SC Procedure
@SCProcedure
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Highlighting new developments in Security Council working methods since publication of 'Procedure of the UN Security Council' (see also linked website)
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Below is the full text of the 1974 ruling by GA President Bouteflika (Algeria) on South Africa's credentials ⬇️
The ruling was challenged & then upheld by 91 votes in favour, 22 against & 19 abstentions.
It’s time to unseat the Israeli govt from the UN General Assembly, as was done to South Africa 50 years ago. As I argue in this piece, Israel’s denial of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination provides a strong basis for this move /n
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Art.25:
"The Members of the United Nations agree to accept & carry out the decisions of the Security Council in accordance w/the present Charter."
1971 ICJ Namibia advisory opinion says that because of Art25, ChVII citation isn't necessary to make a res. binding.
2728 IS BINDING!
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Want to make sure everyone engaging on Security Council matters knows about this new book, a must-read !
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Some confusion during E10 stakeout, but Mozambique & Sierra Leone representatives, both having legal backgrounds, state correctly that res. 2728 is binding, discounting mistaken arguments to the contrary.
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Once again, the UK, presiding as Security Council President, avoids the customary statement, "I thank the representative of the Russian Federation for his statement", saying instead "I note the contribution from the representative of the Russian Federation."
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Since 2015, actually 195 flags are raised at
#UNHQ
, the 2 additional flags being those of the Holy See and Palestine.
For many, seeing these two flags raised each day is also inspiring.
In the morning, the flags of the UN’s 193 member states are raised. In the evening, the flags are lowered.
Always inspiring to watch.
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To help bring in the New Year, here again is the best ever "New Yorker magazine" cover, together with our warmest wishes to you all for a 2022 filled with many blessings, and the hope that our world will see steps toward greater peace.
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Here's the new 2023 Security Council as of 1 January!
Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique & Switzerland take up their seats amid expectancy of their making important contributions over next 2 years.
India, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico & Norway depart leaving behind a very strong legacy.
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GA vote on Ukraine resolution by UN regional group:
Africa: 28 for; 1 against; 17 abstaining; 8 not voting
Asia-Pacific: 37-2-13-2
East Europe: 19-2-1-1
GRULAC: 28-0-4-1
WEOG: 29-0-0-0
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We have begun to compile a list of books authored, solely or in part, by former permanent representatives who served on the UN Security Council.
Here are 19 titles to get the list started & we will welcome any additions you can provide...
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Our book's pages on ICJ Namibia opinion:
ICJ "explicitly rejected" view that obligation of Member States under Art.25 to carry out SC decisions applied only to enforcement measures adopted under Ch.VII.
ICJ: "It is not possible to find in the Charter any support for this view."
“The Procedure of the Security Council” is a weighty academic tome - seen as a key authority on the subject. They also have a Twitter and weigh in here: (NB-
@USUN
)
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In honor of
#UN75
we're happy to announce that our entire UN-related comic book collection is now online at bottom of our website
We'll be happy if you stop to read our serious articles along the way but will understand if you head straight for the comics!
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Ukraine representative claims Russian representative, speaking in Russian, "purposely manipulated" the formulation of new agenda item "Maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine".
He notes also that new item is stronger than most other SC items framed as "Situations in".
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Many of us think we know what's in the Charter, but few of us actually read it in its entirety from the Preamble to Chapter XIX.
To celebrate this 78th anniversary of the Charter's signing, today let's all read it straight through!
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Now available:
4th edition of Simma's "The Charter of the United Nations: A Commentary" ⬇️
Note to those who think Charter interpretation simply involves a commonsense reading of the words:
This edition is 3120 pages!
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Palestine joins the list of countries whose applications for UN membership were vetoed, in some cases more than once.
The USSR cast 49 of these vetoes, the US cast 7 and China 2 (1 by Republic of China; 1 by People's Republic).
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76 years ago today, the Security Council held its 1st ever meeting, at Church House, Westminster, London on 17 Jan. 1946.
Here are everyone's places at that 1st horseshoe table, with Acting SG Gladwyn Jebb sitting beside newly-elected
#UNSC
President Norman Makin of Australia.
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In honour of International Woman's Day we retweet our list of 24 female Permanent Representatives who have served on
#UNSC
Photos of all 24 are included in this thread
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While US appears to discount "Demands" as sufficient to create a binding SC decision, yet US accepts as fully binding SCR 1695 (2006) which "Demands that the DPRK suspend all activities related to its ballistic missile programme", and does so without citing Ch. VII.
