Intergovernmental Negotiations framework

Intergovernmental Negotiations framework
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Highlights

The Intergovernmental Negotiations framework or IGN is a group of nation-states working within the United Nations to further reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

The Intergovernmental Negotiations framework or IGN is a group of nation-states working within the United Nations to further reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

The IGN is composed of several different international organizations, including the African Union; the G4 nations; the Uniting for Consensus Group (UfC), also known as the "Coffee Club"; the L.69 Group of Developing Countries; the Arab League and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

Each group represents a different set of positions vis-a-vis reforming the United Nations Security Council. On July 27, 2016, an "oral decision" was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly by general acclamation of its members, which approved of a declaration known as the "elements of convergence" which outlined the status of the consensus reached by the members of the IGN at that time.

This statement of consensus was based on a text and annex, of a year earlier. Ultimately, by adopting the "elements of consensus" document, the General Assembly decided to form an "Open Ended Working Group" to further develop a consensus position of the entire General Assembly on the issue of reforming the U.N. Security Council. This program had its origins in 1993, with successive reports in 2001 and 2007.

The current agenda for this issue in the U.N. General Assembly can be found online. The positions of the various groups of nations composing the IGN framework vary from one another. Leading a rebel group, Italy, speaking for the United for Consensus group (UFC) applauded the technical rollover, which paved the way for continued discussion aiming for a broad consensus.

It noted that the IGN is a member-driven process, that all sessions and meetings have been important for movement towards consensus, and that the points of convergence submitted by the facilitator reflect its understanding of the areas of convergence. UFC further called for flexibility and compromise on the remaining issues, in order to lead to a broad consensus decision in the future.

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