Underpinning the United Kingdom’s approach to working methods is our desire for an action-oriented Security Council: UK statement at the UN Security Council

The United Kingdom welcomes this annual debate.

It is an opportunity to hear the views of Council members, and the wider UN membership alike, on where current Council procedures support advancing the maintenance of international peace and security, as well as thoughts on how these might be refined further.

Underpinning the United Kingdom's approach to working methods is our desire for an action-oriented Security Council.

A Council that is able to build consensus, and to reach compromises, through

constructive and informed debates.

A Council in which we review the rhythm of meetings to ensure that time is

adequately preserved for today's threats to international peace and security.

And a Council in which we recognise the importance of transparency and

accountability, alongside the principle of confidentiality where that is required.

Our collective endeavour to select the next Secretary-General of the United Nations should continue to be guided by Article 97 of the Charter, and by the processes outlined in the joint letter of 25 November 2025, and GA resolution 79/327.

For our part, the United Kingdom will continue to assess all candidates on their merits.

Our primary focus must be to secure the most qualified individual to lead the UN at this pivotal moment.

President, the United Kingdom is committed to responsible and effective penholding, taking into careful account views of countries concerned and of the region.

This includes, where appropriate and mutually agreeable, co-penning products, as we have done, and as we have offered to do, on many occasions.

We welcome the participation of Member States, relevant organisations, and civil society briefers under rules 37 and 39; their knowledge, experience, and personal testimonies bring added depth to our consideration of questions of peace and security.

Finally, we join colleagues across this Council who have today expressed concern over the continued delay in agreeing chairs to subsidiary bodies.

We thank Presidencies which have ensured the most urgent committee business can continue.

But those efforts are no substitute for a solution.

For our part, the United Kingdom has proposed a range of options to help move us forward.

And we have demonstrated significant flexibility.

We ask all colleagues likewise to demonstrate their flexibility, so that we can collectively ensure that every Security Council subsidiary body is allocated a Chair.

We must uphold, and not undermine, our collective decisions as set out in Security Council resolutions.

Resolving the current impasse is long overdue.

We also look forward to working with current and incoming Council members to reach agreement on chairs' allocation in 2027.