Statement by Permanent Representative Vassily Nebenzia at a UNSC Open Debate on the Working Methods of the Security Council
Mr. President,
We are grateful to the Permanent Representative of Denmark, Christine Lassen, for her statement and for her leadership – along with Special Representative of Pakistan Asim Ahmad – of the Informal Working Group (IWG) of the Security Council on Documentation and Procedural Matters. We have closely listened to the briefing by Lorraine Sievers and Shamala Kandiah.
The Russian Federation has steadfastly supported the Security Council's annual discussion of its working methods in an open format. We are convinced that periodic reviews help determine ways to further fine-tune and streamline the Council's work.
Over the recent years, the Council has made significant progress in this regard – it is numerous practical proposals and initiatives voiced by Member States in the Council chamber that have laid the groundwork for compiling a compendium of Security Council’s working practices, known as “Note 507”. The significance thereof cannot be overstated – this document is being actively used by non-permanent members as a serious source of information, and it remains a major asset in the work of the Council. We trust that today's discussion will contribute to the activities of the IWG and that fresh ideas will enrich future discussions in this format. But of course, we should always keep in mind that the working methods themselves and any steps to modify them have always been and will remain the prerogative of the Council members.
Any reforms in this area should be thoroughly hashed out and geared towards genuinely, not just theoretically, enhancing efficiency. Such reforms should also take into account the specific nature of the body, the sensitive nature of the plethora of issues on its agenda, and the importance of ensuring their effective implementation.
We welcome the efforts of previous chairs of the IWG on Improving the Working Methods of the Security Council, which formed the basis for subsequent Presidential notes aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of the Council, including its subsidiary bodies. The joint efforts of Security Council members in 2024 resulted in the adoption of an updated Presidential Note 507. We call on the current chairs of the Working Group, namely Denmark and Pakistan, to focus, first and foremost, on the practical implementation of its provisions. We stand ready to provide all possible assistance in these painstaking efforts.
Mr. President,
It is regrettable that in recent years the Council has increasingly encountered the problem of its agenda being diluted as it is imbued with the issues that do not fall within its mandate, in particular human rights, climate change, and other issues. The sponsors of such initiatives invariably cloak themselves in noble intentions. But it is the UN itself that has also fallen victim to such a policy. The UN field presences are overloaded with secondary tasks that do not contribute to enhancing stability, while the options proposed by the host countries themselves are often disregarded. This only fuels social grievances vis-à-vis the UN, reducing its effectiveness and undermining its credibility. As a result, many host countries are increasingly seeking to get rid of such a presence.
What is also worth noting is the obstinate unwillingness of Western colleagues to review sanctions against countries where restrictive measures no longer reflect the current situation. The “sanctions truncheon” in North Korea, Sudan, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic is being used by certain states as a lever of choice to exert external political pressure, with all this being done under the emblem of the UN. Despite evident signs that the reasons for imposing sanctions are no longer relevant, our Western colleagues keep finding new “irrefutable” evidence and arguments to keep them in effect and unchanged.
We note with regret that the Council is hardly able to engage in constructive discussion and negotiation. The issue of penholdership remains pressing. There are only three delegations that continue to act as penholders on most issues. Despite the fact that they lost their status as colonial powers long ago, they still proceed from the premise of their “exceptionalism”, casting themselves as mentors vis-à-vis other states or even regions. At the same time what is being completely ignored is the opinions of the host country and regional players who often have a better grasp of the situation “on the ground,” and sometimes even the views of representatives of the UN Secretariat.
Another example of abuse of the status of penholder is seen in the methodology for reaching agreement on Security Council resolutions. This work is frequently carried out with artificial deadlines looming overhead, which do not allow for a comprehensive expert-level review of documents. As a result, documents that are clearly “raw” and do not take into account the key concerns of UNSC members give unclear instructions to the Secretariat and are often unrealistic in terms of goals and objectives.
Russia has consistently advocated for expanding the span of penholders, primarily by including non-permanent members of the Security Council. In this regard, we look forward to continuing the discussion on this matter within the IWG on Documentation. We pay particular attention to taking on board the views of African States.
We advocate striking a balance between open and closed Security Council meetings. We see that some Council members are blatantly abusing the open format of meetings in order to to put their propaganda on a show. At the same time, when it comes to matters sensitive for them, they prefer to discuss them behind closed doors.
We have also repeatedly pointed out the excessive documentation flow in the Council. Every year, the Security Council produces several hundred documents, with the added value of some, alas, being dubious. In turn, we consistently proceed from the assumption that the final “products” of the Security Council should be concise, clear, comprehensible, and, most importantly, action-oriented.
Next year, the Council will be faced with the very important task of selecting a candidate for the post of the next UN Secretary-General. As President of the Security Council in October, Russia promptly responded to the numerous calls from the international community and duly started work to prepare a joint letter from the Presidents of the Security Council and the UN General Assembly, acting strictly in line with existing practice. We trust that the document will be adopted shortly, formally launching this important process. We hope that the efforts of the Security Council members will facilitate the selection of the worthiest candidate for the future head of the Secretariat.
Thank you.
