Delegates Urge More Transparent, Analytical Accounts beyond Meeting Records, as General Assembly Discusses Security Council’s Annual Report
Amid widespread concerns about a dysfunctional Council unable to discharge its responsibility to maintain peace, the General Assembly took up that body’s 2023 report today, and called for more transparent and analytical reports that go beyond meeting records.
That report (document A/78/2) was introduced by the representative of the Republic of Korea, President of the Security Council for June, who described today’s meeting as a demonstration of the Council’s accountability to the wider United Nations membership. The Council held 290 formal meetings — 271 public and 19 private, 124 closed consultations and six informal interactive dialogues last year, he said, adding that it adopted 50 resolutions and six presidential statements. Highlighting a 47 per cent increase in unscheduled meetings, he said the report includes information on six special reports submitted to the Assembly on use of the veto, which triggered Assembly plenary meetings.
Despite the “anodyne format” of the Security Council report, Dennis Francis (Trinidad and Tobago), President of the General Assembly, said, what emerges from its pages is “a vivid picture of a world fraught with tension and conflict”. He reminded delegates that “the millions of people mired in conflict, poverty and crises do not care about distinctions between the various bodies of the United Nations” — what they see is a single united Organization.
While 2023 was a deadly year for civilians from Gaza to Sudan, geopolitical tensions have stymied the Council’s ability to preserve peace, he noted, adding that five resolutions and one amendment were vetoed in 2023. The Assembly is the most representative organ of the United Nations, he stressed, as he called on delegates to view today’s debate as an opportunity to exercise their right to assess “how the Council acts on behalf of you, the Member States”.
Portugal’s representative, speaking for the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency Group, was the first of almost 30 speakers who called for a fuller and more analytical account of the Council’s work. The report must discuss times when the Council has been unable to act, he said. While the inclusion of the chapter on the veto is a significant achievement, it should also include explanations by permanent Council members who exercised the veto, and statistics on the number of times it has been exercised in the past, he added.
Yet again, the report falls short of expectations, the representative of Singapore said, noting that 180 of its 201 pages comprise a listing and description of resolutions, statements, meetings, and other correspondence — information already easily available online. In particular, he highlighted the incomplete monthly assessments, noting that almost half the Council members, including two permanent ones, did not submit these. Directing delegates to a footnote in his statement that details their names, he underscored: “The monthly assessments are not an optional exercise.”
The representative of the United Arab Emirates, a former non-permanent Council member, noted that monthly assessments, at times, require more time, in order to garner a consensus. She also noted that most instances of the use of veto were linked to the unbearable situation in Gaza. “We regret the fact that this issue was not raised in the introduction in the preface of the report,” she said.
However, Liechtenstein’s delegate pointed out that the monthly assessments of the Council presidencies do not require unanimity and are the most obvious way to have more analytical reflection of that body’s work. He also added that even “the most far-reaching, analytical and substantive report is no substitute for a functional Council.” The vetoes are “symptomatic of a body unable to carry out its work”, he said.
The call for Council reform was a persistent thread in today’s meeting, with Brazil’s delegate stressing that its “archaic structure is not representative of today’s political realities and needs”. The serious under-representation, and even lack of representation of developing countries and entire regions, including Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa, is a matter of concern, he said, reiterating commitment to a speedy Council reform.
South Africa’s delegate, noting that her continent continues to occupy an important place in the Council’s work, called for closer cooperation with the African Union and the commencement of genuine text-based negotiations on Council reform. Recalling that the Council failed to implement the International Court of Justice’s orders to Israel to end its military assault on Rafah, she said that the report should have included “an analysis on how such inaction undermines the credibility of the Council.”
The Council’s inability to intervene in Gaza was repeatedly invoked in today’s meeting. Colombia’s delegate added that even though the question of Palestine shook the international community in 2023 and caused the Council to meet several times, it was unable to act decisively. Five of the six vetoes of 2023 related to that issue, she said, cautioning that the Organization is perceived, especially by younger people, as being in “a state of structural paralysis”. At the same time, she pointed out, the Council has been actively supporting the peacebuilding process in her country.
Other representatives of States on the Council’s agenda expressed varying notes of frustration, with Myanmar’s delegate voicing disappointment at the “minimum level of attention and action by the Council” regarding the situation in his country. The military junta has killed 5,300 people and is abusing the fundamental rights of its people. Its atrocities amount to crimes against humanity, he said, urging the Council to act.
