Working Methods Handbook

Message from the Permanent Representative of the State of Kuwait to the United Nations

Over the years, it has become evident that, while the Security Council is considered the master of its own procedure and has the latitude to determine its own practices under Article 30 of the Charter of the United Nations, the working methods of the Council are essential in ensuring that it is able to conduct its day-to-day business in an efficient, transparent, and effective manner, and thus, are not only of interest and importance to its Members, but also to the wider United Nations membership and the populations affected by its actions.

I had the pleasure of serving as Chair of the Informal Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions (IWG) during the State of Kuwait’s non-permanent membership on the Security Council in 2018 and 2019. During this term, the Council adopted eight Notes by the President that contained various provisions aimed at enhancing the Council's efficiency, including increasing transparency regarding informal meetings and activities of the Council, the selection process for Chairs of subsidiary bodies, Council visiting missions, and the timeline for approval of the annual report, as well as some additional proposals to improve the preparedness of incoming newly-elected members, all of which you will find reflected in this latest iteration of Note 507.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all members of the Security Council that we had the pleasure of working with, in addition to the Secretariat and Member States outside of the Council, for their cooperation and collaboration during our term. I would also like to commend the valuable efforts of our dear colleagues from Japan for their pioneering efforts in issuing this valuable handbook and their commitment to its periodical revision and reissuance over the years, in including the publication of the revised Note 507 prior to our membership in 2017, which served as an important platform to build on as we strived to ensure the commitment of all members of the Council to adhere to all its provisions.

Concrete and effective change in the Security Council’s working methods can only be attained through cooperation and a genuine desire from all its members, and we have witnessed several unique precedents and positive examples of what can be achieved when Council members unite and support one another in recent years. Thus, it is vital to stress that improving the Council’s working methods is a dynamic and ongoing process that does not end with the adoption of the aforementioned notes or this revised handbook. We look forward to seeing them evolve further as we continue our collective quest for a more transparent and efficient Security Council.

Mansour A. Al-Otaibi
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Permanent Representative of the State of Kuwait to the United Nations