improve the transparency of their work, the process of selecting Chairs, the preparation of Chairs as well as the interaction and coordination among the subsidiary organs and between the subsidiary organs and the Council as a whole.

S/2015/944

10 December 2015 | Note by the President of the Security Council

The Security Council reiterates its willingness to take the necessary action to ensure the timely submission of its report to the General Assembly and decides that the period of coverage for all future reports shall be from 1 January to 31 December effective 2017. The report shall consist of an introduction approved by all members of the Council and 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 and the remainder of the report shall be prepared by the Secretariat.

S/PRST/2015/19

30 October 2015 | Note by the President of the Security Council

The Security Council intends to continue to hold an annual open debate on its working methods and affirms its commitment to continue to keep its working methods under consideration in its regular work. The Security Council underscores the importance of increased coordination, cooperation and interaction among the principal organs of the United Nations and takes note of the work undertaken by the Informal Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions to enhance the transparency of its activities.

S/2014/922

18 December 2014 | Note by the President of the Security Council

The members of the Security Council recognized 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 encouraged members and non-members of the Council to contact the Verbatim Reporting Service of the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management to ensure the accuracy of the official records of the Council.

S/2014/739

15 October 2014 | Note by the President of the Security Council

The members of the Security Council agreed that the speaking order for meetings of the Security Council as a general practice is established by a draw and, in certain cases, by the use of a sign-up sheet. The President of the Security Council, in certain cases, may adjust the list of speakers and inscribe first the delegation(s) responsible for the drafting process or the Chairs of the subsidiary bodies of the Council or, for reasons of protocol, when high-level officials are representing Security Council members.

S/2014/565

4 August 2014 | Note by the President of the Security Council

The members of the Security Council agreed to continue to enhance intra-Council dialogue, communication and exchange of information, especially in crisis or fast-evolving situations, so that the Council may respond more efficiently and better fulfil its responsibility of maintaining international peace and security.

S/2014/393

5 June 2014 | Note by the President of the Security Council

The Note conveys practical measures Security Council members have agreed on in ensuring continuity in the work of the Council's subsidiary bodies, such as encouraging early appointment of Chairpersons of subsidiary bodies, providing to the incoming chairmanship an informal written briefing of the work done during the outgoing chairmanship and maintaining informal meetings with the incoming chairmanship.

S/2014/268

14 April 2014 | Note by the President of the Security Council

The Note conveys the Security Council members’ commitment to wider participation of Council members in the drafting of Council products and their wider responsibility for drafting documents, including resolutions, presidential statements and press statements of the Council. The Security Council supports the informal arrangement whereby one or more Council members (as “penholder(s)”) initiate and chair the informal drafting process. Any member of the Security Council may be a penholder.

S/2013/630

28 October 2013 | Note by the President of the Security Council

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. The members of the Security Council agree that the measures contained in the Note contribute to the aim of enhancing interaction and consultation with troop- and police-contributing countries.

S/2013/515

28 August 2013 | Note by the President of the Security Council

The Note conveys suggestions made by Member States on how to continue to improve dialogue with non-Council members and bodies, including by making more effective use, as appropriate, of public meetings, informal interactive dialogues and Arria-formula meetings and by maintaining regular communication with the Peacebuilding Commission.

S/2012/937

17 December 2012 | Note by the President of the Security Council

Additional measures to the Note by the President (S/2010/507) in relation to the informal process with the participation of all Council members as regards appointing the Chairpersons of the subsidiary organs in a balanced, transparent, efficient and inclusive way, which facilitates an exchange of information related to the work of the subsidiary organs.

S/2012/922

12 December 2012 | Note by the President of the Security Council

The members of the Security Council reaffirm their commitment to enhancing the efficiency and transparency of the work of the Council, including interaction and dialogue with other Member States, and to implementing, all previously agreed measures, in particular those contained in the Note by the President of the Security Council (S/2010/507).

S/2012/402

5 June 2012 | Note by the President of the Security Council

The Note conveys the Security Council members’ commitment to enhance the efficiency of the Council’s work and agree on several efficiency enhancing working methods including better organization of conference resources, increasing interactively and a more efficient use of time in briefings, increasing the use of video teleconferencing for briefing the Council where appropriate.

S/2010/507

26 July 2010 | Note by the President of the Security Council

Incorporates and further develops the Notes by the President – S/2006/507, S/2007/749 and S/2008/847, by superseding those notes. Contains a concise and user-friendly list of the recent practices and newly agreed measures, to serve as guidance for the Council’s work.

S/2008/847

31 December 2008 | Note by the President of the Security Council

Consolidation and revision of the provisions concerning the summary statement of matters of which the Security Council is seized (seizure statement)

S/2007/749

19 December 2007 | Note by the President of the Security Council

Additional measures to the Note by the President S/2006/507 in relation to the following: informal consultations of the whole, matters of which the Council is seized, and the Annual report to the General Assembly.

