Security Council Working Methods
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The 18th annual workshop for incoming members of the UN Security Council, titled “Hitting the Ground Running”, will be held on 12 and 13 November in New York City. The government of Finland is convening the workshop, in cooperation with Security...
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Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is the president of the Security Council in November. It appears that most, if not all, of the meetings this month will be held virtually due to ongoing concerns about COVID-19. As the signature event...
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Security Council procedural votes—which require nine votes in favour to be adopted and cannot be vetoed by a permanent member—remain rare, with a recent high of four such votes in 2018. From 1946 through 1989, there were 153 procedural votes, and since 1990 there have been only 28. Since the end of the Cold War, most procedural decisions—adopting the agenda for a particular meeting; adding a new item to the “seizure list”, as the list of all formal agenda items is known; or inviting an individual to participate in a Council meeting—have been arrived at by consensus during consultations.
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Russia is the president of the Security Council in October. The Council plans to hold several meetings in person this month, although some will take place via videoconference (VTC) due to ongoing concerns about COVID-19. As a signature event of...
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Niger is the president of the Security Council in September. Although the Security Council is expected to continue to work largely remotely via videoconference (VTC), due to COVID-19 restrictions, it plans to hold some meetings—including adoptions—in person on UN premises....
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The way chairs of subsidiary bodies are allocated has changed fundamentally in recent years. Although Council subsidiary bodies are chaired by elected members, with only rare exceptions, the allocation of these positions was historically decided by the permanent members, with minimal consultation. The decisions would be finalised late in the year, and sometimes not until January. Elected members were frustrated with the process that left them no time to prepare and with appointments that did not reflect their country’s interests and political priorities.
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Indonesia is the president of the Security Council in August. The Security Council is expected to continue to work remotely due to COVID-19 restrictions, as reflected in the programme of work. It could decide to hold some meetings on UN...
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Tomorrow morning (14 July), the Security Council is expected to adopt its annual report to the General Assembly covering 1 January-31 December 2019. The adoption will take place during the first Council in-person meeting since mid-March, when extraordinary and provisional...
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Germany is the Security Council president in July. Briefing the press today, Ambassador Christoph Heusgen emphasised that a comprehensive approach to peace and security and the defence of the rules-based international order would be guiding themes (“the leitmotif”) of Germany’s...
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Tomorrow (1 July) the Security Council is expected to adopt a resolution supporting the Secretary-General’s appeal for a global ceasefire to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. The draft resolution expresses “grave concern about the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic across...
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It has not been business as usual for the Security Council in the first six months of 2020. Since mid-March, the suspension of in-person Council meetings has required unexpected decisions and drastic changes. The restrictions on conducting its business in the Council chamber have pushed the body to find new ways to carry...
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France holds the presidency of the Security Council in June. In light of the UN Headquarters’ anticipated partial closure extending to the end of June, the Council is expected to continue using the provisional measures agreed on at the end of March, as adapted in April...
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On 17 June, the General Assembly is scheduled to elect five states to two-year terms on the Security Council, beginning on 1 January 2021. For more detailed information, please see our Research Report: Security Council Elections 2020.
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Mr. President, Excellencies, Good morning. I appreciate this opportunity to address the Security Council on behalf of Security Council Report and would like to acknowledge the work of Ambassador King and of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in taking forward...
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Tomorrow, 15 May, the Security Council will hold an open video teleconference (VTC) in lieu of its annual open debate on working methods. The meeting is being conducted under the agenda item “Implementation of the note by the President of...
