Mr. President,
As it has relevance to working methods, allow me to briefly illustrate the agreement reached on June 28th with the Netherlands to split the 2017/2018 term in the Security Council with Italy serving the first year and the Kingdom of the Netherlands to serve in 2018, pending by-elections. I am happy to mention this issue also on behalf of the Netherlands. We are currently defining our cooperation around shared goals and values in the firm belief that this agreement sends a positive political message of cooperation to tackle common challenges and to contribute to improving the work of the Council. In this regard, Italy and the Netherlands will be moved by guiding principles such as safeguarding the effectiveness of the Council and of the action of its elected members; ensuring as much continuity as possible; avoiding duplication; using every opportunity before January to prepare our term, in the spirit of this joint paragraph.
In addition, allow me to make specific remarks on working methods.
My first remark is on the link between transparency, openness and inclusiveness of the Council and its own effectiveness. The former are not an end in itself, rather a means to achieve more of the latter. Having served in New York in the 90s, I can personally testify that much has already been achieved in terms of greater transparency and openness of this body. Further specific improvements can be sought such as:
• more frequent informal wrap up sessions (Toledo style) which allow greater interaction with the membership on the work of the month. The attendance and interaction achieved in these meetings are a sign of their popularity and usefulness to non-Council members;
• commitment to making more effective use of open meetings, such as informal interactive dialogues and Arria formulas, and to continue to increase focus and interactivity of open debates, involving as appropriate non-governmental actors, especially from the civil society;
• increasing coordination, cooperation and interaction with the other principal organs, in particular with the General Assembly, Ecosoc and the PBC;
• expanding, as appropriate, interaction with TCCs and PCCs also during the course of the mandate of a mission;
• expanding consultation and cooperation with regional and sub regional organizations, including by inviting relevant organizations to participate in the Council’s private and public meetings as appropriate.
My second remark is on the preventive action of the Council. I will not reiterate the arguments on why this Organization should step up efforts in preventive diplomacy but rather point to a specific tool at the disposal of this body under Chapter XI of note S/2010/507: Council missions. We take note positively of their increased number and underline their value – and of the missions by the peace building country configurations – for understanding and assessing particular situations on the agenda of the Council.
We believe these missions are a significant preventive tool at our collective disposal.
My third remark refers to Chapter XIII of the abovementioned note: newly elected members. Italy welcomes that the Council is taking full advantage of the elections being moved forward to June by also adequately moving forward the invitation to newly elected members to attend meetings of the Council. Knowing well in advance which subsidiary bodies the newly elected members will chair is also crucial. In this regard, Italy welcomes the Council’s commitment to agree provisionally on the appointment of Chairs of the subsidiary organs no later than October 1st.
In light of the arrangement to split the mandate with the Netherlands, the adoption of the note by the President S/2016/619 will facilitate being effective on the Council from day one.
I thank you, Mr. President, and we look forward to an updated and improved note on the Council’s working methods as a useful guide for our future action in this body.
