In light of the US statement inviting candidacies for UN Secretary-General "from all regional groupings", we have updated our article: "Appointing the next Secretary-General: The relevance of regional rotation" Link here: scprocedure.org/chapter-7-se...

In light of growing calls for convening a General Conference under Charter Article 109, we recommend reading Charter commentaries, which all conclude that while Articles 108 & 109 provide different frameworks for UN reform, they're basically identical as to "substantive conditions" for change.

The GA President's draft of the joint letter which will launch nominations for the next Secretary-General is now with the Security Council President. For the most detailed guide available on all steps of the 2026 appointment process, see : scprocedure.org/chapter-7-se...

New website article: "GA’s 2025 'Revitalization' resolution advances process for appointing next Secretary-General" Article details codification of new elements of the process & also remaining action points to be decided. scprocedure.org/chapter-7-se...

New website article: "GA’s 2025 'Revitalization' resolution advances process for appointing next Secretary-General" Article details codification of new elements of the process & also remaining action points to be decided. scprocedure.org/chapter-7-se...

New article on our website: "Issues emerging with respect to the 2026 appointment of the next Secretary-General" scprocedure.org/chapter-7-se...

#Russia, #Pakistan and #China have put forth a draft resolution on the escalating situation in the #MiddleEast, following the latest US air strikes in #Iran. Vote not scheduled for this afternoon’s session. #UNSC #Israel @scprocedure.bsky.social @richardgowan1.bsky.social @iaeaorg.bsky.social

See letter below from #Iran requesting an urgent meeting of the #UNSC following US air strikes against its nuclear facilities. Meeting date and time TBD. #MiddleEast @scprocedure.bsky.social @richardgowan1.bsky.social @iaeaorg.bsky.social

#Ukraine has requested a meeting of the #UNSC in light of the escalation in drone and missile strikes against it (most recently in #Kyiv) by the Russian Federation. See letter below. @scprocedure.bsky.social @richardgowan1.bsky.social @markleongoldberg.bsky.social @screport.bsky.social

Russian Fed, Pakistan and China support the meeting and call for it to be scheduled on Friday. 20 June. #UNSC #Iran #Israel @richardgowan1.bsky.social @scprocedure.bsky.social

After Russia vetoed renewing the DPRK Expert Panel mandate in 2024, 11 States established a Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team, which has now published a 1st report "which focuses primarily on the unlawful military cooperation including arms transfers between the DPRK & Russia".

New article on our website: "Five months after target date, Council finally names 2025 bureaux of its subsidiary bodies" scprocedure.org/chapter-8-se... The article is LONG - this year it was complicated!🫣

New article on our website: "Five months after target date, Council finally names 2025 bureaux of its subsidiary bodies" scprocedure.org/chapter-8-se... The article is LONG - this year it was complicated!🫣

Here's the #Iran letter below. ↓ #UNSC #Israel @scprocedure.bsky.social

Draft General Assembly resolution on "Protection of civilians and upholding legal & humanitarian obligations" which "Demands an immediate, unconditional & permanent ceasefire" in Middle East. Only 2 Security Council members co-sponsoring: Algeria & Slovenia

Veto by United States on E10 Gaza ceasefire resolution is the 3rd veto cast in 2025. It brings to 263 the number of vetoed proposals since 1946 and is the 93rd recorded veto by United States. See our website's complete veto table: scprocedure.org/table-4-veto...

Security Council June calendar for Guyana's second presidency ⬇️

New article on our website: "Divergences over Annual Report paragraph on Western Sahara raise issues over no-objection procedures and effect of dissociation" scprocedure.org/chapter-9-se...

New article on our website: "Divergences over Annual Report paragraph on Western Sahara raise issues over no-objection procedures and effect of dissociation" scprocedure.org/chapter-9-se...

With the 2025 Chairs now decided, here's an updated list of Security Council "penholders" ⬇️

#UNSC members have finally agreed on the Chairs and Vice-Chairs of its subsidiary bodies, setting a record for the longest duration without agreement (by months!), and in contravention to Note 507 @scprocedure.bsky.social @screport.bsky.social

We know this meeting is highly objectionable to some, but to clarify, the Security Council President is obligated to convene the meeting under the Council's Rule 2 which says: "The President *shall* call a meeting...at the request of any member of the Security Council."

ICC says Karim Khan will take a leave of absence pending the conclusion of UN-led investigation.

PRST agreed by all Security Council members after 2010 Israeli "military operation in international waters against the convoy sailing to Gaza." Urged Israel to ensure "delivery of humanitarian assistance from the convoy to its destination" & stressed need for sustained flow of goods to Gaza.

Mike Waltz's appointment as US UN permanent representative makes him the 1st male to serve in that capacity since Zalmay Khalilzad left in early 2009 to make way for Obama appointee Susan Rice. Waltz's appointment also drops the number of female PRs on the Security Council to 3.

Today, the ACT-Group met with Ben Donaldson of the 1 for 8 Billion Campaign to discuss possible reforms ahead of the #SecretaryGeneral selection process beginning later this year. Inclusivity, transparency & good cooperation among key actors, including #CivilSociety, will be essential.

With the sighting of the new moon in Saudi Arabia, the first day of Eid al-Fitr will be celebrated on Sunday, March 30. Here's how to wish someone a blessed #Eid in various languages around the world ⤵️ 🔗: aje.io/yo06b4

Who might be nominated for US amb to UN? www.politico.com/news/2025/03...