@USUNSpox
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We have also begun to compile a list of books authored by former UN officials, some of which are very entertaining & illuminating.
Here are 26 titles to get the list started & we will welcome any additions you can provide...
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Many are searching for ways to impede a Russian veto in
#UNSC
.
Trust us, if such were possible, it would have happened long before now since veto use has always led to outrage.
BUT, options founder on the "preliminary question", which takes 10 pages (!) in our book to explain.
👇
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Again recalling that UN's own illustrious Ralph Bunche joined Martin Luther King in 1965 Selma march & even addressed marchers, telling them UN was with them! Ban Ki-moon spoke approvingly of this in 2008. And note UN flag in Selma photo.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres Instructs Staff to Avoid Protests Triggered by the Killing of George Floyd
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5 outgoing
#UNSC
members 🇮🇳🇮🇪🇰🇪🇲🇽🇳🇴issue a vitally important document:
A note recording Council working methods during Covid +recommendations.
Given complexity of those working methods this will be an invaluable resource for future Councils confronted with a similar dislocation.
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Continuing with our collection of vintage US comic books seeking to raise support for the UN, here Superman takes up the cause of universal human rights & on a page included in a 1963 issue of Blackhawk ('the Human Starfish') a nurse trained by WHO in Rangoon saves her village.
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There’s a misunderstanding that admitting Palestine as UN Member would accord it new status as a State.
2012 A/RES/67/19 already accorded to Palestine “non-member observer *State* status”
@UN
.
This isnt same as recognition which is a State acknowledging another entity as a State.
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We've been asked for a list of vetoes cast on the Palestinian question / Occupied Arab territories over the Security Council's history ⬇️
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The really bad news?
The ICJ Statute is the second half of that little booklet he shredded into tiny pieces.
Israel's UN Ambassador takes out a mini-shredder at the General Assembly podium to shred pages of a pocket-size UN Charter.
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We're stunned
@opiniojuris
published an article so poorly grounded in int'l law. On what basis can 1 MS take on UN membership of another MS State-Russia- that ICJ has correctly called the continuing State of the USSR? And to say this can be done as a procedural vote is ludicrous.
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Votes by UN regional group on GA resolution to suspend Russia's rights of membership in Human Rights Council.
6
#UNSC
members abstained (Brazil, Ghana, India, Kenya, Mexico, UAE)
3 voted against (China, Gabon, Russia)
6 voted in favor (Albania, France, Ireland, Norway, UK, US)
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We'd like to make a visual point about interpreting the UN Charter:
The Charter comprises 66 pages in a 4x5" book.
It's pictured here with some of the 1000s of pages of important commentary on it.
In other words, reading the Charter itself is only a 1st step for understanding it.
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2022 has been wrenching in so many parts of the world.
We wish the world a safer & happier 2023!
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Sad to see on the horizon the end of the terms of Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana & UAE. Each contributed much to the work of the Security Council during 2 very challenging years.
This is Council table in January 2024 with new members Algeria, Guyana, ROK, Sierra Leone & Slovenia⬇️
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This may be highest ever no. of cosponsors for a country- or region-specific draft res.
Highest ever no. of cosponsors for a draft res. was 134 for 2177 (2014) on Ebola. Other highs were 113 for S/2021/990 on Climate & Security (vetoed 13 Dec. 2021); 112 for 2565 (2021) on Covid.
97 countries at the UN co-sponsored this call for a ceasefire, 13 out of 15 Security Council members. Only US opposed.
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In case Twitter folds sometime soon, wanted to let you know the book is very close to publication.
Should be available on US Amazon, & then Amazons worldwide, toward month's end!
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Here's an initial list of Security Council penholders for 2024 ⬇️
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Responding to queries, here's a list of recent (2019-24) reporting to
#UNSC
under Art. 51.
These are the obvious cases. We're still reviewing some letters which suggest a State is relying on what they earlier claimed as an open-ended right to act in self-defence under Art. 51.
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When we joined Twitter in 2015 our expectations were low.
Since then we've happily discovered that the IR/UN community here is a wonderful source of info/analysis, solidarity over world disasters, professional opportunities, side-splitting humor & even friendship.
Thank you all!
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For the New Year, tweeting our favorite New Yorker cover (1957) together with our best wishes to everyone for a better 2021.
Our thanks to this wonderfully lively UN Twitter community for all its shared knowledge, insights & humor.
