5 December 2017: The co-facilitators for negotiations on restructuring the UN’s peace and security pillar have issued a revised draft resolution, following informal consultations with Member States. The text requests a comprehensive report from the UN Secretary-General as soon as possible, providing more details on his proposed reforms.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres presented his proposals for reform of the UN peace and security pillar during a meeting of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on 9 November 2017. He said the proposals aim to address regional, vertical and horizontal disaggregation to engender a whole-of-the-pillar approach. Colombia, Japan and the US suggested that the Assembly adopt a short, simple resolution endorsing the Secretary-General’s vision for reform, with the understanding that details would be discussed later on.

On 14 November, UNGA President Miroslav Lajcak announced that he had appointed Valentine Rugwabiza, Permanent Representative of Rwanda, and Michal Mlynfir, Permanent Representative of Slovakia, as co-facilitators to lead intergovernmental consultations on a draft resolution regarding the restructuring of the UN peace and security pillar. On 17 November, the co-facilitators informed Member States of dates for a consultation series, and noted that the draft resolution should be: concise and procedural in nature; adopted by the UNGA by the end of December 2017; and based on an inclusive, transparent and UN Member States-driven process. Consultations took place on 22 and 28 November to address proposed elements for a resolution, and the first draft of a resolution.

The text requests details on the proposed establishment of a UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and a UN Department of Peace Operations.

The revised draft resolution, issued on 5 December, takes note of the assurances provided by the UN Secretary-General in his report on ‘Restructuring of the UN Peace and Security Pillar’ (A/72/525), including that his reform proposal does not seek to change established mandates, functions or funding sources of the peace and security pillar. It also: supports the UN Secretary-General’s vision for reforming the UN peace and security pillar; stresses the need to take into account the views expressed by UN Member States; calls for ensuring accountability and transparency; and underlines the principle of equitable geographical distribution. The text requests the UN Secretary-General to submit to the UNGA, as soon as possible, a comprehensive report on his peace and security pillar reform proposal, elaborating on the proposed establishment of a UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and a UN Department of Peace Operations, including detailed information on the proposed functions, structure and staffing requirements. The resolution would also encourage coherence, synergies and complementarities among the Secretary-General’s reform proposals on peace and security, UN management, and the UN development system.

In April 2018, Lajcak will convene a High-level Meeting on efforts and opportunities to strengthen the UN’s work on peacebuilding and sustaining peace. [Co-Facilitators’ Letter and Revised Draft Resolution] [Co-Facilitators’ Letter on Consultation Dates] [UNGA President’s Letter on Co-Facilitators’ Appointment] [UN Secretary-General’s Report on Restructuring the UN Peace and Security Pillar] [SDG Knowledge Hub Story on Sustaining Peace Roadmap and High Level Meeting] [SDG Knowledge Hub Story on UN Secretary-General’s Briefing on UN Peace and Security Reform]