However, Syria’s delegate underscored the need to optimize time and resources by reducing the number of intensive and repetitive sessions. Some States are exploiting this to pressure other countries and “tarnish their reputation”, he said. Members of the Council must interact professionally with States being discussed on the agenda instead of marginalizing them, he said, calling for equitable geographical representation, including for Arab States.
At the beginning of the meeting, the President of the Assembly took note of a solemn appeal in connection with observance of the Olympic Truce (document A/78/917). In other business, the Assembly took note of the “Notification by the Secretary-General under Article 12, paragraph 2, of the Charter of the United Nations”, that presents a list of matters relative to the maintenance of international peace and security considered by the Security Council (document A/78/300).
Opening Remarks
DENNIS FRANCIS (Trinidad and Tobago), President of the General Assembly, noted that the Council acts on behalf of the Member States, of which the Assembly is the most representative organ. “I encourage you to view today’s debate as an exercise of that right — assessing how the Council acts on behalf of you, the Member States,” he said. Noting that the Council’s report includes views expressed by Member States during the informal consultation he convened in January with the United Kingdom’s delegation — the first of its kind — he said that was a response to “repeated calls for a more collaborative and transparent approach” to drafting the report’s introduction. Several of these views are longstanding and widely shared, including the need for a more analytical report that goes beyond merely listing the Council’s work, he said, expressing the hope that “this positive pattern of closer cooperation and collaboration between this Assembly and Council will continue in the future.”
“Despite the technical presentation and anodyne format of the Security Council report”, he said, what emerges from its pages is “a vivid picture of a world fraught with tension and conflict”. From the Gaza Strip to Sudan, he pointed out, 2023 was a deadly year for civilians trapped in conflict, but the Council’s ability to act to restore peace has been under severe strain. Geopolitical tensions are stymieing its work, he stressed, noting that five resolutions and one amendment were vetoed in 2023. Also acknowledging that the Council has taken several important decisions, such as authorizing the Multinational Security Support Mission to Haiti, he added: “The millions of people mired in conflict, poverty, and crises do not care about distinctions between the various bodies of the United Nations.” They see a single, united Organization responsible for addressing their concerns, and the United Nations owes it to them to take decisive collective action, he underscored.
Introduction of Report
The representative of the Republic of Korea, President of the Security Council for June, introduced the 15-member organ’s 2023 report (document A/78/2) on behalf of all Council members. The Council adopted the report on 16 May 2024. “More than a routine, mandated reporting requirement,” today’s meeting is “an opportunity to further strengthen the relationship” between the Assembly and the Council and “a tool for transparency and demonstrates the accountability of the Council to the wider UN membership”, he said. The UN Charter lays out the parameters of the relationship between the two bodies and their relationship has been built upon over the years. The report includes information on the submission to the Assembly of six special reports on Council members’ use of the veto, which triggered Assembly plenary meetings.
He said that as the main UN deliberative organ, the Assembly has the task of considering this annual Council report. The Council held 290 formal meetings — 271 public and 19 private ones — and 124 closed consultations in 2023. It also convened six informal interactive dialogues. Last year also saw a 47 per cent increase in unscheduled meetings from 85 in 2022 to 118. The Council adopted 50 resolutions and six presidential statements and issued 34 statements to the press. The Council resumed conducting field missions, with a visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in March. In October, the Council and the Peace and Security Council of the African Union held their seventeenth annual joint consultative meeting in Addis Ababa. Thematic and cross-cutting issues remained high on the agenda, including: women, peace and security; protection of civilians in armed conflict; peacebuilding; general issues relating to sanctions; and children and armed conflict, he added.
Statements
The representative of Portugal, speaking on behalf of the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency Group, welcomed the annual report’s timely adoption, the informal discussion of it in January in line with the Group’s prior recommendations, and the inclusion of statistics on the participation of women and on the number of vetoes cast. Encouraging the Council to provide a fuller and more analytical account of its work, he highlighted the importance of discussing times when the Council has been unable to act and welcomed further details on failed draft resolutions, such as a brief description of the texts’ purposes and main provisions, and an indication of the grounds for rejection. He acknowledged the reference to the submission of special reports in accordance with the Franco-Mexican veto initiative - Political Declaration on Suspension of Veto Powers in Cases of Mass Atrocity - and the information included on the resolution adoption in line with the Uniting for Peace resolution.
