The Security Council regularly establishes Committees, which consist of representatives from each of the countries on the Council and generally meet at headquarters, to assist it in its work. Standing Committees are open-ended and generally were established to address certain procedural questions, such as the admission of new members. Ad hoc committees are established for a limited time and to address a specific issue. The Council also often creates committees to monitor sanctions and other mandatory measures. Below is a list of all standing and ad hoc Committees established by the Security Council, with a short description prepared on the basis of the Repertoire, as well as links to the sections covering them. The ad hoc Committees are organized by the region they are dealing with, and then under relevant areas or subregions, and are placed chronologically starting with those established most recently.

Standing Committees

Although the standing Committees below continued to be addressed in the Repertoire in all of the periods outlined below, in many cases there was no substantive activity to report.

Security Council Committee on Council Meetings away from Headquarters

The Security Council Committee on Council Meetings away from Headquarters was established on 11 January 1972 to study the question of the convening of Council meetings in an African capital and to draft general guidelines to be applied in similar situations which might arise in connection with Article 28 Paragraph 3 of the Charter of the United Nations.

Committee of Experts established by the Security Council at its 1506th meeting in connection with the question of the “Creation of a category of associate membership”

On 27 August 1969, a Committee of Experts was established to examine the question of the creation of a category of associate United Nations membership for small, newly independent States.

Committee on Admission of New Members

On 17 May 1946, the Committee on Admission of New Members was established to examine any application for membership referred to it.  For more information on the role of the Council in admission of new members of the United Nations, see also Other Council Functions and Powers.

Committee of Experts on Rules and Procedures

On 17 January 1945, the Committee of Experts on Rules and Procedures was established for the consideration of the provisional rules of procedure.

Ad Hoc Committees

Africa

Namibia

Ad Hoc Sub-Committee on Namibia

The Ad Hoc Sub-Committee was re-established on 29 July 1970 to provide recommendations on ways to effectively implement the relevant Council resolutions, in light of the flagrant refusal of South Africa to withdraw from Namibia. Additionally, the Ad Hoc Sub-Committee on Namibia was requested to review all treaties and agreements to ascertain whether States had entered into agreements which recognized South Africa’s authority over Namibia.

Ad Hoc Sub-Committee established in pursuance of Security Council resolution 276 (1970)

The Ad Hoc Sub-Committee established on 30 January 1970, in light of the flagrant refusal of South Africa to withdraw from Namibia, to study ways to effectively implement the relevant Council resolutions. The Ad Hoc Sub-Committee fulfilled its mandate on 7 July 1970.

Seychelles

Ad Hoc Committee established under Security Council resolution 507 (1982) concerning the Seychelles

Following the consideration of the report of the Commission of Inquiry under resolution 496 (1981), the Ad Hoc Committee was established on 5 June 1982 to coordinate and mobilize resources for the Special Fund to assist the Republic of Seychelles in repairing the damage caused by a mercenary aggression.

South Africa

Expert Committee of the Security Council on Measures Concerning the Question of Race Conflict in South Africa

The Expert Committee was established on 16 June 1964, in connection with the question of race conflict in South Africa resulting from the apartheid policies, to undertake a technical and practical study as to the feasibility, effectiveness and implications of measures which could be taken by the Security Council. The Expert Committee fulfilled its mandate on 27 February 1965.

Zambia

Ad Hoc Committee established under resolution 455 (1979)

The Ad Hoc Committee was established on 23 November 1979, in connection with the complaint by Zambia regarding acts of aggression by the illegal regime of Southern Rhodesia in collusion with South Africa. The Ad Hoc Committee was tasked to assist the Security Council to facilitate the implementation of resolution 455 (1979), particularly in the areas of compensation to Zambia for the damage resulting from the acts of aggression and the reconstruction of Zambia’s economic infrastructure.  The Ad Hoc Committee was dissolved after the submission of its final report on 31 January 1980.

Asia

Indonesia

Committee of Good Offices on the Indonesian Question

The Committee was established on 25 August 1947 to assist in the pacific settlement of the dispute between the Netherlands and Indonesia regarding Indonesian independence through extending the support of the Council’s good offices. The Committee was reconstituted as the United Nations Commission for Indonesia in 1949.

Laos

Sub-Committee under resolution 132 (1959) in connexion with the report of the Secretary-General relating to Laos

The Sub-Committee was established on 7 September 1959, in connection with allegations by Laos of an aggression along its north-eastern frontier by elements from the Democratic Republic of Viet-Nam, to examine statements made before the Security Council concerning Laos and to receive further statements and documents, conduct such inquires as it might determine necessary and report to the Council as soon as possible.

Europe and Middle East

Sub-Committee on the Spanish Question

Sub-Committee on the Corfu Channel Questions

Sub-Committee on the appointment of a Governor for the Free Territory of Trieste

Sub-Committee on the Palestine Question

The Sub-Committees above were set up by the Security Council between 1946 and 1948 to examine the material related to the issue, do additional fact-finding and report to the Council with recommendations.

General

Ad hoc Committee on Mandate Review

The Ad hoc Committee was established on 31 May 2006 to conduct the review of Security Council mandates called for in the 2005 World Summit Outcome Document and to follow up on the recommendations contained in the report of the Secretary-General, Mandating and Delivering.

On 28 December 2007, the conclusion of its work was announced. 

Sub-committees to seek agreement after general discussion

A number of sub-committees were established to seek agreement on draft resolutions and other proposals during the period of 1946-1951. These sub-committees were established in connection with the Iranian question, the Spanish question, the general regulation and reduction of Armaments, the Greek frontier incidents question, the Indonesian question, the Trusteeship Council with regard to the trusteeship system as applied to strategic areas, draft report to the General Assembly, and the Palestine question.