Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,

Mr. Dennis Francis,

at the Informal Consultation on the Drafting of the Security Council Annual Report

[As Delivered]

16 January 2024

Ambassador James Kariuki – Deputy PR of the United Kingdom,

Distinguished Delegates,

 

Thank you for your attendance at today’s informal meeting – which is being convened in response to the Membership’s call for a more collaborative and analytical approach to the drafting of the Security Council’s annual report.

Our informal consultation this afternoon was prompted by recommendations received during the morning Gayap Dialogue, which I convened last November on “the role of the General Assembly in times of heightened crisis.”

To the Member States who raised these concerns – your important calls have been heeded, and immediately followed up by the Presidency.

I take this opportunity to extend my sincere appreciation to the United Kingdom – as the Council member responsible for drafting the introductory portion of the report – for their cooperation in facilitating today’s informal consultation, as they embark on the process.

 

Excellencies,

Security Council Members – both permanent and elected – bear a special responsibility in safeguarding international peace and security.

And, undoubtedly, the drafting of the report of the Security Council – as the UN Organ entrusted the primary responsibility for maintenance of international peace and security – lies within the purview of Council members.

But let us also be reminded that in conferring that responsibility on the Security Council, the Members of the United Nations agreed “that in carrying out its duties under this responsibility the Security Council acts on their behalf”.

Though distinct in their mandates, the General Assembly and the Security Council ultimately serve the same, single cause – the foremost tenet of our cherished UN Charter, “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.”

Thus, over the years, the clamour for more accountability and broader membership consultation is a resounding theme that echoes consistently across our engagements.

It is my hope that consultations such as this will mark a new beginning, as demonstration of much needed goodwill and commitment to genuine collaboration between the two principal organs – and that such a platform will be maintained in the preparation of future annual reports.

And I must reemphasise that today’s consultation not only respects the boundaries of our mandates – but also aligns entirely with the principles of cooperation, as outlined in the UN Charter.

 

Excellencies, dear colleagues,

The preceding years, and most recently, proved to be a testing time for the international community and the Security Council alike.

Challenges in fulfilling the duty to maintain international peace and security were starkly apparent – particularly in the ongoing aggression against Ukraine, and in the distressing escalation of violence and deteriorating humanitarian crises in the Middle East, as well as in the continued rise of conflicts in other parts of the world.

These substantial impediments to our organization’s work – which much outweigh our capacity to surmount them – underscore the urgent imperative for us to redouble our efforts in building a more peaceful and secure world, for all.

My monthly coordination meetings with the rotating Presidents of the Security Council, the recent briefing on Haiti, held jointly with both the Presidents of the Council and ECOSOC – and the several plenary sessions held under the veto initiative – are additional good examples of our concerted efforts at cooperation and coordination.

Today, we are not merely sustaining this cooperation – we are deepening it, and I eagerly look forward to the continued evolution of our partnership.

I urge members of the Council to maintain an open mind to the views emanating from today’s meeting – the reflections and views arising from the world’s most representative body, and critical that they find resonance in the annual report.

Looking ahead, I intend to convene a further General Assembly plenary debate – following the finalization of the Council’s report.

Without further ado, I now yield the floor to the United Kingdom – and, thereafter, we will hear input of Member States in this important consultation.

I thank you.