The Security Council and the Power of the Pen
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The penholder system is one of the Security Council’s most consequential informal working methods, shaping not only how Council products are drafted but also who leads negotiations and shapes responses to crisis situations. This system is a central feature of the Council’s decision-making process today. It is also an inherent aspect of how power is distributed and wielded in the Security Council.
The E10, who have steadily enhanced their collective identity within the Council, have argued that the concentration of drafting responsibilities in the hands of three permanent members undermines the inclusivity, transparency and effectiveness of the Council’s decision-making processes. The wider UN membership has also been echoing these sentiments for quite some time in the Council’s annual Working Methods open debates.
This report focuses on recent developments in penholding, focusing largely on the past decade. The report outlines the mechanics of the penholder system, addressing a range of issues raised by Council members and the wider UN membership on how to enhance both efficiency and effectiveness. The report analyses the role of elected members, who have increasingly sought to assert themselves and carve out space in the Council’s substantive work by advocating for more equitable burden-sharing and promoting co-penholdership arrangements as a means of broadening their participation and influence in Council decision-making.
The report also examines the evolving Council dynamics around the penholder system and concludes by presenting a set of observations on the current state of the penholder system and its implications for the Council’s effectiveness and legitimacy. It outlines possible options to strengthen the system’s transparency, inclusivity, and accountability, while preserving the efficiency needed for the Council to respond to evolving international peace and security challenges.