S/2006/507

19 July 2006 | Note by the President of the Security Council

Measures to enhance the efficiency and transparency of the Council’s work, as well as interaction and dialogue with non-Council members. List of the recent practices and newly agreed measures, to serve as guidance for the Council’s work in relation to the following:

agenda; briefings; documentation; informal consultations of the whole; meetings; programme of work; resolutions and presidential statements; subsidiary bodies; matters of which the Council is seized; communication with the Secretariat and outside; the Annual report to the General Assembly; and newly elected members."

S/2005/841

29 December 2005 | Note by the President of the Security Council

Extension of the mandate of the informal working group until 31 December 2006; reiterates task of working group to develop general recommendations on how to improve the effectiveness of United Nations sanctions, and lists issues to be addressed within this framework, such as improving cooperation between sanctions committees; duration and lifting of sanctions; de-listing procedures; and secondary sanctions.

S/2005/251

18 April 2005 | Note by the President of the Security Council

Formulation of the title of the agenda item for issues pertaining to Iraq.

S/2004/1014

23 December 2004 | Note by the President of the Security Council

Extension of the mandate of the informal working group until 31 December 2005; reiterates task of working group to develop general recommendations on how to improve the effectiveness of United Nations sanctions, and lists issues to be addressed within this framework, such as improving cooperation between sanctions committees; duration and lifting of sanctions; de-listing procedures; and secondary sanctions.

S/2004/939

23 December 2004 | Note by the President of the Security Council

Note by the President of the Security Council 2-Dec-04 Attendance of the informal consultations of the whole, as well as both formal and informal meetings of the subsidiary bodies of the Council, by newly elected members during the month preceding their term.

S/2003/1185

18 December 2003 | Note by the President of the Security Council

Extension of the mandate of the informal working group until 31 December 2004; reiterates task of working group to develop general recommendations on how to improve the effectiveness of United Nations sanctions.

S/2002/1276

22 November 2002 | Note by the President of the Security Council

Attendance of the informal consultations of the whole and the formal meetings of the subsidiary bodies of the Council by newly elected members during the month preceding their term.

S/2002/964

27 August 2002 | Note by the President of the Security Council

Criteria for participation in private meetings of the Council and consultation meetings with troop-contributing countries under resolution 1353 (2001), annex II, sections A and B.

S/2002/591

29 May 2002 | Note by the President of the Security Council

Seating arrangements for non-members of the Security Council invited to speak at its meetings.

S/2002/316

26 March 2002 | Note by the President of the Security Council

"Introduction of agenda items in public meetings by specifying the agenda item/issue for consideration. Inclusion and circulation of printed fact sheets for briefings by the Secretariat to Council members. Publication and distribution dates of reports of the Secretary-General. Addressing speakers by name and title in public meetings."

S/2002/199

26 February 2002, reissued on 22 May 2002 | Note by the President of the Security Council

Annual report to the General Assembly: change of period covered by the report; revision of format; presentation of the report to the General Assembly by the President of the Council.

S/2002/70

15 January 2002 | Note by the President of the Security Council

Appointment of new Chairman of the informal working group; reiterates task of working group to develop general recommendations on how to improve the effectiveness of United Nations sanctions.

S/2002/56

14 January 2002 | Note by the President of the Security Council

Joint meetings of the Security Council Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations and troop-contributing countries as an additional mechanism for strengthening cooperation with troop-contributing countries on specific peacekeeping operations.

S/2001/640

29 June 2001 | Note by the President of the Security Council

"Communication and dissemination by the President and Secretariat of Council decisions and statements to the press. Issuance of statements to the press made by the President as United Nations press releases.

Communication and dissemination by the Secretariat of Council decisions and statements to the press and to all those concerned."

S/PRST/2001/3

31 January 2001 | Statement by the President of the Security Council

Implementation of resolution 1327 (2000), S/PRST/1996/13 and S/PRST/1994/22. Establishment of a Working Group of the Whole on United Nations Peacekeeping Operations, to address both generic peacekeeping issues relevant to the responsibilities of the Council and technical aspects of individual peacekeeping operations.

S/2000/319

17 April 2000 | Note by the President of the Security Council

Establishment of an informal working group of the Council to develop general recommendations on how to improve the effectiveness of United Nations sanctions, including the working methods of sanctions committees and inter-committee coordination.

S/2000/274

31 March 2000 | Note by the President of the Security Council

Arrangements for the distribution of statements in the Council Chamber.

S/2000/155

28 February 2000 | Note by the President of the Security Council

Attendance of the informal consultations of the whole by newly elected members during the month preceding their term.

