A/78/PV.94 General Assembly

I now give the floor to the representative of Angola.

I thank the President for convening today’s meeting. My delegation considers this year’s report of the Security Council (A/78/2) to be an essential part of the relationship between the General Assembly and the Security Council. Let me extend my gratitude to Mozambique for facilitating the adoption of the Security Council’s report in May (see S/PV.9627), to the Republic of Korea, President of the Council for the month of June, for introducing the report in the General Assembly (see A/78/PV.93), and to the United Kingdom for coordinating efforts aimed at preparing it. Angola commends the Security Council for submitting its annual report to the General Assembly in accordance with paragraph 24 of the United Nations Charter. The report provides a factual overview of the work of the Security Council during 2023. For the first time, this document includes a chapter on the use of veto, which is a welcome step towards increased transparency and accountability. We also welcome the inclusion of statistics in the report, namely, with regard to the participation of women, and relevant information on the number of occasions a veto was cast. We encourage the Security Council to continue providing a more complete, substantive and analytical account of its work to the General Assembly. The world is becoming increasingly complex, and it is changing very rapidly. Still, the Security Council is required to fulfil its primary responsibility of maintaining international peace and security. We appreciate the fact that the number of decisions adopted unanimously increased from 66 to 70 per cent. However, we deplore the institutional paralysis and slow response of the Council in resolving pressing matters threatening peace and security, such as the conflicts in Gaza and in Ukraine, the much less publicized war in the Sudan and the persistent instability in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is a matter of serious concern that today the Security Council finds itself at an impasse, with members often unable to make decisions, and when they do make decisions, they are seldom implemented. This situation underscores the need to reform the Security Council, a key organ of the United Nations, where unfortunately Africa and South America continue not to have representation in the permanent category of membership. We reaffirm the Common African Position, as espoused in the Ezulwini Consensus and the Sirte Declaration, which reiterate the need for at least two permanent seats, and two more in addition to the existing three non-permanent seats, for African States. We see the New Agenda for Peace and the Pact for the Future as opportunities to further strengthen interactions and advance much-needed reform, in line with intergovernmental reform. The Republic of Angola welcomes the adoption in December 2023 of Security Council resolution 2719 (2023), which establishes a framework for providing predictable and sustainable financing of African Union peace support operations authorized by the Security Council, through United Nations assessed contributions. We call on Security Council members to speed up measures for the resolution’s full implementation. In the context of great international challenges, including in Africa, Angola remains committed to multilateralism as a way of reaching consensus to preserve international peace and security, promote sustainable development and defend human rights.

Costa Rica acknowledges the United Kingdom for drafting the introduction to this year’s annual report of the Security Council to the General Assembly (A/78/2) and thanks the representative of the Republic of Korea for introducing the report in the General Assembly this morning (see A/78/PV.93). We highlight the Security Council’s commitment to complying with the established schedule to circulate the report before the end of January and reach agreement on presenting it to the Assembly in February. We note an increase in unscheduled meetings in comparison to 2022. We also note that the report’s introduction includes references to issues and statistics related to the participation of women and civil society presenters. Nevertheless, the report continues to have serious problems. Let me point out three of them. First, the report has very little substantive content. It is, in fact, a mere compilation of resolutions adopted by the Council, letters from the President of the Council, dates and signatures, and a list of agenda items. It does not include the outcome of votes, disagreements or opinions. This is a problem that the Assembly points out to the Council every year. Still, Costa Rica appreciates the efforts made to improve transparency and accountability by convening, together with the President of the General Assembly, an informal consultation with the membership prior to the drafting process. The exercise this year resulted in the inclusion of a paragraph on procedural matters, which mentions eight draft resolutions not adopted due to an insufficient number of votes, five occasions in which the use of the veto prevented the adoption of a draft resolution, and one occasion in which the use of the veto prevented the adoption of a draft amendment. As a result, the Council submitted six special reports to the General Assembly in accordance with resolution 76/262. Costa Rica hopes that future iterations of the report will maintain this practice of responding positively to the thoughts and suggestions of the general membership. Costa Rica further calls for instituting regular consultations and feedback sessions with the Assembly membership during the drafting process to ensure that the report reflects a broader range of views and fosters greater inclusiveness. Indeed, in general, we urge the drafting of an annual report that is more reflective and forward-looking than just a compilation. Secondly, the annual report continues to focus on challenges to conventional security, which may make the Security Council’s work less relevant in the light of current and future threats. Recognizing the great work of the elected members in introducing new issues into the Council’s agenda, Costa Rica recommends broadening the scope of the Security Council to comprehensively address emerging challenges. Thirdly, the report continues to fail to adequately address the importance of international cooperation and assistance in the implementation of Security Council resolutions. This may lead to underestimating the value of collaboration between Member States and international organizations. Costa Rica therefore recommends including a section dedicated to international cooperation and assistance, which would highlight examples of successful collaboration and offer recommendations for improving these practices in future. Doing so will emphasize the importance of cooperation between the Security Council and regional organizations with a view to strengthening their joint efforts. Member States must be willing to take greater ownership of international peace and security concerns, including greater responsibility for failures in this area, which continue to damage the legitimacy and credibility of the Organization and multilateralism in general. It is essential that all Member States work together with determination to address current and future challenges. Only through genuine commitment and concrete action can we move towards a more secure and peaceful world.

