Statement by H.E. Anna Jóhannsdóttir
Permanent Representative of Iceland to the United Nations
IGN Plenary Cluster Debate
on Working Methods
27 February 2024

Excellencies, Co-Chairs,

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Nordic countries, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and my own country Iceland

Co-Chairs,
In the Pact for the Future, adopted by General Assembly last September, …it was agreed to strengthen the framework of the intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council reform as a matter of priority and without delay.
Not only does the Pact for the Future deliver a clear statement on the need to reform the Security Council …it also notes specific objectives to that end when discussing the importance of working methods – noting in action 39(f) that; …

“…the working methods should ensure the inclusive, transparent, efficient, effective, democratic and accountable functioning of an enlarged Council”.

This provides us with specific agreed language and guidance, and it should be the basis of any discussions on Working Methods, going forward. It should be our aim to consolidate and build on this language – as we are entrusted to ensure that an enlarged Security Council is able to deliver on its mandate and become fit for purpose.

Before diving further into the topic, we wish to underline the distinction between working methods reform required to accommodate an expanded Council, and those working methods issues, we are already encountering with the Council in its current configuration. While both issues should be addressed as a matter of urgency, the latter should not await a comprehensive reform of the Council through the IGN process.

Co-Chairs,
With reference to the Working Methods, the Security Council is expected to;:

…firstly, make decisions that will ensure prompt and effective action to maintain international peace and security; …

and secondly, gain the support of the wider United Nations membership for such Security Council decisions to be carried out.

Enhancing the transparency, efficiency and inclusiveness of the working methods of the Security Council in order to meet these expectations is crucial to the effective functioning of the Council.

In this regards the Nordic countries note that:

Strengthened accountability, efficiency and inclusiveness starts with transparency. Transparency may be reinforced through increased dialogue with and involvement of non-Council members and bodies, in particular affected Member States, and civil society. Moreover, transparency may also be strengthened with added emphasis on increasing recourses to open meetings and agreeing on a wider array of press elements.

At the same time, the Nordic countries recognize that private discussions are paramount to frank diplomatic talks and the building of trust and cooperation among different members of the Security Council. But such discussions must be coupled with, as just mentioned, once common elements of transparency like the routine issue of press elements from closed consultations.

The Nordics note that the Pact for the Future calls for the working methods to ensure democratic functions – a core issue at the heart of Security Council reform. In this context, the Nordics reiterate our support for a balanced expansion of the Security Council to ensure increased representation. We further support consideration on how to ensure the consistent application of article 27(3) of the Charter.

We also call on the IGN process and the Council to ensure that working methods in a future Council are guided by the fundamental principles of democracy and that democratic values are generally strengthened. We must ensure that the working methods are updated so that an expansion of the Council does not negatively impact the full participation of all Security Council members in its work, in particular the elected members. We note that – depending on the ultimate size of an enlarged Council there may be need to revise the existing rotation rule of the Council Presidency, in order to ensure that all elected members have the opportunity to hold the Presidency at least once during their tenure.

Also, further work is needed in order to strengthen the role of elected members. In particular so that the elected members play a full role in all aspects of the Council´s work and can better fulfil their role as members of the council and representatives of the general membership of the United Nations. This can be further strengthened through a fairer burden sharing amongst the P5 and elected members. The informal penholder system should be adapted and pens shared across the Council, especially where there is expertise or where an elected member is chairing the relevant subsidiary body. – The perspectives of the relevant regions should be taken into account across the work of the Council. With African peace and security continuing to take up much of the Security Council´s agenda, it is clear that more African voices are needed, and African Member States should have a more profound influence over its work. We would like to see more opportunities for the African members of the Council for penholdership or co-penholdership.

Co-chairs
The general improvement of the working methods of the Council is an ongoing process and a collective endeavour.

The Nordic countries commend the progress made so far and we look forward to the next steps. Reform is urgent and cannot wait.

Finally, co-chairs,
The Nordic countries reiterate our support for all your persistent work efforts towards Security Council reform. We shall continuously strive to meet the commitments and momentum achieved with the Pact.

Thank you.