S/1999/1291

30 December 1999 | Note by the President of the Security Council

"Briefings by the Secretariat in Council meetings. Content and modalities of briefings by the President to non-members of the Council after informal consultations of the whole. Timely circulation of briefing notes on field operations to non-members of the Council. Draft resolutions and draft presidential statements to be made available to non-members of the Council as soon as they are introduced in informal consultations of the whole. Non-exhaustive range of public and private meeting options. Identification of additional matters for consideration at public meetings, including situations involving specific countries."

S/1999/165

17 February 1999 | Note by the President of the Security Council

Full participation of all Council members and sufficient time to be allowed in the preparation of resolutions and presidential statements; contributions by groups of friends and similar arrangements welcomed.

S/1999/92

29 January 1999 | Note by the President of the Security Council

List of practical measures to improve the work of sanctions committees.

S/1998/1016

30 October 1998 | Note by the President of the Security Council

"Annual report to the General Assembly to contain annual reports of sanctions committees. Arrangements regarding the appointment of the bureaux of sanctions committees. Circulation of statements by troop-contributing countries and the Secretariat’s briefing notes at meetings with troop-contributing countries as well as weekly briefing notes on field operations to troop-contributing countries. Invitation to relevant United Nations bodies and agencies and other Member States to meetings with troop-contributing countries as appropriate. Secretariat to establish a mechanism to alert non-members of the Council of unscheduled or emergency meetings. Statements by the Secretary-General in public meetings."

S/1998/354

30 April 1998 | Note by the President of the Security Council

Availability of provisional schedule of work to Member States.

S/1997/451

12 June 1997 | Note by the President of the Security Council

Changes to the format and additions to the Annual report to the General Assembly.

S/1996/704

29 August 1996 | Note by the President of the Security Council

Modifies S/1996/603 so that no item will be deleted from the list without the prior consent of the Member States concerned in accordance with the procedure set out.

S/1996/603

30 July 1996, reissued on 22 August 1996 | Note by the President of the Security Council

As from 15 September 1996, matters which have not been considered in the preceding five years will be automatically deleted from the list unless a Member State notifies its objection to deletion before that date.

S/PRST/1996/13

28 March 1996 | Statement by the President of the Security Council

Enhanced procedures for meetings between troop-contributing countries, Council members and the Secretariat. Retains inclusion of meetings with troop-contributing countries in the monthly tentative forecast of work and the Journal and in the annual report.

S/1996/54

24 January 1996 | Note by the President of the Security Council

Oral briefings by the Chairman of each sanctions committee to interested Member States after each meeting.

S/1995/438

31 May 1995 | Note by the President of the Security Council

Continuation of practice of hearing comments by Member States and organizations concerned during closed meetings of sanctions committees.

S/1995/234

29 March 1995 | Note by the President of the Security Council

List of improvements to make the procedures of sanctions committees more transparent.

S/PRST/1994/81

16 December 1994 | Note by the President of the Security Council

Increased recourse to public meetings, in particular at an early stage in the Council’s consideration of a subject.

S/PRST/1994/62

4 November 1994 | Statement by the President of the Security Council

"Procedures for meetings between troop-contributing countries, Council members and the Secretariat. Inclusion of expected schedule of meetings with troop-contributing countries in the Council’s monthly tentative forecast of work and time and venue of those meetings in the Journal.

President to summarize views expressed at meetings with troop-contributing countries, in the course of informal consultations of the whole."

S/PRST/1994/22

3 May 1993 | Statement by the President of the Security Council

Consideration of the recommendations in the Secretary-General’s report entitled “Improving the capacity of the United Nations for peacekeeping” (S/26450 and Add.1 and 2), including factors to be taken into account when considering new peacekeeping operations, and increased communications between the Council and troop-contributing countries.

S/1994/329

23 March 1993 | Note by the President of the Security Council

Arrangements for the distribution of statements outside the Council Chamber.

S/1994/230

28 February 1994 | Note by the President of the Security Council

"Circulation in informal consultations of the whole of the Secretary-General’s statements to the press on matters of concern to the Council. Draft resolutions in provisional form to be made available to non-members of the Council at the time of informal consultations of the whole or the following day."

S/26812

29 November 1993 | Note by the President of the Security Council

Use of descriptive formulations of agenda items to avoid having a number of separate items on the same subject.

S/26389

31 August 1993 | Note by the President of the Security Council

Issuance of Council documents.

S/26176

27 July 1993 | Note by the President of the Security Council

Circulation of tentative forecast of programme of work to Member States.

S/26015

30 June 1993 | Note by the President of the Security Council

"Inclusion in the Journal of provisional agenda for public meetings of the Council. Changes to the format of the Security Council’s annual report to the General Assembly, its distribution and adoption at a public meeting. Procedure for citation of documents referred to in draft resolutions or presidential statements, including prefixes. Approval of presidential statements to include agreed formulation of subject matter under which it is authorized."