Chapter 8: SUBSIDIARY BODIES

Section 7: Appointment of bureaux of subsidiary bodies

 

Measures to foster continuity from one chair to the next

 

On 5 June 2014, the Security Council issued a Note by the President (S/2014/393) intended to improve the effectiveness of the Council’s work and to ensure continuity in the work of its subsidiary bodies.  The Note in part responds to complaints over the years by incoming elected Council members who are designated to chair the Council’s various subsidiary bodies that they have insufficient time and information to prepare for those assignments.  In this connection, the Note sets out the following ‘practical measures’:

 

• The early appointment of subsidiary body chairs is encouraged, and to that end, the appointment process is to start as early as possible after the election of the new incoming members;

 

• Outgoing chairs are encouraged to ‘maintain information meetings’ with their incoming successors, including with the assistance of the Secretariat;

 

• Outgoing chairs are encouraged to provide to their successors written briefings and other background documentation and information, particularly within the six-week period immediately preceding the incoming Council members’ term of membership; and

 

• While outgoing chairs will be responsible for such background information, the Secretariat could assist in its preparation.

(This update supplements pages 129, 486, and 556-559 of the book.)