*{Global Policy Forum - NGO Working Group on the Security Council Information Statement 1998 NGO Working Group on the Security Council Information Statement (Revised, November 1998)} *{Background} As the United Nations' most powerful body, the Security Council is charged by the Charter with "primary responsibility for international peace and security." In recent years, as the Council has become more active, it has been the subject of intense debate and discussion and many small but important changes have been undertaken, markedly improving the Council's work. New procedures, new briefing methods and new reporting mechanisms are among the many recent signs of progress. Expanded informal contact with Non-governmental Organizations is another such avenue of positive change. *partie=titre NGOs' Interest in the Council *partie=nil NGOs increasingly recognize that they have a large stake in the work of the Council. The Council's decisions directly affect the core programs of a large number of NGOs - not just those working on security issues, but those with an interest in humanitarian relief, development, human rights, disarmament and many other fields. NGOs need good information on the Council and its work, so as to better plan and carry out their policy. NGOs also have important information, expertise and experience that they want to offer the Council, to influence its thinking on policy matters. This is particularly true of human rights and humanitarian organizations that are directly in the field during complex emergencies. But it is true of a wide range of other NGOs as well. Further, both the UN and member states are increasingly turning to NGOs as partners and service contractors, as well as policy-innovators, in emergency and post-emergency situations under the Council's authority. So NGOs can no longer ignore the Council. They want to actively engage with it, to improve its capacity to preserve international peace and security. *partie=titre Council Members' Interest in Dialogue with NGOs *partie=nil Council members have found that NGOs can provide exceedingly valuable field information from their contacts in crisis areas, helping to improve their delegations' awareness of the issues and contributing to the Council's policy-making process. In many cases, NGOs may even be directly involved in UN field programs. The fact that DPA often draws on NGO sources when it prepares Council briefing papers suggests the potentially unique quality of this information. Furthermore, NGOs can offer valuable analytical capacity, as the Council considers broad policy issues such as improving sanctions, strengthening peace-building, improving early warning capacity, protecting humanitarian workers, and the like. Delegations sometimes call on NGOs to help them with background papers or to suggest experts and reference sources as they consider these issues. Additionally, NGOs can prove a vital link to and from the public, to engage policy-makers and influentials in many countries in ways that are deeper and more lasting than media reporters' coverage of the Council. Elected members find this role especially important, as they seek to define and explain their position to a broad global public. Finally, delegates find the WG Meetings to be stimulating and thought-provoking, enabling them to reach beyond the diplomatic community to engage with a well-informed group, representing an impressive range of human concerns. *partie=titre A Brief History of the NGO Working Group *partie=nil In early in 1995, a group of NGOs came together in New York to organize the NGO Working Group on the Security Council. The founding group, convened by Global Policy Forum, included Amnesty International, Earth Action, the Lawyers' Committee for Nuclear Policy, the World Council of Churches and the World Federalist Movement. A number of delegations gave encouragement to this initiative, including members of the Security Council. Among the Council members to meet with the Working Group in 1995 and 1996 were the delegations of New Zealand, Chile, Italy, Malaysia, Egypt and Singapore. Nearly all these contacts were at the Permanent Representative level. At first, the Working Group devoted much of its attention to the Council reform debate in the General Assembly, but increasingly its attention shifted towards establishing an informal process of "dialogue" with the Council. In March 1996, Amb. Somavia of Chile spoke to a public meeting organized by the Working Group during his Presidency, setting a major precedent of openness and affirming the importance of the NGO community. The Working Group became increasingly active in 1997. Thanks to an initiative by Amb. Monteiro of Portugal, Presidents of the Council began to meet informally and in their national capacity with a special "Consultation Group" of the Working Group. At first, such meetings took place in the month following the presidency, but after an initiative by the United States, meetings later took place most often during the presidential month. In addition to the elected members, all five permanent members have agreed to meet regularly with the NGO Group. In 1998, a number of Council presidents offered breakfasts or luncheon to the Working Group in the middle of their presidential month. In addition, delegations gave briefings to the Group outside the presidential calendar. In 1998 the NGO Working Group will have held more than two dozen such meetings, as well as arranging other informal contacts between NGOs and delegations. Most meetings will have been held with the Permanent Representative. *partie=titre The NGO Consultation Group *partie=nil The founders of the NGO Working Group consciously opted for a very informal structure, outside the regular CONGO Committee framework. At first, the WG organized its meetings as large public events and it soon developed an international membership of over 100. But as the focus shifted towards dialogue with the Council, there was a feeling that a smaller and more private setting was required. For this reason, the most effective and active NGOs were invited to join a separate "Consultation Group." The Consultation Group is now a well-established NGO voice on Security Council matters. It does not claim to be representative in any formal sense, but it does have powerful legitimacy, since it contains many of the largest and most effective international NGOs working at UN Headquarters in such fields as humanitarian relief, human rights, global governance, women's rights, disarmament and the like. Oxfam, Médecins sans Frontières, Amnesty International, and the World Federalist Movement are members, along with two dozen others. Those attending the meetings are in most cases the UN Representatives and, occasionally, the chief executive of the agency. The NGO Working Group is run by an elected chair, a vice-chair and six others who form its Steering Group. Though it is a relatively new institution, the WG is very actively involved in a process of development and self-reflection, particularly on the question of how best to reflect the concerns of NGOs world wide, particularly those from developing countries. As one means to broaden its representation, NGOs from other regions that come to New York for special events such as the Commission on Sustainable Development are often invited to join briefings of the Consultation Group. There is also an effort to use the world wide web to convey information on the Council to NGOs and others in distant lands. The briefings and meetings with delegations are always private and off-the-record. Typically, 14-20 NGO representatives attend. The event gets under way with a twenty minute presentation, about a few major issues currently before the Council. There follows a question period that lasts about an hour. The presidential briefings usually take place in the missions, the ambassador's residence or similar venues, whereas non-presidential meetings usually take place in an NGO conference room at 777 UN Plaza. Delegations tend to be impressed by the high level of the NGO representatives present, by their knowledge and by the cordial spirit and the overall quality of the exchange that takes place. The NGOs, for their part, appreciate the frank and open dialogue that takes place, as well as the opportunity to get to know Permanent Representatives and members of delegations. *partie=titre Goals for the Future *partie=nil As old friends among the elected members leave the Council, the NGO Working Group is keen to establish close working relations with newly-elected members and to strengthen existing ties with other Council members. The quality of these new ties are essential to the success and progress of the WG in 1999 and beyond. The WG is looking for regular briefings. But equally important is the development of strong informal ties with delegations that can help the WG and its members to identify key issues, track the decision-making process, and provide input into policy formation. A contact person in a senior position on Security Council affairs is an important element in this relationship. The Working Group also has some procedural and informational goals for 1999. We hope to be able to obtain each month, in a timely fashion, the program of work calendar so as to better follow the Council's activities. We also hope that each Council presidency will publish its presidential press statements, following the precedent of Italy, Slovenia and Sweden. Such statements, posted on the world wide web, would be a tremendously important step in increasing the transparency of the Council. Finally, we hope that all members will publish their presidential reports soon after the close of their presidency. This, too, would help NGOs and the public to understand the activities of the Council and its policy thinking.