On behalf of the ACT Group, Portugal champions for more transparency in Security Council working methods
On 16 January, Portugal participated on behalf of the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency (ACT) Group in the General Assembly’s informal meeting on the Annual Report of the United Nations Security Council.
Speaking for all ACT’s 27 members, Portugal reaffirmed the group’s commitment to strengthening transparency, accountability, and effectiveness in the Security Council, as well as improving its interaction with the General Assembly. ACT welcomed the practice of early informal consultations, noting that they have improved the analytical quality and relevance of the report’s introduction and enhanced its role as an accountability tool.
On process, Ambassador Rui Vinhas stressed the importance of timely adoption of the annual report, encouraging its finalization by end of May to allow for meaningful consideration by the General Assembly while the report remains current.
On substance, he acknowledged progress in moving beyond a purely descriptive account of the Council’s work, but called for greater analytical depth and highlighted the need to better identify trends, including situations where the Council was unable to act despite clear threats to international peace and security. ACT encouraged the inclusion of information on draft resolutions not adopted, implementation of Council decisions, and greater transparency on closed consultations.
Portugal welcomed the continued inclusion of data on participation, including disaggregated statistics on women and civil society briefers, as well as information on Security Council field visits. The group also underlined the growing importance of the standalone chapter on veto use and of timely, analytical monthly assessments by Security Council presidencies.
Portugal concluded by stressing the importance of closing the feedback loop between the General Assembly and the Security Council, highlighting the value of summaries prepared by the Office of the President of the General Assembly.
