Speakers Press Security Council to Broaden Penholding, Boost Transparency, Address Veto Use, at Open Debate on Working Methods
The Security Council must address issues hampering its working methods and credibility, including broadening penholder access, enhancing transparency, unblocking delays in filling and operationalizing subsidiary bodies, and restraining use of the veto, speakers urged the 15-member organ today as it undertook its annual open debate on the subject.
The debate is "the one day of the year" when Council members and the wider UN membership meet to discuss how the Council works to carry out this primary responsibility to maintain international peace and security, emphasized Loraine Sievers, Director, Security Council Procedure, and co-author of The Procedure of the UN Security Council.
In addition to issues cited above, the Council should further address the balance between public and private meetings; enhancing relations with the wider UN membership, especially troop- and police-contributing countries; and the 2026 appointment process for the next Secretary-General.
The organ and the UN itself can gain or lose credibility "depending on how orderly and professionally" its meetings are conducted, she observed. On participation of non-Council Member States, she highlighted instances where a non-Member was not invited when it should have been — and conversely, complaints that a non-member was invited to participate, despite objections raised by a Council member, or even a non-member. "Such disputes over participation risk creating ill will on both sides," she cautioned. Rule 37 of the Council’s Provisional Rules of Procedure gives as one criterion for participation that the Council consider the interests of a non-member to be "specially affected".
She also cited the showing of visual materials, which, for many, detracts from the focus and decorum of a meeting. Visuals displayed in the Chamber, she stressed, should be of "evidentiary calibre" — "to substantiate a factual point, not to create drama or merely stir emotions". Further, the introduction of time limits for remarks has helped make discussions more targeted and concise. The downside, however, has been that, to fit within the limits, many speakers are racing through statements, creating an impression that genuine dialogue is not taking place, while also challenging the principle of UN multilingualism, she said, underlining that UN interpreters must be given the time necessary to accurately reflect all nuances.
Concerns over Delayed Appointments, Unclear Procedures
Shamala Kandiah Thompson, Executive Director of the Security Council Report, recalled that appointments of the 2025 subsidiary body Chairs and Vice-Chairs were delayed until 29 May, leading to a serious disruption in their work. Noting permanent members often have strong views about the suitability of particular members to chair certain committees, she suggested improving the process by providing the incoming five members with an early understanding of the respective roles of the Informal Working Group Chair and the P5 Coordinator.
Options for allowing subsidiary bodies to function when there is no agreement by 31 December include allowing bodies that are not contentious to continue their work and Chairs continuing into a second year would not be affected. In addition, penholders for country-specific issues, which are mostly permanent members, might chair the subsidiary bodies of those files until an agreement is reached.
On informal meeting formats, she recalled that, "in 1982, Arria-formula meetings were born because a Bosnian Croat priest had a story to tell about the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and there was no appropriate format for a confidential briefing by a civil society briefer". Also, in 2008, the informal interactive dialogue format was created because the Council needed a way to speak with the African Union and the League of Arab States about the International Criminal Court arrest warrant against Sudan President Omar al-Bashir. "Today, there is a need for the Council to build trust and better relations away from the public eye," she stated.
Turning to selecting the next Secretary-General, she noted some of the details of the process in the Security Council are not that well-known, particularly the conduct of straw polls. An understanding of the conduct of the straw polls, including when and how to hold them, is particularly important for a presidency in the year a new Secretary-General is selected and appointed, she stated.
Elected Members Call for Greater Penholding Role, Reform of Working Methods
As the floor opened for debate, Member States addressed a broad range of issues, with Pakistan’s representative, speaking on behalf of the 10 elected Council members, noted they "are committed to a Council that demonstrates both the determination and the capability to take decisive action, fulfils its mandate effectively and is more transparent, inclusive, responsive and representative". Describing Note 507 as a "living document" requiring continuous review, he advocated for updating and streamlining working methods "that no longer align with the current realities". "There is a broad recognition for more meaningful and effective cooperation of elected members in penholding," he said, adding that a more inclusive and representative approach would enhance the Council’s credibility.