It is the first time a chapter on the veto has been included in the annual report. “This is a significant achievement, following successive calls in this regard,” he said, adding that the report should also include explanation by the permanent Council members who exercised the veto and statistics on the number of times it has been exercised in the past. Information could also be included on the implementation of Council resolutions and decisions, with an indication of the constraints and reasons behind any lack of implementation. “At a time where the number of vetoes has increased significantly, the General Assembly must be ready to fill the gap left by the use of the veto,” he said. “We need to strengthen the General Assembly’s own role in the maintenance of international peace and security, particularly when the Council cannot or does not act.” Encouraging timelier monthly assessments by Council presidencies, he suggested the annual report should highlight information regarding the Council’s closed consultations and discussions held under “any other business” to help the UN membership understand the full range of issues and situations the Council is engaged with.
The representative of Chile, aligning himself with the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency Group, added that Note 507 — by the President of the Security Council dated 30 August 2017 (document S/2017/507) — is a living document and needs constant review. Acknowledging that the Council achieved consensus on three topics related to its working methods, he noted that it also complied with the timeline for submitting the annual report. However, a more comprehensive and substantive report is essential, he said, adding that it should incorporate the rationale behind Council decisions and elements of self-critique. Calling for more women to be given the floor as civil society speakers, he noted that the use of veto by permanent members erodes the credibility of the multilateral system. The Franco-Mexican initiative now has 106 State signatories and the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency Group’s code of conduct regarding Security Council action against genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes has 130 signatories, he said, calling for more Member States to subscribe to both initiatives.
The representative of South Africa stressed that the Council acts on behalf of and is accountable to the broader UN membership. With this understanding, the General Assembly elects non-permanent members of the Council. The current report serves merely as a record of the Council’s activities. Her country joins others in requesting a more analytical report. Recalling that the International Court of Justice has ordered Israel to end its military assault on Rafah, provide access to investigators and immediately increase humanitarian aid, she said that “the Council failed to give effect” to the Court’s orders. “An analysis on how such inaction undermines the credibility of the Council would have been welcomed,” she said, calling for the commencement of genuine text-based negotiations on Council reform. Africa continues to occupy an important place in the Council’s work. Attention should continue to be paid to the crises on the continent, such as the dire situation in Sudan. The Council therefore should continue reinforcing its close cooperation with the African Union, she said.
The representative of Poland noted the report’s importance as a record of the Council’s work, encouraging more analytical content to reflect the organ’s activities in a more substantive manner. “The report should not only list actions and enumerate meetings but also highlight instances where the Council has been unable to act,” he said, welcoming the introduction of a chapter on the veto for the first time, a longstanding request from many Member States. The increase in vetoes, which often become the subject of public frustration, cast a shadow over the entire UN. “We must not fall into a trap of weakening our commitment to multilateralism with the UN at its core,” he said, arguing the Council must address topics beyond the traditional understanding of peace and security threats, such as cybersecurity; artificial intelligence; climate change; the women, peace, and security agenda; conflict-induced global food insecurity; and human rights.
The representative of Liechtenstein, aligning himself with the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency Group, pointed out that the monthly assessments of the Council presidencies do not require unanimity and are the most obvious way to have more analytical reflection of that body’s work. Noting the chapter on use of the veto, he expressed the hope that this is a recognition of the Council’s accountability to the wider membership. But even “the most “far-reaching, analytical and substantive report is no substitute for a functional Council,” he said, adding that while six vetoes were cast in all of 2023, six have already been cast this year. “This is symptomatic of a body unable to carry out its work,” he said, adding that the increasing dysfunction in the Council has highlighted the need for the Assembly to take on a more dynamic role. Underscoring the need to rebalance the division of labor, he noted that some peacekeeping missions are closing out before going through a realistic transition period, while others continue under threat of termination, and said the Council must work more closely with the Peacebuilding Commission and the Assembly to encourage more sustainable transitions.
