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New York UN

STATEMENT BY MR JOSEPH TEO, DEPUTY PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF SINGAPORE TO THE UNITED NATIONS, AT THE SECURITY COUNCIL OPEN DEBATE ON "WORKING METHODS OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL", 20 OCTOBER 2015

20 October 2015

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          Singapore aligns itself with the statement delivered by Iran on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement.  Singapore has called for improvements to the working methods of the Security Council for many years.  Our latest proposals are included in the document on Security Council reform circulated by the President of the 69th Session of the General Assembly on 31st July 2015. 


2        As a small city state, we will not have many opportunities to be a member of the Security Council.  But we attach much importance to the issue of the Council’s working methods and would like to see quick progress.  We therefore thank Spain for convening this meeting and for its concept note on the theme of today’s Open Debate.  We would like to focus on three aspects of the working methods of the Security Council.


3        First – Effectiveness.  To improve the Council’s effectiveness and accountability, the Council must address the elephant in the room.  Too often in the past, the veto has been used to prevent action to address genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, which had led to the loss of many innocent lives.  Singapore reiterates its call to the Permanent Members of the Council to refrain from using their right to veto to block Council action aimed at preventing or ending genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.  If they have to, they should at least explain to the wider UN membership why they cannot support initiatives aimed at preventing or ending mass atrocities.  In this regard, Singapore supported the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency (ACT) Group’s Code of Conduct on Security Council action against genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes. We also supported the joint proposal by France and Mexico for the Permanent Members of the Security Council to refrain from using the veto in cases of mass atrocities.  We call on all Member States to do likewise. 


4        Second – Transparency and Accountability.  The Council has been operating on provisional rules of procedure for decades.  Many of the current working methods are also captured outside the provisional rules of procedure, in successive notes by the President of the Security Council.  Given the importance of the Security Council, this is not ideal.  It is time that the Council adopts its rules of procedure to improve the transparency and accountability of its work.  This will in turn enhance the Council’s credibility with the wider UN membership. 


5        Third, Inclusiveness.  To ensure prompt and effective action by the UN, the Security Council has been conferred the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.  But the Council should not allow this to prevent it from working with the wider UN membership on key issues that affect all Member States.  For the Security Council to act for the benefit of the wider UN membership, it should engage the Member States in a virtuous cycle of dialogue and effective decision-making.  Next year, the UN membership – both the Security Council and the General Assembly - will need to decide on the next candidate to lead the organisation.  We call on the Council to work more closely with the General Assembly, in accordance with their respective mandates in the UN Charter, to make the selection process of the UN Secretary-General more open and transparent. Some of the measures adopted in GA resolution A/RES/69/321, such as the joint letter by the President of General Assembly and the President of the Council to invite candidates to be presented in a timely manner with a description of the entire process, are a good start.  We need to take further steps in this direction.


Mr President,


6        Singapore welcomes opportunities like this Open Debate to discuss the important issue of the working methods of the Security Council.  We look forward to a meaningful outcome on this issue that will help to further strengthen the effectiveness and credibility of the Security Council.


7        I thank you, Mr President.


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