We welcome the opportunity today to participate in the General Assembly debate on the annual report of the Security Council (A/78/2), and we thank the members of the Security Council and the Secretariat for producing it. India also joins others in congratulating the new incoming members on their election to the Council for the period 2025 — 2026 (see A/78/PV.86). We look forward to working with them in a constructive and positive manner. The United Nations Charter bestows the report we are discussing today with a profound seriousness. This is quite evident from the Charter provision that separately mandates such a report, rather than clubbing it with the provision for reports from other United Nations bodies. The annual report of the Security Council therefore serves to inform, highlight and analyse the measures that the Council has decided upon or taken to maintain international peace and security during the reporting period. Unfortunately, the debate on the annual report has become a ritual without much substance. Moreover, the annual reports have become compendiums of details of the meetings, briefers and outcome documents. Furthermore, the fact that only six monthly reports could be compiled during the reporting period reflects the utter lack of interest among the members in this ritual. The annual report in its truest form is also meant to be an analysis of the functioning of United Nations peacekeeping operations, the flagship tool for the maintenance of international peace and security. However, in reality, we find that there is little information in this year’s report on how peacekeeping operations are run, the problems they face, why certain mandates are set or changed, or when and why they are strengthened, scaled down or ended. As most peacekeepers are contributed by non-Council members, including by my country, which put the lives of their troops at risk to serve the cause of international peace, we strongly advocate a better sense of partnership to be developed between the Security Council and the troop- contributing countries. Every year, as a mere formality, the report is presented to the General Assembly in the second quarter. This needs to be rectified. There should be definite timelines for completing the report, circulating it to the wider General Assembly membership and holding this debate earlier, not towards the close of the session. Most of us who have voiced our opinions in this Hall today will be dissatisfied with the Council’s work and its report, but, under the terms of Article 12 of the Charter, the General Assembly can neither replicate the Council’s discussions nor compensate for its shortcomings. Many of the flaws in the functioning of the Council are therefore structural. Speaking today, in 2024, a year before the United Nations turns 80, it is therefore high time to bring the Council in line with its Charter responsibilities to act on behalf of the entire membership. That will not be achieved without enhancing the membership of the Council in both categories, permanent and non-permanent. We remain convinced that the only remedy to the problem is a comprehensive reform of the Security Council that involves expansion in both the permanent and non-permanent categories. Only then will the Council be able to effectively manage today’s conflicts around the globe as well as the increasingly complex and interconnected global challenges the world faces at present. Since performance assessment has become one of the focus areas at the United Nations as part of our discussions on global governance reforms, the Security Council also needs to demonstrate its credibility and improve its performance. We hope that the views and comments expressed by the Member States today are given serious consideration in this process. Lastly, earlier in the day (see A/78/PV.93), one delegation misused this forum to spread baseless and deceitful narratives, although that is not a surprise. I will not dignify those remarks with a response in order to save the valuable time of this body.

