The Penholder System

In this episode of Interactive Dialogues, SCR's Executive Director Shamala Kandiah sits down with Managing Editor Paul Romita and Deputy Manging Editor Dawit Yirga to discuss SCR's latest research report: The Security Council and the Power of the Pen. The conversation explores how the penholder system shapes the Security Council’s drafting process and response to crises, and why it has become a focal point of concern for many member states. It examines growing dissatisfaction among elected members with the concentration of drafting authority in the hands of a few permanent members, and discusses how the E10 have sought to expand their role through co-penholdership and calls for more equitable burden-sharing. It also reflects on what these evolving dynamics mean for the Council’s effectiveness, transparency, and legitimacy, and considers possible avenues for reform.SCR research report: The Security Council and the Power of the Pen For more info, please see our websiteExplore ways of supporting our work hereFollow us: @SCRtweetsSubscribe here for updatesEpisode produced and edited by Vladimir Sesar