Other speakers, including the representative of Costa Rica, lamented the concentration of penholding in the hands of only a few, with Germany’s delegate underscoring that countries from the conflict region, or those who have actively contributed to solving conflicts, should act as co-penholders more frequently. The diversity of the 10 elected, non-permanent Council members is an asset that, if fully harnessed, can greatly enhance the organ’s performance. "When united, the E10 are powerful," he stressed, noting that they were recently able to find solutions when the humanitarian situation in the Middle East gridlocked the five permanent members.
Calls for Transparency, Accountability while Safeguarding Confidentiality
The representative of Switzerland, speaking on behalf of the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency Group, expressed profound concern regarding the unprecedented delay in appointing chairs for the subsidiary bodies for 2025. "These shortcomings affect not only the Council’s efficiency, but also its credibility and its ability to respond swiftly to threats to international peace and security," she observed. She recommended that discussions not only be centred on who leads them but also on how they operate.
Highlighting the "impact of the delay in agreeing subsidiary body Chairs", the United Kingdom’s delegate stressed the importance of reaching a 2026 package that allows new Chairs "sufficient time to prepare". She reaffirmed London’s commitment to the "full implementation of Note 507", praising last year’s update under Japan for strengthening "transparency and accountability" while safeguarding the "important principle of confidentiality", including access to historic documents. The representative of the Philippines said the Council may consider establishing clear timelines for the selection of Chairs and Vice-Chairs of subsidiary bodies. He expressed support for maintaining an updated list of penholders and the early circulation of draft texts to all Council members.
Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik, State Secretary for the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Norway, also speaking for Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Sweden, urged the Council to increase transparency in its deliberations on selecting the next Secretary-General. "White smoke, so to speak, is not enough," he said, stressing that the process is about credibility. Candidates should hear results directly from the Council, as should all Member States, with attention to geography and gender. The delegate of the United States said she looked ahead to choosing a Secretary-General who shares the vision of returning the UN to its founding purpose of maintaining international peace and security. She called for a process that is merit based and welcomed the broadest possible pool of candidates representing all regional groups. Denmark’s delegate, also speaking for Pakistan, the Co-Chairs of the Informal Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions, said the selection process is fundamentally a matter of working methods, which are a political tool rather than a technical detail.
Council ‘Must Refrain from Politicizing Procedural Matters’
The representative of France said her delegation is pushing ambitious reform, including expanding both categories of Council membership with particular attention to Africa. She also highlighted the France-Mexico initiative launched in 2015 that calls for the voluntary and collective suspension of the veto in cases of mass atrocities. The proposal now has support from 107 States, but needs further backing from permanent members.
The representative of the Russian Federation stressed the importance of balancing open and closed meetings, warning that some members abuse open formats to promote propaganda. Indonesia’s delegate added that the Council must avoid politicizing procedural matters, noting that failure to resolve such issues raises doubts about the Council’s ability to fulfil its mandate and respond effectively to crises.
Other Member States, including Kazakhstan, addressed improving transparency, with the United Arab Emirates’ delegate highlighting a practical proposal: when relevant, there should be a live list of co-sponsors for Security Council resolutions. Thailand’s delegate called for the Council to consult affected countries, regions and relevant regional organizations, especially when important draft resolutions are under consideration. He also urged enhanced consultations with troop- and police-contributing countries, particularly regarding the renewal or modification of mandates.
While welcoming the fact that fewer vetoes have been case so far in 2025 than in 2024, Liechtenstein’s delegate emphasized that this has still not meant the Council could act. "To cite one relevant example, [it] has been unable to even table a text in response to apparent atrocities unfolding in Darfur — 20 years after we said ‘never again’." He noted that the Council also "watered down" its recent calls on the Assembly to hold the Russian Federation — a party to the very dispute the Council was considering — accountable for its aggression in Ukraine due to Moscow’s vetoes of amendments put forward by European Member States. China’s delegate stressed that the veto is a safety valve to be used wisely — emphasizing that the country that has repeatedly used its veto power to block Council action on Gaza must exercise this power prudently.
Complete Live Blog coverage of today's meeting can be found here .