Security Council Unanimously Adopts Draft 2024 Annual Report to General Assembly Despite Concerns Raised by Sierra Leone’s Delegate about Section on Western Sahara

The Security Council today adopted the draft of its annual report to the General Assembly, which covers the 15-nation organ’s work from 1 January to 31 December 2024.

The representative of the Russian Federation, whose delegation prepared the draft report’s introduction, said that it contains information on measures taken by the Council in 2024 to maintain international peace and security.  Noting that the Council performs these functions on behalf of all Member States, he said:  “We stand convinced that this annual report is an important mechanism for informing other Member States about our activities.” 

Welcoming that negotiations on the report’s introduction were completed in early February — “to the credit of all members of the Council” — he said:  “This outcome proves that the Security Council can collectively and proactively address the tasks before it.”

Sierra Leone’s Speaker Raises Point of Order to Express Concern over Section on Western Sahara

Following that statement, the representative of Sierra Leone — raising a point of order — said that her delegation broke silence on the full draft report to draw Council members’ attention to the “section concerning Western Sahara” and urge its revision due to “factual inaccuracy”. She said that, as currently drafted, the paragraph in question attributes to the Council a political assessment “that was neither formally adopted nor expressed through any agreed position”. 

It therefore risks misrepresenting the record of the Council’s work, she stated.  While noting that her delegation joined consensus to adopt the report’s current form — “solely to preserve the integrity of the silence procedure” — she disassociated from the “impugned section of the report”.

Delegates Diverge over Rules of Procedure 

The representative of the Russian Federation, expressing regret that the delegation of Sierra Leone took issue with the draft report, recalled that this section was discussed in detail and that all delegations had an opportunity to raise their concerns.  The silence procedure for the report’s introduction ended on 10 February, and no Council member raised concerns.  Now, months later, the delegation of Sierra Leone has objected to certain language.  “However, decisions taken by the Security Council cannot be revised ex post,” he stressed.

Following that, the representative of the United States said that his delegation appreciated the Russian Federation’s “approach and course of action during this process”.  Nevertheless, he acknowledged Sierra Leone’s intervention, stating that his delegation concurs with its conclusions and “could support its approach”. France’s representative, associating with Sierra Leone’s statement, said that his delegation does not think “these matters should be rejected by procedural questions”.

Algeria’s representative, meanwhile, stressed that his delegation has consistently demonstrated a “steadfast commitment” to upholding the Council’s rules of procedure.  “Even when it pertains to outcomes that we ourselves presented,” he added, recalling his delegation’s choice to indefinitely postpone the adoption of a presidential statement on cooperation between the UN and the League of Arab States.

“We chose that option rather than undermine the sacrosanct procedures of this Council,” he said.  The silence procedure on the report’s introduction concluded successfully on 10 February, he recalled — “signalling final approval in line with established practice and procedures”.  China’s representative concurred:  “We should respect procedural rules and established practices.”

Draft Report Unanimously Adopted 

The Council then unanimously adopted the draft report, and such decision will be reflected in a note by the President of the Security Council (to be issued as document S/2025/336).