The representative of Singapore commended the Council for an early adoption of the report and the informal discussion with the larger UN membership, initiated by the United Kingdom, the penholder. Expressing disappointment by the incomplete monthly assessments, he noted that for 2023 almost half the Council members did not submit their monthly assessments, including two permanent members. One permanent member has not submitted any monthly assessments of its presidencies since 2017. “The monthly assessments are not an optional exercise,” he said. “I will not mention the names of members who have not submitted their monthly assessment reports. But you can find that in a footnote in the formal text of my statement, which will be made available to all interested delegations.” On substance, the report again falls short of expectations. Despite the report being 201 pages long, 180 of these pages comprise a listing and description of resolutions, statements, meetings, and other correspondence — information already easily available online. Member States are interested in the Council’s assessment of its performance, areas of divergence and convergence, and how to improve its performance.
The representative of Malaysia welcomed the new addition of the “special reports on the use of the veto” to the annual report. “This is a positive step in response to the request by non-Council members for increased transparency in the work of the Council,” she said. However, there should be a critical assessment and incisive analysis of how and why certain decisions were made or blocked. Enhancing transparency regarding the Council’s deliberations and decision-making process would foster better understanding and enable accountability for permanent members who cast the veto. She pointed out that only half of the Council presidencies in 2023 submitted their monthly assessments, calling on all rotating Presidents to make their monthly assessments available to the broader UN membership promptly.
The representative of Syria, noting the repeated calls for improving the quality of Council reports with more information and less narration, said it is important to adopt permanent rules of procedures as opposed to the current provisional rules. The Council’s working methods must not be exploited in a selective way at the whims of some States, he said, calling for equitable geographical representation, in line with the needs of developing countries, including Arab States. All members of the Council must interact professionally with States being discussed on the agenda instead of marginalizing them, he said, adding: “They have to listen to their views and concerns and take them into account while drafting resolutions.” Underscoring the need to optimize time and resources by reducing the number of intensive and repetitive sessions, he said some States are exploiting this to pressure other countries and “tarnish their reputation”. He also called for periodical reviews of Council-imposed sanctions’ regimes.
The representative of Argentina noted that the year 2023 was marked by crises and conflict all over the world, requiring immediate action by the Council. “We note with concern, that in the majority of these instances, the Council was blocked by the use of the veto and did not fulfil its mandate of maintaining international peace and security,” he said, stressing the importance of holding the Council to account and welcoming the timely submission of the report which enables greater transparency. Encouraging greater analysis and details on resolutions that weren’t approved, reasons for their rejection and the use of the veto, he urged Council Members to provide information about deliberations during closed sessions. “The report should assess the performance of the Council in discharging its mandate,” he said, noting the adoption of resolution A/RES/76/262 which gives a permanent mandate for an Assembly debate whenever a veto is cast in the Council.
The representative of Brazil said his country “shares the frustration of other delegations at the paralysis in the face of those and other conflicts in different regions of the world”. The Council’s inability to reach a minimum consensus, especially among the permanent members, has made it impossible to fulfil its essential task assigned by the UN Charter. Nevertheless, the Council advanced in important dossiers, including the approval of resolution 2719 (2023) on financing African Union peace support operation. “The Council’s incapacity to act in certain situations is partially a consequence of an archaic structure that is not representative of today’s political realities and needs,” he said, citing “a serious under-representation, and even lack of representation” in the permanent category of developing countries and entire regions, including Latin America and the Caribbean and Africa. Reiterating his country’s commitment to a speedy Council reform in both categories, he said the Summit of the Future in September will be an invaluable opportunity to make meaningful progress in this direction.
The representative of Colombia commended the Council’s continued and unanimous support for her country’s peacebuilding efforts, adding: “we have responded with tireless commitment” to peace within and outside national borders. The question of Palestine has shaken the international community in 2023, she said, adding that though the Council met on many occasions, it was unable to act decisively, despite the extremely high cost in lives lost and impact on vulnerable people. Calling on that body to reconsider its procedures and working methods, she noted that use of the veto was implemented on six different occasions in 2023 — five of these related to the issue of the Middle East. The indiscriminate use of the veto ultimately will lead to global public opinion — especially that of new generations — seeing the Organization as being in “a state of structural paralysis”, she cautioned.
