Alice Jacobs, UK Deputy Political Coordinator at the
United Nations, gave a statement at the Security Council Arria
formula meeting on penholding
The United Kingdom remains open to discussions on improving
penholding. We welcome these discussions being taken forward
shortly within the Informal Working Group on documentation and
other procedural matters.
Colleagues, the penholding convention we know today is still
relatively new. As mandated missions grew and files became
more complex, the current approach evolved to provide efficiency,
continuity and predictability.
This flexible and informal approach means that anyone can penhold
and there are different ways of doing it. Indeed we have
seen many valuable products initiated by elected members,
particularly during their presidencies – such as on peacekeeping,
WPS, climate security and protection of civilians.
We have also been open to co-penholding to enhance the process
and have done so recently with Germany on Sudan and Libya
sanctions and with Gabon on UNOCA.
The UK’s approach to penholding reflects a deep sense of
responsibility for the Council’s role of addressing conflict and
human suffering through proactive and practical action, and its
mandate to address threats to international peace and security.
We strive to balance differing views. To reach consensus the UK
has to go against our own national position. For example
the fourth 3 month extension of the UNSMIL mandate last month;
and the technical rollover of UNITAMS/Sudan mandate in June. The
last time a UK-drafted resolution did not reach nine positive
votes was in 1976.
Colleagues, the objective of improving working methods is surely
for improving better outcomes, including Council products.
What underpins penholding it is what underpins all Council
negotiations: the willingness of all of us to collaborate, listen
and bridge national positions for the greater good.
But there is another approach pursued by the Russian Federation.
Not engaging in negotiations, then tabling alternative texts for
a vote, without taking into account the views of most Council
members, is not consistent with this spirit of
collaboration. Such showdowns are not best practice.
We note that the Russian Federation has initiated texts
themselves, on Libya, WPS and on the High Representative for
Bosnia and Herzegovina. These were not successful because
they refused to take account of other views to reach consensus.
Colleagues, Note 507 - agreed recently in 2017 - sets out helpful
guidance for enhancing ‘the full participation of Council members
in the preparation of Council documents’.
The UK strives to take a professional, transparent,
consensus-based, collaborative approach to enable all
stakeholders time to articulate their views. Consulting the host
government and the region early is critical for us. For
example, the two technical rollovers of AMISOM in 2021 and 2022
ensured African partners and the African Union were ready to
engage on a substantive reconfiguration of the mission.
We welcome further suggestions for how the process can be
improved further and look forward to constructive discussions in
the IWG.
Finally colleagues, it needs no reminding that Russia has
convened this discussion today on working methods while their
invasion of Ukraine - now six months in - remains in
flagrant breach of the UN Charter – the very foundation that
underpins everything the Council does and how it functions.