I deliver this statement on behalf of the delegation of Sultanate of Oman as part of the General Assembly’s discussion of agenda item 26, “Report of the Security Council”. This is an important topic for my country, given the crucial significance of the Security Council for the maintenance of international peace and security. I begin by thanking the current President of the Council for his statement with which he introduced the report on the work of the Council during the reporting period (A/78/2) (see A/78/PV.93). The Sultanate of Oman stresses its firm position on the need to be committed to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and international law in the context of the work of the Organization and its constituent bodies. It is important that disputes be settled through peaceful means and the non-use of force or threat of use of force, unless it is done in defence of the purposes and principles of the United Nations set forth in the Charter with the aim of strengthening international peace and security. My country also stresses the importance of the General Assembly. While we welcome the Council resolution in support of the package leading to a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip (Security Council resolution 2735 (2024)), we call on the Council to take all necessary measures, without selectivity or delay, to stop the ongoing aggression against the Palestinian people, including the implementation of Security Council resolutions. The Sultanate of Oman associates itself with other Member States that have called for a review of the working mechanism that the Council has used with great frequency lately, namely, the use of the veto, so that it is used in a responsible and consistent manner that does not contravene the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, particularly those in defence of international law and international humanitarian law, with a view to preserving its own legitimacy and credibility. The Sultanate of Oman regrets that the Security Council was unable to adopt draft resolution S/2024/312, which sought to grant the State of Palestine its legitimate right to full membership of the United Nations. That failure runs counter to international consensus on the legitimate right of the Palestinian people to self- determination. The Sultanate of Oman also calls for justice and peace to prevail throughout the world. That, of course, requires abandoning the double standards and narrow national political considerations that undermine the credibility of the Security Council and negatively affect international efforts to ensure security, stability and peace in the region and in the world. In conclusion, the Sultanate of Oman fully supports the United Nations and believes in the pivotal and crucial role of the Security Council in establishing security and stability at the regional and international level. As a strategic necessity, the Council must act in line with the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter in the interest of international peace and security. Such an approach requires adopting new ways of looking at the Middle East issues on the Council’s agenda. We also call on the Security Council to reconsider the State of Palestine’s application for full membership in the United Nations, as refusing to do so undermines security and peace in the Middle East region and the world and will negatively affect the Council’s own credibility.