The representative of Indonesia said that annual report reaffirms the Council’s commitment to transparency and accountability. “In 2023, the Security Council navigated a complex, geopolitical landscape where trust issues and double standards became increasingly apparent,” she said, adding that the rising use of vetoes exposed its deepening internal divisions, undermining international law and preventing urgent action to save lives. “We witnessed how the Council was paralyzed in addressing the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza with resolutions being vetoed outnumbering by threefold those being adopted,” she said. Welcoming the addition of a dedicated chapter on the use of veto, she regretted its lack of substance. “The chapter merely lists the reports without providing the necessary insights,” she said, adding that a thorough review of the Council’s performance in effectively fulfilling its mandate is vital. She urged the addition of an in-depth analysis of trends within the Council’s operations and an assessment of the challenges to its working methods.
The representative of Austria expressed deep concern that six vetoes were cast in 2023 by permanent Council members with a special responsibility to maintain international peace and security. In this regard, he called on all Member States to support the code of conduct set by the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency group. “It is deplorable that the Security Council often cannot respond with the necessary clarity or not respond at all due to the politicization of debates and the misuse of the veto,” he said, reiterating a call for the full implementation of Article 27 (3) of the UN Charter. He stressed the importance of close cooperation between the Council and the Assembly, asserting that monthly wrap-in and wrap-up sessions can strengthen their relationship and increase the transparency of the Council’s work. As a candidate for the 2027-2028 Council term, his country is committed to accountability, coherence and transparency and direct and open engagement with all Member States, he said.
The representative of Germany, stressing the need for more transparency and accountability, noted that the Council remains deeply divided. The ongoing war on Ukraine has shown the limitations on the Council’s ability to act, he said, noting the use of the veto by the aggressor country. The Council must find ways to address deadlocks and prevent the erosion of the international architecture for peace and security, he said, adding that future reports should provide more analytical insights into decisions and challenges. Highlighting the importance of “integrating infographics and tables which make the report more accessible”, he said the Assembly must play a proactive role in contributing to the Council's work and ensuring that it considers the interests of all Member States.
The representative of Norway, aligning himself with the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency Group, questioned whether the Council fulfilled its mandate in 2023, noting repeated failures to address major crises in Myanmar, Ukraine, Sudan, and Gaza with the repeated use of the veto challenging the Council’s effectiveness. “The report before us today does not reflect this dire situation,” he said. “We must again repeat our calls for the Council to submit a more complete, substantive, and analytical account of its work,” he said. Encouraging Council members to produce monthly assessments in a timelier manner, he highlighted the overdue inclusion of a chapter on special reports resulting from the use of the veto, an important indicator of the Council’s functioning. Norway initiated the work on such a chapter to initiate a broader, more analytical review. He also welcomed the inclusion of the Informal Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions in the annual report.
The representative of Cuba said that despite the many longstanding requests from the majority of Member States for more exhaustive and analytical work, the current report lacks assessments of the causes and implications of the Council’s decisions, citing an absence of analysis of resolution 2334 (2023) and other resolutions regarding Israel’s military offensive since October 2023. The Council continues failing to stop the genocide being committed against the Palestinian people by the occupying Power, with the complicity of the United States. He expressed regret that the Council continued working in closed formats while the number of public meetings increased in recent years, including open debates. “The informal meetings and closed meetings should be the exception, rather than the rule in the practice of the Council,” he said, demanding the transparency of these consultations. The Council also should stop broadening the scope of the definition of international peace and security and “cease usurping the functions of other organs of the United Nations”, he said.
The representative of Myanmar, noting the ongoing conflict and wars across the globe, said this includes the illegal military coup in his country. While expressing appreciation that the Council’s report briefly reflected that situation, he said “it is truly discouraging to recognize the level of inaction by the Security Council on Myanmar.” Regretting the “minimum level of attention and action by the Council”, he said the cost of that is “huge for the people of Myanmar” in death, displacement and suffering. Over 5,300 people have been brutally killed by the military junta while 3.1 million people have been displaced. Pointing also to food insecurity, poverty and forced recruitment, he said the junta is abusing the fundamental rights of the Myanmar people, committing atrocities that are amounting to crimes against humanity. Time is of the essence for the people of Myanmar who are bearing the brunt of the Council’s inaction, he said.
The representative of El Salvador said 2023 was marked by multiple crises and conflicts requiring immediate action by the Council which held 47 per cent more unscheduled sessions compared to the previous year. Welcoming the timely submission of the report, she stressed its use as an overview of the Council’s work, noting that a great deal still needs to be done to transform it from a summary to a substantive, analytical and more relevant account. Highlighting the inclusion of information on the six occasions when draft resolutions or amendments were not approved due to vetoes, she noted the concern and disappointment among Member States over the increasing use of the veto. El Salvador believes it is extremely relevant to prepare substantive accounts of the open debates of the Council. “The report should include these accounts and incorporate recommendations from Member States to the Security Council,” she said.