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Here's
#UNSC
presidency lineup for 2021:
Jan: Tunisia
Feb: UK
Mar: US
Apr: Viet Nam
May: China
June: Estonia
July: France
Aug: India
Sept: Ireland
Oct: Kenya
Nov. Mexico
Dec. Niger
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Here's the official version of resolution 2735 (2024) adopted today ⬇️
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This is what Jan. 2022
#UNSC
horseshoe table will look like with arrival of Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana & UAE and departure of Estonia, Niger, SVG, Tunisia & Viet Nam...
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After 11 June elections in GA, it's now confirmed that the 2022 Security Council will equal the all-time 2014 high of SIX female PRs!
And let's see when this record will be surpassed.
If
@AlMissionUN
&
@UAEMissionToUN
both join Security Council in 2022, with
@irishmissionun
@NorwayUN
@UKUN_NewYork
@USUN
this will again equal the all-time high of 6 female SC PRs.
The 6 in 2014 were Argentina, Jordan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Nigeria, US.
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23 United States Senators introduce bill "To limit funds to the UN & other organizations that provide any status, rights, or privileges beyond observer status to the Palestine Liberation Organization".
The U.S. should not lend credibility to an organization that actively promotes and rewards terrorism. The UN must not grant any additional rights or privileges to the Palestine Liberation Organization.
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Art.94:
1. Each [UN Member] undertakes to comply with the [ICJ] decision in any case to which it is a party.
2. If any party to a case fails to perform the obligations incumbent upon it under a judgment rendered by the Court, the other party may have recourse to the [
#UNSC
]...
"South Africa therefore requests the Security Council to give effect to the Court's judgments in the case of South Africa v. Israel."
Invokes article 94(2) of the UN Charter.
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What’s the latest in a year that
#UNSC
ever met?
31 Dec 2008 6:40 pm!
(on Middle East)
Some PRs wore New Year’s evening dress for parties afterwards.
Incoming members waited nervously on sidelines in case they would suddenly take their seats at table.
But meeting ended 8:45
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Now out:
SG's report on "Overall performance of UN peacekeeping operations" requested by Security Council's S/PRST/2022/6
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@SamRamani2
Our understanding is that there are two "original" documents, one being the one you cite & the other signed by Russia, Türkiye & the UN.
This enabled Russia & Ukraine to enter into a binding agreement, but not directly with each other.
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France announced it & Mexico are preparing draft resolution on humanitarian access for Ukraine.
This resembles how Syria penholding is handled on the Council, with humanitarian penholders separate from the political penholders.
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Today is INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL COORDINATORS DAY!!!
We're celebrating on 15 May because it's the birthday of David Gore-Booth who, unbeknownst to all, himself included, set the position in motion . . .
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'Presidential texts' - resolutions not only adopted unanimously but also co-sponsored by all 15 Council members - are relatively rare.
But despite SC being divided on other issues, this is 3rd for 2021. Other 2:
2573 on critical infrastructure
2565 on Covid humanitarian pause
The UN
#SecurityCouncil
adopted a Presidential Text on Accountability for Crimes Against Peacekeepers.
Ireland was proud to co-sponsor this resolution, which will work towards justice for crimes committed against the brave women and men who serve with UN Missions🇺🇳
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In honour of Int'l Women's Day, here are the 29 female PRs who have sat on the Security Council since its meetings began in 1946:
Jeanne Martin Cissé (Guinea) 1972-3
Gwendoline C. Konie (Zambia) 1979
Jeane Kirkpatrick (US) 1981-85
Absa Claude Diallo (Senegal) 1988-89
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Exchange of letters between SG &
#UNSC
confirms appointment of first ever female President of the Int'l Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals - Judge Graciela S. Gatti Santana (Uruguay) for a term from 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2024.
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How many Security Council members have paid their UN dues on time & in full?
THREE!
@IndiaUNNewYork
@irishmissionun
@NorwayUN
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A TABLE OF ALL VETOES🗝️ 1946-PRESENT🔑
Not as easy to list as one might think.
Votes on Preliminary Question, amendments & separate ¶s need to be taken into account & also private mtgs where vetoes were recorded w/o attribution.
Here's link:
Summary here👇
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CORRECTED
Are you ready for this statistic?
If Linda Thomas-Greenfield becomes next US Permanent Rep to UN, she'll be only the 23rd female PR to sit on Security Council in its entire history!
With Ireland, Norway, SVG & UK, her appt will bring total on next year's SC to FIVE.
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New favourite UN quote:
“The U.N. will not abolish sin, but it can make it more difficult for the sinners.”