Timor-Leste welcomes the timely report of the Security Council (A/78/2). We commend the United Kingdom for coordinating the drafting and the Republic of Korea for introducing it in the General Assembly (see A/78/PV.93). The report provides an overview of the Council’s activities during 2023, highlighting its priorities, actions and outcomes. The report showcases the Council’s efforts to address global peace and security challenges, including conflict prevention and resolution, counter-terrorism, non-proliferation, peacebuilding and peacekeeping, protection of civilians, and human rights and accountability. While we acknowledge the Security Council’s mandate, it is important to note the accountability issues that have arisen from the report, including transparency in decision-making processes, inclusiveness in representation and participation, and effectiveness in addressing global challenges. Many of these points have been made by previous speakers. We also note that the report provides the statistics on the participation of women, the engagement of regional organizations, peacebuilding and issues of reform of the Council, particularly with regard to the veto. We believe that to further strengthen the Council’s accountability and enhance the report’s impact on Member States, it is important to provide analytical elaboration beyond the mere presentation of statistics of the annual activities. The report also needs to highlight certain additional information, such as an emphasis on transparency in the Council’s decision-making processes, analysis of Council activities and recommendations for future actions, more inclusive representation and participation, particularly of youth and future generations, regular assessments and evaluations of the Council’s actions, and enhanced engagement with stakeholders, including civil society, post-conflict-affected States and communities. We believe that the Security Council can strengthen its mandate, improve its response to global challenges and foster a more peaceful and secure world by taking into account the previously voiced concerns and recommendations, analysing its processes and undertaking reform within. We also wish to underline the fact that the report continues to echo the same issues the world faced in the past, such as the conflicts in Palestine, Myanmar and Western Sahara, not to mention the decline in respect for the international rules-based order and the United Nations Charter, issues in which the Security Council appears to be essentially paralysed and incapable of resolving. With regard to small developing and post-conflict States, the report acknowledges their vulnerabilities and mentions efforts aimed at addressing their concerns, including climate change and its security implications, disaster risk reduction and sustainable development. We wish to note that, in its recommendations, the report could be more explicit in addressing the specific needs and priorities of small developing and post-conflict States, such as sea-level rise and ocean conservation, economic development and trade, capacity-building and technical assistance, good governance, food security, peace and security, and issues of economic development in general. This will encourage small developing and post-conflict countries or fragile States to engage more actively in incorporating the report’s recommendations into their development agendas and enhance their efforts aimed at meeting the objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals. To that end, we believe small developing and post-conflict States and other stakeholders should be given the opportunity to interact with the Security Council to emphasize their priorities and post-conflict challenges, identify stronger language in commitments made on their specific issues and needs, collaborate with other international organizations to amplify their voices, continue to build partnerships and coalitions to advance their interests, and utilize the report’s findings to inform their national and regional policies. In conclusion, Timor-Leste welcomes the report and hopes that its concerns as a State will be taken into account. If that is done, small developing and post- conflict States would have evidence that their concerns are heard and addressed, and that, together, we can work to achieve a more peaceful and sustainable future for all.

We welcome the report of the Security Council (A/78/2) and the debate on this agenda item (see also A/78/PV.93). Enhancing the relationship between the Security Council and the General Assembly is a topic of interest that we are also exploring this year in the process of the revitalization of the work of the General Assembly. It is becoming increasingly apparent that the United Nations membership expects a more coordinated and collaborative relationship between these two main bodies, especially in the field of international peace and security. This comes as a rational consequence of the fact that the General Assembly’s role and authority is being concretely applied on a daily basis and organically enhanced in an increasingly dynamic political context and in reaction to the way international peace and security are evolving. This increased cooperation should enable the complementarity between the Assembly and the Council, with a focus on the constructive ways they can support each other in carrying out the important functions enshrined in mandates that stem from the United Nations Charter. Maintaining the current mandates but using them more adeptly to achieve strengthened cooperation between these two United Nations organs will also improve the public image of the United Nations and increase the efficiency of our collective efforts aimed at effective global governance. We noticed that the number of meetings grew in 2023 compared to the previous year. However, that increase did not pave the way for a more consolidated approach to maintaining international peace and security. The report reflects a moment of juncture in the work of the Security Council, and perhaps this is the moment where reform is needed more than ever. The resurgence of the use of the veto is worrisome. It reflects a growing unwillingness in the Council to compromise and engage in meaningful dialogue. The veto power entails great responsibility and must always be exercised in deference to accountability and with due regard to the values and principles that underpin the United Nations system. My delegation is particularly concerned about the growing fragmentation of the Council’s support for United Nations sanctions regimes in contexts where they continue to serve essential goals. We are also concerned at the shrinking footprint of the United Nations peace and security pillar worldwide. The Council has shown some strengths that are worth mentioning. Romania believes that the Council fulfilled its mandate in support of international justice when it elected five new judges to the International Court of Justice (see S/PV. 9471). The Council has also put an emphasis on the role of the rule of law, which is in line with the idea of promoting the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter. Respect for the Charter and international law must prevail over narrower national or regional perspectives. Similarly, we are pleased to see the Council tackling emerging issues of great interest to the international community, such as sea-level rise and its implications for peace and security. Climate change and international security are increasingly interlinked, and Council members should overcome disputes and try to agree to a general approach on this topic, beyond regional perspectives. In conclusion, my delegation encourages the members of the Security Council to continue the practice of monthly assessments. In 2023, fewer than half of the members have undergone such assessments. Monthly reports help the entire United Nations membership keep a closer eye on developments in peace and security.