The representative of Mexico said the report should include information about the areas where there was disagreement. It should also provide an analysis of trends in Council dynamics rather than merely report some statistics. Future reports should include disaggregated data on the participation of women and civil society representatives at the Council’s sessions. “In 2023, the prevailing geopolitical context put the Council to the test in terms of its ability to face and deal with international crises,” she said. The Council adopted only 50 resolutions and six presidential statements. “This is actually the lowest” since 1994, she observed. The veto does not enhance unity and nor does it promote mutual understanding. “It is an act of power that constitutes a clear example of misuse of a working method,” she warned. The Council should also urgently hold robust debates on the future of UN peacekeeping before the swift withdrawal of some missions.
The representative of the United Arab Emirates, noting that her country participated in the drafting of the Council’s annual report during its tenure on that body, welcomed the informal consultations held with the Assembly President and Member States during the drafting of the preface to the report. “We hope that this will be an ongoing practice,” she said. Also welcoming the monthly assessments, she noted that this process, at times, requires more time, in order to garner a consensus. The preface to the report can be enriched through overviews, she said, hoping that analysis of information about the use of the veto will be broadened in future. Most instances of the use of veto were linked to the unbearable situation in Gaza, she noted, adding: “We regret the fact that this issue was not raised in the introduction in the preface of the report.” The preface should also include information about the implementation of Security Council resolutions, she said.
The representative of Ukraine noted Member States’ concern over the Council’s failure to use its powers and fulfil its mandate. “Recognition of the problem is a step in the right direction,” he said, recalling a root cause of these failures: the presence among the Council’s permanent members of a country carrying out an armed aggression against a sovereign peace-loving country. He highlighted the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrants for Sergei K. Shoigu, a former defence minister for the Russian Federation, and General Valery V. Gerasimov. “The sooner the Russian aggression and war crimes are ended, and justice is served, the faster the Security Council can restore its efficacy in fulfilling its primary responsibility for the maintenance for international peace and security,” he said, adding the report’s term — “conflict in Ukraine” — is not appropriate since it obscures that one of the parties is the aggressor and instigator of the conflict, as recognized by Assembly resolutions.
The representative of Pakistan said the Council’s work on counter-terrorism needs urgent reform. The listing and sanctions processes are cumbersome and politicized. The Council has also ignored terrorism by extremist and fascist organizations, including the Hindutva groups terrorizing Muslims, and State terrorism brutalizing people under occupation, as in the case of Palestine and Kashmir. The adoption of Council decisions should follow open discussions and allow inputs by the concerned States and parties. The selection and appointment of expert panels and Special Representatives of the Secretary-General should be made transparently with balanced representation from the North and South and various regions. The Council should set up a body to monitor and facilitate the implementation of its resolutions, including those in abeyance for considerable time, such as those on Palestine and Kashmir. Expanding the number of non-permanent members is vital to enhancing its representativeness and reducing the dominance of its permanent members. “Adding new permanent members will erode the principles of sovereign equality and equity and further paralyze the Council,” he insisted.
The representative of Angola commended the Council on its report’s new chapter on the use of the veto as well as statistics on the participation of women and relevant information on the number of vetoes cast, encouraging the organ to provide a more complete, substantive, and analytical account of its work to the Assembly. Highlighting its institutional paralysis, he noted the Council’s slow response to conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, the war in Sudan, and the persistent instability in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. “This situation underscores the need to reform the Security Council, a key organ of the United Nations, where unfortunately Africa is the only continent not represented in the Permanent Category of the membership,” he said. Welcoming the adoption of resolution 2719 (2023), establishing a framework for predictable and sustainable financing for African Union peace support operations, he called on Council members to speed up its full implementation.
The representative of Costa Rica said that the report is a mere compilation of resolutions adopted by the Council, letters from the President of the Council, dates and signatures, and a list of agenda items, lacking the results of the votes, disagreements, or opinions. “This is a problem,” he said, expressing hope that future editions will respond positively to the reflections and suggestions of the general membership. He called for instituting regular consultations and feedback sessions with the membership during the drafting process. The annual report continues to focus on conventional security challenges, which may make the work of the Security Council less relevant to current and future threats, and it still does not adequately address the importance of international cooperation and assistance in implementing Council resolutions. Costa Rica recommends including a section dedicated to international cooperation and assistance, he said.