Ivor Richard, UK PR 1974-79
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Time for our annual reposting of this wonderful 1957 New Yorker cover by Mario Micossi, together with our wishes to all for a brighter, more peaceful 2024 & hopes for an alleviation of the suffering of all those the UN was founded to protect.🕊️
Images on this cover show the way.
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Already promising to be a fun read.
Randomly opened to this Churchill quote:
"Diplomacy is the art of telling people 'to go to hell' in such a way that they ask for directions."
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Here are *82* co-sponsors - by UN regional group - of draft res. S/2022/155 on Ukraine vetoed 25 Feb.
Six of this year's SC members; 8 of next year's.
(this corrects earlier table)
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The GA resolution would give enhanced rights to Palestine, but it's not correct that it would substitute for full Art.4 UN membership.
The resolution makes no attempt to circumvent Charter by trying to give Palestine right to vote or be elected to organs like ECOSOC or
#UNSC
.
"What we're concerned about is the precedent it sets":
#US
envoy to
#UN
on the General Assembly vote on Friday re
#Palestine
's membership application
[Pal delegation may have 120-150 votes lined up in favor]
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New website article:
"With
@AlMissionUN
as Chair, IWG on documentation & procedure agrees a presidential note expanding codification of 'Penholding'”:
For those following contentious issue of SC penholding, there's much to decode in this landmark note.
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Four women were among 160 UN Charter signatories in 1945!
Bertha Lutz (Brazil)
Minerva Bernardino (Dominican Republic)
Wu Yi-fang (Republic of China )
Virginia Gildersleeve (US)
(courtesy of "HERstory")
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After many requests, we are making available ‘Yogi Bear Visits the U.N.’ Just be cautioned that it’s from 1961 & has inappropriate stereotypes, but parts of it are still fun! PLEASE DON’T CLICK THE PHOTO, BUT INSTEAD THIS ‘SCPROCEDURE' WEBSITE LINK:
#UN
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With question of recognizing the Taliban being much discussed, we've been asked to provide again the 1997 UN Legal Opinion on 'Practice of the UN in cases of challenged representation of a Member State' published in 1997 UN Juridical Yearbook p.465
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This could be incorporated into the Veto Initiative meetings:
Each time a P5 vetoes a Ch. VI or Art. 52(3) draft in a case where UN Members generally consider them to be a "party to a dispute", they could be asked to explain why they didn't abstain as required by Art. 27(3).
No one can be judge in their own case 👩⚖️
Norway, today and every day, calls for the full application of the
#UNCharter
including the limitations to the veto set in Article 27 (3). It was never intended that the veto would be used to enable unchecked violations of the UN Charter.
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In a first for the Security Council,
@swiss_un
highlights commitment to implementing women-peace-security agenda by publishing links to statements of 9 female civil society representatives who briefed SC during Swiss May presidency ⬇️
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Paraphrasing von Bismark, "Diplomacy is the art of the possible".
I'm grateful for the trust shown me in recent days thru requests for my evaluation of different scenarios to expel or limit Russia's UN participation.
But I have decided to take a pause. Explanation here.👇
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Significant:
Meeting on food insecurity in Gaza is 1st time since the Security Council began using "Protection of civilians in armed conflict" in 1999 that the agenda item has been used for a specific conflict situation.
Past proposals to use it for other conflicts were rebuffed.
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Our free website began in August 2014, so this is SCProcedure's 10th anniversary!!!
We are entirely self-funded, with all research, writing & posting done pro bono.
Thanks to all our readers for your support, often challenging questions & shared humour.
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Merry Christmas to all UN Twitter people!🎄
May your holiday season be full of light & blessings, warmth & fun.
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US vote against Brazil's draft Middle East resolution is its 87th veto.
This brings total of vetoes cast by all P5 to 302, which has led to the failure of 250 draft resolutions.
Here is Table listing all vetoes:
Below is Summary Table⬇️
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Often people writing about various UN matters quote from secondary sources because they don't know how to navigate UN documentation.
So we really encourage people to take advantage of these excellent tutorials!
The
#UNLibrary
provides learning tutorials on how to find
@UN
documents in our Digital Library.
There are several short instructional videos here 👇
#UNDL
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When plans for
#UNHQ
were drawn up in 1947 there were 57 Member States. Provision was made for expansion to 70.
UN surpassed this number in 1955 so $3m. expansion to fit in 126 members was completed in 1964.
Tribute to architects that today these same buildings accommodate 193!
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From Larry Johnson, Professorial Lecturer Vienna Diplomatic Academy & former UN ASG for Legal Affairs, a timely review in the context of Myanmar of how credentials are handled within the UN system.