Mozambique wishes to align itself with the statement made by the representative of the Republic of Korea, the President of the Security Council for the month of June (see A/78/PV.93). In addition, we wish to make the following remarks in our national capacity. As an elected member of the Security Council, Mozambique values the relationship between the Council and the General Assembly. It is a relationship that is embedded and well-grounded in the Charter of the United Nations itself. More specifically, Article 24, paragraph 1 states, “In order to ensure prompt and effective action by the United Nations, its members confer on the Security Council primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, and agree that in carrying out its duties under this responsibility the Security Council acts on their behalf.” In our view, this is the cornerstone and the guiding principle of the relationship between the General Assembly and the Security Council. In prescribing this principle, the Charter has recognized that global peace and security require collaboration between the two main bodies of the United Nations, the General Assembly and the Security Council. Accordingly, the annual submission of the report of the Security Council is not just a procedural requirement, but a vital exercise in collective accountability that seeks to revitalize and strengthen the relationship between the two main bodies of the Organization. We are happy to note that this year’s report of the Security Council (A/78/2) was adopted in May under Mozambique’s presidency of the Council (see S/PV.9627). We believe its timely adoption and submission has facilitated today’s discussion in the General Assembly, thereby addressing the wider membership’s demands. The reporting period highlighted the search for balance between the Council’s unique responsibilities and the need to be inclusive and responsive to the scrutiny of the wider membership, on whose behalf the Council operates. Transparency ensures that non-Council members are informed of Council deliberations and allowed to express their views. Indeed, as mentioned in the report, of the 290 meetings held by the Council during the reporting period, only 19 were private. Mozambique commends the efforts of the 15 members of the Council to increase and strengthen interaction with non-members, those affected or not affected by issues under discussion in the organ. We welcome the Assembly’s mandate to debate issues whenever a veto is used in the Council (resolution 76/272), which promotes assessment and dialogue in various relevant sessions and meetings. Even though the veto is a legitimate mechanism under the Charter, we believe it must be exercised judiciously and with prudence, that is, in accordance with the purposes and principles of the United Nations as set out in Article 24, paragraph 2. As an African country in the Council, Mozambique is humbled by its modest contributions therein. Among other actions, under our presidency in March 2023, the Security Council resumed field missions after a pandemic-imposed hiatus. In March 2024, as coordinator of the elected 10 members of the Security Council, assisted by all members of the Council, Mozambique was entrusted with the task of facilitating the adoption of Security Council resolution 2728 (2024). We are also gratified by the role of the Council’s Ad Hoc Working Group on Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa, currently being chaired by Mozambique. The Ad Hoc Working Group is an important tool that contributes to strengthening the relationship between the Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council, which was further strengthened by the adoption of Security Council resolution 2719 (2023), of which Mozambique was one of the penholders, together with Gabon and Ghana. We are committed to continuing to labour for a more productive implementation of that important resolution. The joint annual consultative meetings and interactions between the Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council are a model of innovative implementation of Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter, on regional arrangements. We hope that the upcoming October meeting of these two bodies will bear further witness to this productive relationship. I would be remiss if I did not address the important and innovative role of the current A3+ countries, namely, Algeria, Guyana, Sierra Leone and my own country, Mozambique. The A3+ plays a crucial role in the Council’s work by channelling the voices of Africa, the Caribbean Community and the wider membership. Despite the absence of a permanent seat in the Council as a result of historical injustice, the African diaspora at large has a permanent voice in the Council through this arrangement. We wish to commend Council members’ commitment to transparency, inclusiveness and comprehensive reforms in the Council’s working methods. Despite a challenging environment and multiple hot spots, the Council’s members managed in 2023 to negotiate the renewal of mandates and sanctions regimes and pursue the Council’s vital work. This is to a large extent a function of the countless hours Council members spend addressing multiple crises on behalf of the membership, sometimes under public scrutiny and sometimes not. We are convinced that the Council remains a cornerstone of the Charter’s architecture of collective security. And while the Council is at the centre of the Organization’s efforts to maintain global peace and security, the Assembly has the responsibility and legitimacy to discuss and recommend actions to the Council. Mozambique wishes to pay sincere tribute to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, His Excellency Mr. António Guterres, for his outstanding devotion to the cause of international peace and security, the Charter, the Organization as a whole and the Council in particular. With a larger vision of the purposes and principles of the Charter and a deeper sense of leadership that lies at the root of the United Nations, we can strengthen the symbiotic relationship between the General Assembly and the Security Council, which is essential and critical to the success of the Organization.

