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Mr. President,
Let me begin by congratulating you on assuming the Presidency of the Council.
My delegation also welcomes Kuwait's assumption of the Chair of the Informal Working Group of the Council on Documentation and other Procedural Questions.
Mr. President,
We all acknowledge that to respond to the increasingly complex and overlapping challenges to global peace and security, this Council must become more accountable, inclusive, transparent and effective - an imperative that demands continued improvement in its working methods.
Presidential Note S/2017/507 of August 2017 addresses the Council practice in a holistic manner. Our focus should remain on the effective and consistent implementation of the measures identified in this Note.
In this regard, I would like to highlight four key points:
First, enhanced engagement of the Council with the wider UN membership is critical. We all have a stake in the maintenance of international peace and security. The number and proportion of open meetings of the Council, must therefore be increased.
Similarly, meaningful participation of states with a legitimate stake in the Council's deliberations should be ensured throughout the decision-making process. This is especially true for troop and police contributing countries, Pakistan being among the consistent and leading ones.
While we are encouraged by a separate section in the revised Note on 'Consultations with troop and police contributing countries', it is essential that the Council's effective partnership with TCCs is extended beyond the mere operational aspects of a mandate, and include decision-making, policy formulation and mandate formation as well. Implementation of Note 630 of 2013 remains pertinent in this regard.
Together with the UK, my country led informal consultations by the Special Committee on Peacekeeping on triangular cooperation. Recommendations from these consultations will now be considered during the upcoming meeting of the Special Committee. We are confident that they will serve as a point of departure in our efforts to improve and strengthen existing triangular mechanisms.
Two, the Council should be more transparent and balanced in the working of its subsidiary organs. Elected members should have a more equitable representation on these organs. Additionally, they should also play a bigger role as 'penholders' on issues on the Council's agenda.
In the same vein, there is no justification to limiting the scope of the Ombudsman to only one Sanctions Committee. The mandate of the Ombudsperson for the 1267/1989 Committee should be expanded to other committees.
Three, we believe that the Council should rely more on the instrument of diplomacy and pacific settlement of disputes under Chapter VI of the UN Charter. Better utilization of regional and sub-regional organizations in accordance with Chapter VIII of the Charter would surely help.
Increasing reliance on Chapter VII can lead to impasse and at times a diminished focus on diplomacy, which is not desirable.
Before mandating actions under Chapter VII of the Charter, the Security Council should ensure that all recourse to peaceful means have been exhausted, and that it is a measure of last resort.
Four, nothing undermines the credibility of the Council more than 'selective' implementation of its resolutions. The Council should therefore periodically review implementation of its resolutions, especially on longstanding issues like the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. Failure to enforce its own resolutions undercuts not just the Council's standing in the world, but the UN's as well.
Mr. President,
During Pakistan's last term in the Council just a few years ago we re-introduced wrap-up sessions, which have now become a norm. Pakistan also made specific proposals on enhancing intra-Council communication and organized Arria Formula meetings. These steps were taken to augment openness and transparency in the Council's working.
We have not been alone in this endeavour. Over the years, elected members of the Council have led the charge in bringing improvements to its working methods.
There is in fact, an inextricable link between the nature of membership of the Council and the need felt to make the Council more open and transparent. This link is called 'Accountability'.
The best way to enhance the democratic and representative character of the Council is therefore to reinforce this norm of accountability, and not to support any actions that threaten to undermine or reverse these ideals.
I thank you.