Chapter 1:   THE CONSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK

Section 5:   Further documentation of procedures

 

Compendium of presidential notes adopted on working methods since 2010

 

As noted in the book (page 13), beginning in 1993, through the work of its Informal Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions established that year, the Council has issued a series of Notes by the President which set out new procedures and working methods.  Since 2010, fourteen such Notes by the President have been adopted, as well as one presidential statement, aimed at enhancing the Council’s effectiveness and transparency.

 

The book points out, on page 12, that the Council’s Provisional Rules of Procedure are far less comprehensive than the Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly:  The Council’s procedure is covered by 61 Rules and one Appendix, whereas the Assembly’s procedure is covered by 163 Rules and nine Annexes.  

 

However, the book comments that “there is no counterpart in the General Assembly for the extensive Notes by the Council President containing guidelines on the Council’s working methods which, taken together, add well over a hundred paragraphs to the written record of the Council’s procedure and working methods.”  The presidential notes and related presidential statement adopted between 2010 and 2016 contain an impressive total of 173 paragraphs. 

 

In order to assist the reader in navigating these important documents, this website has prepared a compendium which organizes the provisions of the 15 documents into general categories of working methods, so as to provide a guide to the broad range of measures which they contain.