First of all, we thank the President of the General Assembly for convening today’s meetings to address the report of the Security Council (A/78/2), in accordance with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations. We also thank His Excellency the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea for introducing the report in his capacity as President of the Security Council (see A/78/PV.93). As previous speakers have already mentioned, the members of the Security Council, in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, act on behalf of the entire membership, with a mandate to maintain international peace and security. This mandate is fundamental to ensuring a world in which stability and security prevail for all Member States. We appreciate the Council’s commitment to this task and recognize the challenges it faces in trying to balance diverse perspectives and needs on the international stage. Accordingly, we see the presentation of the Council’s report to the General Assembly as a positive step towards transparency and accountability. However, we would have liked for the Council to have delivered a more substantive and analytical report that addresses areas of divergence, convergence and how the organ’s role can be improved; indeed, the report should go beyond being a record of activities and important pronouncements made by Member States. A more detailed and critical report would provide a deeper understanding of the Council’s internal dynamics and allow Member States to provide more constructive feedback. This type of analysis is essential to truly assess the Council’s effectiveness and identify areas where work must be done to achieve the broadest and most enduring consensus among all Member States. We also stress the importance of monthly assessment reports from the presidency and briefings at the beginning of each Security Council presidency. These mechanisms are important for maintaining ongoing dialogue with the membership. They provide a clear vision of the priorities and approach that will be taken up during that month, which is essential to ensuring effective coordination and an adequate response to emerging challenges. On the other hand, we are concerned that in the most recent presidencies there has been a reduction in the capacity to reach consensus in adopting resolutions and, similarly, an increase in the use of the veto. This phenomenon reflects a lack of unity, which is essential for the effectiveness of the Council in fulfilling its mandate. Unity in the Council is vital to its credibility and for the trust the international community reposes in it. The diminution of consensus in the number of resolutions adopted and the increase in the use of the veto indicate a growing polarization that hinders effective and timely decision-making. This trend is concerning and should be urgently addressed to prevent the Council from becoming a platform for confrontation rather than a space for ensuring international peace and security. We regret that on fundamental issues the Council’s action has been limited. Only two resolutions on the question of Gaza in Palestine have been approved this year (Security Council resolutions 2728 (2024) and 2735 (2024)), and it has not been possible to ensure their implementation, which has undermined the credibility of the Council and its ability to act at critical times to protect civilian lives and maintain peace in the region. The genocide in Gaza is a clear example of how inaction and lack of consensus can lead to a significant deterioration in the safety and well-being of affected populations. The Council must find ways to overcome these barriers and act decisively to protect human rights and maintain international peace and security. In conclusion, we reiterate the need for a comprehensive and urgent reform of the Security Council, so that it can adequately respond to current and future challenges by being more representative and accountable in its work. Council reform must include greater geographic representation, including of those regions that are not present in the Council, greater involvement of elected members in decision-making and a review of working methods to increase transparency and accountability. Only through genuine and thorough reform can we ensure that the Council is able to fulfil its mandate in an increasingly complex and ever- changing world.

We have heard the last speaker in the debate on this item. May I take it that the General Assembly takes note of the report of the Security Council contained in document A/78/2? It was so decided (decision 78/554).

The Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 26.