Original Coverage & Source Attribution: www.commonspace.eu
The United Nations Security Council is today expected to adopt a presidential statement on the role of diplomacy during active hostilities. The draft text, which was authored by Pakistan, underscores the importance of maintaining diplomatic engagement even after the outbreak of armed conflict, with a view to containing escalation, facilitating cessations of hostilities and ceasefires, and creating conditions conducive to peaceful political settlements.
Resolution 2788 of 22 July 2025, which was initiated by Pakistan, reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes under Chapter VI of the UN Charter. A year later, on 23 July, the Council convened an open debate to review the resolution’s implementation and examine ways of making more effective use of the peaceful dispute settlement tools available under Chapter VI.
The draft presidential statement builds on previous Council products, such as resolution 2788, but it is the first to focus specifically on the role of diplomacy in containing and de-escalating active hostilities. Since the open debate in July, Council members have continued to call for intensified efforts towards de-escalation and dialogue, although differences persist over how proactively the Council should promote mediation and other peaceful means of dispute settlement, particularly in situations where the consent of the parties is contested. In his statement opening the general debate of the 81st session of the General Assembly on 22 September, Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted the devastating consequences of ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Sudan, and the Middle East, warning that these and other crises illustrate what happens when “force outpaces diplomacy” and stressing the urgency of sustained diplomatic engagement.
The negotiations on the draft presidential statement do not appear to have been particularly contentious, although Council members expressed differing views on some elements of the text. Pakistan circulated the initial draft to Council members on 14 October. Following informal consultations with Council members to address comments on the initial draft, Pakistan circulated a first revised draft on 23 October, incorporating several proposed amendments. On 29 October, Pakistan circulated a second revised draft, which it placed under silence procedure until the following day (30 October). After the US broke silence, a third revised draft was circulated on 3 November and placed under silence procedure until this morning (4 November). The draft subsequently passed silence.
The agreed presidential statement emphasises the importance of maintaining direct and indirect channels of communication between parties to armed conflict to reduce the risk of miscalculation and create opportunities for sustained political engagement. The draft text recognises the contribution of member states and regional and subregional organisations to mediation and de-escalation efforts, as well as the role of relevant UN organs, acting within their respective mandates, and the Secretary-General and his representatives in promoting the peaceful settlement of disputes. It requests the Secretary-General to continue promoting and supporting diplomacy, de-escalation, and mediation before and during armed conflicts, including through his good offices and relevant UN capacities, and to keep the Council informed, as appropriate, of such efforts.
Language on the scope of the Council’s intended diplomatic engagement evolved during the negotiations. The initial draft referred specifically to considering the role of diplomacy in situations of armed conflict on the Council’s agenda. At the proposal of Colombia, supported by other members, the qualifier on the Council’s agenda was removed from the first revised draft and is not included in the final draft.
One issue that apparently required discussion during the negotiations concerned the principles governing international diplomatic engagement during armed conflicts. While Russia apparently emphasised sovereignty and non-intervention, other members sought to underscore the importance of international engagement in facilitating de-escalation and peaceful settlements. References to sovereignty and non-intervention introduced in the first revised draft were subsequently removed, while broader references to the principles of the UN Charter as the framework for diplomatic engagement were retained.
Another point of divergence during the negotiations was language on women, peace and security (WPS) and youth, peace and security (YPS). European Council members and other like-minded members sought to add language on the “full, equal and meaningful participation of women”, the meaningful participation of youth, and the contributions of civil society to diplomatic efforts. Such language was included in previous Council products on conflict prevention and mediation. These references were ultimately removed from the final text following the US silence break.
Humanitarian considerations also appear to have featured in the negotiations. While the initial text did not explicitly address the protection of civilians or humanitarian access, the final draft includes language on ensuring the protection of civilians and facilitating safe and unhindered humanitarian access, as well as a reference to international humanitarian law, albeit qualified by the phrase “as applicable”.
Some Council members apparently sought to include language recognising the key role of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in adjudicating disputes between states. The provision was subsequently qualified by an explicit reference to the consent of states to the Court’s jurisdiction.
source: commonspace.eu with Security Council Report (New York)
