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CHAPTER 1: Section 5 Changes

Compendium of Council's 16 currently operative presidential notes on its working methods 

25 August. 2023

The two presidential notes on Council working methods adopted in 2023 with Albania as Chair of the Informal

Working Group on documentation and procedure, the five presidential notes on working methods  adopted in

2021 with Saint Vincent and the Grenadines as Chair, and the eight 2019 notes adopted with Kuwait as Chair,

when added to the comprehensive 2017 note adopted with Japan as Chair, bring the total number of operative

paragraphs in the currently valid 16 presidential notes on working methods to a total of 174. Provided here is a

Compendium melding together, by topic, the contents of all 16 notes . . .

In 2021, under chairmanship of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Informal Working Group on documentation and procedure adopts five presidential notes
Updated on 1 April 2022

On 12 July 2021, the Security Council adopted four Notes by the President based on negotiations carried out in

the Informal Working Group on documentation and procedure (IWG) under the chairmanship of Saint Vincent

and the  Grenadines. On 21 December 2021, the Council adopted its fifth presidential note on working methods

of that year . . .   

German presidency sets out guidelines on modalities for in-person Council meetings in July (with floor plan)

14 July 2020

On 1 July 2020, the permanent representative of Germany, in his capacity as Council President, addressed a letter to all Council members confirming the Council’s intention “to undertake a gradual and phased shift towards in-person meetings of the Council at Headquarters . . ."

Council members reach agreement to livestream their Open VTCs during COVID-19

20 April 2020

On 17 April, the Council members reached agreement to webcast their Open VTCs in their entirety during COVID-19.  The first VTC to be fully livestreamed will be on “Protecting civilians from conflict-induced hunger” on 21 April . . .

Under Dominican Republic’s April presidency, Council expands its interim measures

2 April 2020

While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to keep the UN premises inaccessible, the Dominican Republic Council presidency for April attained the agreement of the other Council members  to bring more of their deliberations into the public sphere through expanded interim measures . . .

Security Council agrees on interim measures for voting and meeting during COVID-19

29 March 2020

On 27 March 2020, the Security Council members agreed on “temporary, extraordinary and provisional measures” for enabling the Council to vote and meet electronically during restrictions on movement in New York due to the COVID-19 pandemic . . .

In 2019, under chairmanship of Kuwait, the Council’s Informal Working Group on documentation and procedure adopted a record number of presidential notes

30 January 2020

On 27 December 2019, the Security Council adopted a record number of Notes by the President based on two years of negotiations in the Informal Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions, under the chairmanship of Kuwait . . .

Compendium integrating the nine present Notes by the President on Council working methods

25 January 2020

With respect to the Council’s working methods, SCProcedure has prepared an unofficial compendium integrating, in a single document, all the new provisions introduced by notes S/2019/990 to 997 with the comprehensive presidential note S/2017/507 . . .

Importance of implementing Note 507 on working methods emphasized by ACT and Japan

31 December 2017

On 8 October 2017, the representative of Switzerland, on behalf of the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency Group, welcomed the adoption of presidential note S/2017/507, whereby the Council consolidated and expanded upon its working methods . . .

Council adopts its third comprehensive note on working methods (S/2017/507)

31 August 2017

On 30 August 2017, the Security Council adopted its third ever comprehensive Note by the President on its working methods (S/2017/507).  Comprised of 142 operative paragraphs . . .

Compendium of presidential notes adopted on working methods since 2010

Revised on 12 March 2017

Since 2010, fourteen Notes by the President on working methods have been adopted, as well as one presidential statement, aimed at enhancing the Council’s effectiveness and transparency . . .

Adoption of a presidential statement on the Council’s working methods

9 November 2015

On 30 October 2015, ten days after the Security Council held an open debate on its working methods, the Council adopted a seven-paragraph Statement by the President (PRST) on this subject . . .

Past presidential statements on working methods, and related agenda items

9 November 2015

According to the Council’s own tally of the documents it has adopted on its procedure and working methods, the presidential statement read out on 30 October 2015 is the sixth such presidential statement . . .

Adoption of new procedural Notes

7 January 2015

Argentina served as Chair of the Informal Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions in 2013 and 2014.  During that time, seven Notes by the President relating to the Council’s working methods were adopted . . .

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