It's lengthy but well worth reading.
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How many Security Council subsidiary bodies have been established since 1945?
Not counting peacekeeping missions, tribunals/courts or missions to the field, there have been 66!
Most recent is 2653 (2022) Haiti sanctions committee.
(SC had 1 prior Haiti sanctions committee 1993-4)
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We very much appreciate the compliment from Amb Nebenzia when he describes our book, with a smile, as 'the famous black thick book that we often refer to when we are looking for precedents'.
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Flag Induction Ceremony 3 January 12:00 for 5 incoming Security Council members
Ecuador🇪🇨
Japan🇯🇵
Malta🇲🇹
Mozambique🇲🇿
Switzerland🇨🇭
Ceremony was initiated by Kazakhstan in 2018. Here's background⬇️
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And here, 76 years ago. are the horseshoe table places at the very 1st Security Council meeting, held at Church House, Westminster, London on 17 Jan. 1946, with Acting SG Gladwyn Jebb sitting beside newly-elected Council President Norman Makin of Australia.
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With this vintage 1957 New Yorker magazine cover, depicting the UN as a place where nations talk with each other, we send out our best wishes to everyone in the UN community for a peaceful, progressive and fulfilling 2020!
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Hoping to see something like this at the Security Council stakeout during September presidency of
@irishmissionun
😄
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Believe it or not, the 11 architects designing the UN premises were told that if the GA building had a dome, potentially isolationist Americans who loved their Capital Dome might relate better to the new world organization.
The architects complied😊
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With today's election of Mozambique & Switzerland to the Security Council, the number of States never having served on the Council drops to 61...
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This is what the 5th GA in 1950 looked like at the temporary UN premises in Flushing Meadows, when the UN had 60 Member States.
(In the UN's early decades, each delegation had 10 seats.)
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Here's original 2011 Palestine application for UN membership.
There have been other cases when a state requested renewed consideration of an application submitted earlier. Bangladesh was vetoed in 1972 & asked for reconsideration of that application in 1974, when it was admitted.
NEW: Diplomats say
@Palestine_UN
sent letter to
#UNSG
requesting renewed consideration of the application for
#UN
membership of the State of
#Palestine
by the Security Council during April 2024. Meanwhile, chairs of Arab Group, OIC and Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned
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Here's the vote, by UN regional groups, on A/RES/ES-11/6 on Ukraine of 23 Feb. 2023 ⬇️
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Newly-elected
#UNSC
members should take ample time to celebrate before measuring the tasks ahead.🥂
But as some have already queried us about the book, for some reason it's selling on Amazon for almost 2x its normal price.😯
Please don't pay that much, but look for other sellers!
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Truly appreciating Norway
#UNSC
presidency's digital calendar for its quick updates, now including consultations scheduled Monday p.m. on DPRK 5 January missile launch
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1) Yes, SC President "rules" whether a decision receiving a negative P5 vote is or isn't adopted, but this is per Charter Art.27(2) that only decisions on "procedural matters" aren't subject to veto, procedure being adopting agenda, suspending, etc.
Membership is substantive.
Forget the Security Council: The General Assembly Can Admit Palestine
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Here's a list of all Security Council members since 2000, ordered by population.
For years it was thought small States might lack capacity for serving on
#UNSC
but 34 States with populations under 10,000,000 (5 presently on SC) have made exemplary contributions to Council's work.
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There's *no* risk that vote on
#UNSC
res. calling for emergency Assembly session on Ukraine can be deemed "substantive", so subject to veto.
"Convocation of an emergency special session of the General Assembly" is on list of established "procedural" matters set out in Repertoire.
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In response to queries, here's a Table showing the frequency with which the Security Council convenes on weekends or holidays, and on which matters, and also indicating whether a formal meeting was held or closed consultations . . .
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And yet, during the time Nikki Haley served as UN Ambassador, the US joined its fellow Security Council members in adopting *101* resolutions & *45* presidential statements.
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This is a link to a full table of all vetoes cast since 1946:
And find below a summary of all vetoes, including on applications for UN membership ⬇️
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Since 28 May, verbatim records for 18! Security Council meetings have not yet been posted online.
We understand there's a financial crisis, but for those trying to publish timely assessments of the Council's work, delays of up to 3 weeks are highly problematic.
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A
#UNSC
vote on calling for a GA emergency session is firmly established as "procedural" so veto doesn't apply.
In this context tho there's been confusion over "the preliminary question" & "double veto" which might have come into play had there been any doubt.
These pages explain
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