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India to Hold Debate on Improving UNSC Working Methods

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India, the third largest contributor of troops to UN Peacekeeping operations, has been pushing to become a permanent member of the Security Council. Indian UN Ambassador Puri is also taking advantage of India’s Presidency of the Council to promote wider reforms of the body by holding an open debate on its working methods. India calls for enhanced interaction between the Council’s 15 members and the Peacebuilding Commission, regional organizations, as well as the main contributors to peacekeeping operations. Above all, reformers are advocating for more transparent and inclusive decision-making methods, notably through extended debates that would be open to non-Council members.



By Yoshita Singh

November 26, 2012



India, under its current Presidency of the UN Security Council, is holding an open debate on the working methods of the Council, focusing on enhancing transparency and efficiency of the powerful UN body.

In a concept note circulated to members of the Council, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri said the debate would be an opportunity for the Council to identify positive trends and practices to increase efficiency and transparency of the 15-nation body.

The debate, scheduled for today, would focus on identifying "possible shortcomings and areas in need of further improvements.

"The working methods of the Security Council cannot be regarded as being of interest only to Council members. They concern the States Members of the United Nations as a whole, as demonstrated by the increasing number of participants and the substantive inputs of Member States at open debates organised by the Council in recent years on this issue," Puri said.

India has suggested that the debate focus on enhancing interaction and dialogue of the Security Council with regional and sub-regional organisations on issues of mutual interest and cooperation, improving the Council's interaction with troop and police contributing countries by ensuring a more substantive exchange of views and promoting a transparent and inclusive process of negotiation within the Council, including on the appointment of the chairs of the subsidiary bodies.

India has also mooted the idea of further enhancing the utility of open debates, with wider participation by non-Council members and improving the Council's interaction with the chairs of the Peacebuilding Commission.

The open debate can focus on "ensuring more informative annual reporting of the Security Council to the General Assembly by encouraging interactive consultations with the wider membership" and look at ways to further increase transparency, interaction and efficiency in the work of the Council's subsidiary organs, Puri said in the concept note.


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