Security Council Press Statement on Improvement of Working Methods

 

The following Security Council press statement was read out today by Council President U. Joy Ogwu ( Nigeria):

This morning, the Security Council adopted a note by the President concerning the improvement of the working methods of the Council.  The note is the product of intensive work on the part of the Security Council’s Informal Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions over the past several months.  It builds on previous Council efforts to document its working methods, enhance its efficiency and transparency as well as interaction and dialogue with non-Council members by updating presidential note 507, adopted in 2006 (document S/2006/507).  Members of the Council have been actively engaged in these efforts, and the open debate in April on this issue made an important contribution to the revision of note 507.

Some of the new elements include the following measures:

-        The revised note incorporates the Council’s agreements in two other presidential notes (documents S/2007/749 and S/2008/847) on the working methods of the Council adopted after issuance of note 507.

-        There is a new section on planning and reporting for Security Council missions.

-        The members of the Council express their intention to maintain regular communication with the Peacebuilding Commission, which had not been mentioned in previous Council notes on its working methods.

-        It refers as well for the first time to the use of informal dialogues by the Council in recent years.

-        Its intention to enhance its dialogue with troop-contributing countries to peacekeeping especially before it considers peacekeeping operation mandate renewals.

-        It clarifies expectations on the part of both the Council and Secretariat for the submission of Secretary-General’s reports and briefings

The members of the Security Council will continue to consider ways to improve the working methods of the Council, including through the Informal Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions.

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For information media • not an official record