Appointing #UNSC subsidiary body chairs has now been delayed 62 working days! This triggers S/2024/507 ¶129 mechanism whereby interim chairing responsibilities devolve to President. See our backgrounder scprocedure.org/chapter-8-se... How does 2025 delay compare to other years?⬇️

On the left: Hegseth's message. On the right: the applicable CENTCOM classification guide provisions. This is all very plainly classified at the SECRET level. They all lied. They should all lose their jobs.

Hold on, so Steve Witkoff was participating in the Signal group discussing war plans against Houthis while being physically in Moscow, perhaps even in the Kremlin? He met Putin late on March 13. Obviously the odds of Russia not compromising any device he would bring there are pretty slim.

⚡️ EU approval among citizens at record level as global security concerns grow, Eurobarometer poll shows. The survey found that nearly three-quarters (74%) of EU citizens consider their country to have benefited from EU membership.

New article: "2024 presidential note on working methods breaks new ground on document access for all Council members" scprocedure.org/chapter-1-se... Besides penholding & equal burdensharing re subsidiary bodies, E10 access to necessary past documents had been a contentious E10-P5 issue!

With an Eastern European now possibly entering the 2026 race for SG alongside likely Latin American & Caribbean candidates, we have posted a new article on our website: "Appointing the next Secretary-General: the relevance of regional rotation" scprocedure.org/chapter-7-se...

With an Eastern European now possibly entering the 2026 race for SG alongside likely Latin American & Caribbean candidates, we have posted a new article on our website: "Appointing the next Secretary-General: the relevance of regional rotation" scprocedure.org/chapter-7-se...

A very worthwhile article! To add: -GA & SC Presidents will open nominations submission by a joint letter, Oct. not yet decided (in 2015 it was sent 15 Dec.). -Even if GA decides on a date like 1 Oct. for SC to send candidate recommendation, this timeframe would be non-binding on SC.

As per @screport.bsky.social, the resolution extending UNAMA's mandate to be voted upon 17 March will be submitted as a "presidential text", i.e. co-sponsored by all 15 Security Council members. securitycouncilreport.org/whatsinblue/... This chart shows frequency of presidential texts⬇️

1947 photo of SG Trygve Lie receiving from John D. Rockefeller III, on behalf of his father, John D. Rockefeller, Jr., a check for the $8.5 m. purchase of the Manhattan East River site where the UN would build its permanent Headquarters.

It's not that Rockefeller "donated the land" but that he gifted $8.5 m. to UN which then itself purchased the land. This was an independent fully legal real estate deal independent of 1947 Agreement. US construction loan was eventually fully repaid thru regular UN budget. www.wsj.com/opinion/the-...

It's not that Rockefeller "donated the land" but that he gifted $8.5 m. to UN which then itself purchased the land. This was an independent fully legal real estate deal independent of 1947 Agreement. US construction loan was eventually fully repaid thru regular UN budget. www.wsj.com/opinion/the-...

At meeting on EU, Russian PR complained that as no one had asked EU rep questions, she shouldn't have been given floor at meeting's end, that SC briefings not supposed to be interactive dialogues. But in 2022 RF argued for briefer to speak at meeting's end who hadn't been asked questions.

New article on our website: "Liquidity crisis measures impacting the Security Council are inconsistent with Charter Articles 28(1), 30 and 98" scprocedure.org/chapter-1-se...

New article on our website: "Liquidity crisis measures impacting the Security Council are inconsistent with Charter Articles 28(1), 30 and 98" scprocedure.org/chapter-1-se...

BIG mistake by Russia! It voted for Res. 2774 which has the new formulation "Russian Federation-Ukraine conflict" (as noted by Switzerland), thus admitting it is a "party" to a "dispute". This legal determination in 2774 means now Russia MUST abstain on Ukraine Ch. VI votes per Article 27(3).

Now posted on our website: "Delay in appointing 2025 subsidiary body bureaux triggers contingency measure agreed in 2023" scprocedure.org/chapter-8-se... Delay in appointing 2025 Chairs is now longest on record & #UNSC Presidents have been carrying their responsibilities in the interim.

5 amendments in blue. 3 that were submitted jointly by Denmark, France, Greece, Slovenia and the UK. 2 that were submitted by Russian Fed. #UNSC #Ukraine

In response to requests by several Council members, closed consultations are now scheduled before afternoon vote on US draft on Ukraine ⬇️

Original draft US resolution: documents.un.org/doc/undoc/lt... 3 amendments added: documents.un.org/doc/undoc/lt... documents.un.org/doc/undoc/lt... documents.un.org/doc/undoc/lt... Amended resolution adopted by vote 93-8-73

While timing remains in the air, there are amendments being proposed to the US draft - 3 from the UK and 3 from the Russian Fed. These would be voted upon before the main draft as a whole. @scprocedure.bsky.social @passblue.bsky.social @screport.bsky.social @richardgowan1.bsky.social #UNSC #Ukraine

Security Council's Military Staff Committee will undertake an important 1-week assessment mission to UNIFIL in late Mar. Objectives include reviewing force structure against lines of operations, studying current threats to peacekeepers & assessing freedom of movement limitations.