Mr. President,

The Philippines thanks Japan for organizing this open debate during its presidency of the Security Council. We also commend Japan’s leadership in the Security Council’s informal working group on documentation and other procedural questions. We also thank the distinguished briefer for her insights today.

In view of the rapidly evolving global security architecture, the Security Council must remain resolute in its commitment to enhance its working methods, improve accountability and transparency, and foster inclusivity. This is essential in equipping the Council to fulfill its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security effectively and competently.

First, the initial step towards improving its working methods is to correct the lack of representativeness in the Council. The Council, therefore, should aim at increased participation by non-members in the Council’s decision-making process.

To hear the views and recommendations of the general membership on international peace and security issues, the Council should increase the number of meetings, including its informal meetings, which are open to the general membership at various stages of consideration of a particular matter. This will further promote accountability and transparency and tend to enhance more active cooperation of the general membership with the Council on the implementation of decisions taken on such issue.

Second, the Council must observe the Rule of Law in all its proceedings. The Council must strictly adhere to democratic practices and procedures; observe due process; and guarantee fairness, justice and equity to all concerned. Among the essential elements of these guiding principles are accountability, fidelity to the trust, predictability and transparency.

While the Security Council remains the master of its procedures, it is important that these measures become more predictable and transparent, especially with respect to the Council’s decision-making processes. This is crucial, considering that the Security Council operates under provisional rules of procedure. It is imperative that the broader membership actively engages in these processes in a meaningful way, not just in a token or perfunctory manner, as outlined in Article 24(1) of the UN Charter, which emphasizes the Council's duty to act on behalf of the wider membership.

Third, while the Security Council provides its annual report to the General Assembly, there is room for improvement. The Council should consider the request of Member States, particularly those which are not members of the Council, to full information on issues discussed by it.  The Council should also share all draft resolutions “in blue” with the wider membership before adoption, consider co-penholdership on all files, enhance systematic consultations with affected countries, and institutionalize greater accountability of the use of the veto.

This is in compliance with the requirements of the principles of accountability and transparency.

Fourth, on the veto, the Philippines reiterates its view that the veto power has no place in a 21st century Security Council. The use, or threat of use of the veto, can constrain the Council from acting on vital issues related to international peace and security.

Based on ongoing discussions, including at the Inter-governmental Negotiations (IGN) on Security Council reform, it would be a challenge to remove the veto. In this regard, we should exert every effort and find ways to curtail its use, including through the French-Mexican initiative on suspension of veto powers in cases of mass atrocities and the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency Group’s proposed code of conduct regarding Security Council actions against genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes. Otherwise, the effectiveness and efficiency of the Council would always be under threat, especially at times of profound geopolitical rivalries and tensions.

The exercise of the right of veto carries an extraordinary level of responsibility and should not be employed without due accountability. It must be judiciously used to avoid undue constraints on the Security Council’s primary mandate of maintaining international peace and security.

Thank you, Mr. President.