Arria formula meeting

[2] The first Arria formula meeting was held in 1992, after Venezuelan Ambassador Diego Arria, who during this time was the president of the Security Council, was contacted by a Croatian priest, Fra Joko Zorko who wanted to speak to members of the UNSC to report an eyewitness account of violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Crisis of Yugoslavia.

[4] However, some Council members including the United Kingdom and Russia wanted to continue restricted use of the Arria formula meetings in preference of hearing only from high representatives and the head of states.

In response to this, it was argued that hearing the voices of non-official individuals and non-government organisations was the initial reason the Arria formula meeting was invented.

[2] In 1996, Ambassador Juan Somavía of Chile attempted to organise a meeting between Council members and humanitarian NGOs including Oxfam, Médecins Sans Frontières and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

[1] In 1997, there was a dispute within the Council in regards to a proposal by Portugal to invite Amnesty International Secretariat General Pierre Sané to give a briefing at an Arria formula meeting.

By this time, opinion had begun to shift among permanent members as the Council began to favour the inclusion consultation with non-governmental organisations.

Arria formula meetings are chaired by the inviting member, and called for the purpose of a briefing which is given by one or more persons who are considered experts in the matter of concern to the council.

[6] All Arria formula meetings are announced by the president of the UNSC at the beginning of each month, as a part of the regular schedule of the Council.

The Arria formula allows member states to directly discuss issues which fall within the responsibility of the council to encourage peace and cooperation.

As the forum developed, Arria formula meetings have expanded to include interaction with Human Rights Council Commissions of Inquiry, individuals, non-governmental organisations and institutions.

[1] The use of Arria formula meetings is largely to enhance contact with civil society, non-governmental organisations and non-members of the security council.

For example, In 2012, UNSC members held an Arria formula meeting with the Human Rights Council's Commission of Inquiry on Syria.

[13] The forum of the Arria formula meeting was utilised in this occasion to provide an opportunity for discussion to take place in regards to the human rights situation faced by those in the Republic of Korea and facilitate dialogue about how the UN can implement recommendations from the commission.

[18] The forum of the Arria formula meeting enabled the Security Council to come together and be briefed on the violations of human rights that have taken across Syria, including the targeting of civilians.