The representative of India said this annual debate has become a ritual without substance. “Last year, only six monthly reports were compiled, reflecting lack of interest among the members,” he said. The report is short on analysis of the peacekeeping operations, with little information on how peacekeeping operations are run, the problems they face, why certain mandates are set or changed, or when and why they are strengthened, scaled down or ended. “As most peacekeepers are contributed by non-Council members, including by my country, who put the lives of our troops at risk to serve the cause of international peace, we strongly advocate for a better partnership to be developed between the Council and the troop-contributing countries,” he said. The only remedy to the Council’s flaws is a comprehensive reform involving expansion in its permanent and non-permanent categories.
The representative of Oman called on the Council to take the necessary measures to stop the ongoing aggression against the Palestinian people and review its working methods, notably the use of the veto, which must be used in a manner that does not contravene the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. He expressed regret that the Council failed to adopt a draft resolution on giving Palestine the chance to become a full UN member. This runs counter to international consensus regarding the self-determination of the Palestinian people. To that end, he called for a new approach to the Middle East and other relevant matters on the Council agenda. Refusing Palestine’s membership in the United Nations does not serve the Organization and damages its credibility.
The representative of Timor-Leste said that the report must highlight information on enhanced engagement with stakeholders, including civil society, post-conflict affected countries, and affected communities. The report could be more explicit in addressing small developing and post-conflict States’ specific needs and priorities in its recommendations, such as sea-level rise and ocean conservation, economic development and trade, capacity-building and technical assistance, good governance, food security, peace and security, and issues that concern economic development. This, he said, will encourage small developing and post-conflict or “fragile” States to engage more actively in incorporating the report’s recommendations into their development agendas and enhance their efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The representative of Romania said it is becoming increasingly noticeable that the UN membership expects a more coordinated and collaborative relationship between the Council and the Assembly, most notably when it comes to peace and security. “Maintaining the current mandates but using them more efficiently and achieving a strengthening cooperation between the two UN organs will also improve the UN’s public image and the efficiency of our collective efforts,” she said, adding that the increased number of meetings did not pave the way for a more consolidated approach to maintaining peace and security. “Perhaps this is the moment when reform is more needed than ever,” she said, stressing the worrying trend of the increased use of veto. Expressing concern over the growing fragmentation over the Council’s support for sanctions regimes, she said the Council fulfilled its mandate when it elected five new judges for the International Court of Justice.
The representative of Mozambique noted that this year’s report was adopted under his country’s presidency and that its timely adoption and submission facilitated discussion in the Assembly, thus addressing wider membership demands. The reporting period showed the search for balance between the Council’s unique responsibilities and the need to be responsive to the wider membership’s scrutiny, he said, noting that of the 290 meetings held by the Council during the reporting period, only 19 were private. Commending the efforts of the 15 members to increase interaction with non-members, he welcomed the codification of the Assembly’s mandate to debate when a veto is used in the Council.
“As an African country in the Council, Mozambique is proud of its contributions,” he said, stressing that under his country’s presidency, the Council resumed field missions after a pandemic-imposed hiatus. He also thanked the Ad-hoc Working Group on Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa for its role in strengthening the relationship between the Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council. “Despite a challenging environment with multiple hotspots, the Council members managed in 2023 to negotiate the renewal of mandates, sanctions regimes, and pursue its vital work,” he said.
The representative of Bolivia said that the increasing use of the veto in the Council and eroding consensus in terms of the number of resolutions adopted are “symptomatic of growing polarization”. Such division hinders the 15-member organ’s ability to make effective and timely decisions. Those trends should be urgently addressed to prevent it from becoming a platform for confrontation. It should rather be a space to guarantee international peace and security. He also expressed regret that the Council’s action has been limited on fundamental issues, such as Gaza. It has failed to ensure the implementation of “the only two resolutions” it adopted on the matter. “Genocide in Gaza is a clear example of how the inaction and lack of consensus can lead to the significant worsening of security and well-being of populations,” he said, urging the Council to find ways to overcome these barriers.