Slovenia Assumes Presidency of the UN Security Council

UN headquarters in new york | Author UN

During the Slovenian Presidency, the Security Council High-level Open Debate on LeadershipforPeace will be held on 25 September and will be chaired by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr Robert Golob. On 18 September, Tanja Fajon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, will chair a debate at the UN Palace on Afghanistan, with a special focus on education for women and girls, and a day later on Israeli settlements in the West Bank. On 26 September, she will host the Security Council's annual closed-door meeting.

Prime Minister Dr Robert Golob | Author UKOM

"Slovenia takes the helm of the guardian of international peace and security at a challenging time, a time when it seems to be less and less effective in resolving conflicts and its role is limited, but still indispensable. This is one of the reasons why Slovenia decided to host a high-level debate on Leadership for Peace on 25 September. I expect the States to hold a frank exchange of views and reflect on the current and future role of the Security Council, reaffirming their commitments to the principles of the Charter and respect for international law. This is something that Secretary-General Guterres and I discussed at the Munich Security Conference and I am pleased that he will be attending the meeting. He encouraged me to think ambitiously and praised our efforts in the Security Council, where Slovenia is a respected member. Our country treats all crises with the same responsibility and without double standards. Slovenia is committed to respect for human rights and international law, human dignity, humanitarian aid and resolving disputes through diplomacy. All people have the right to peace, security and freedom," said Prime Minister Golob at the start of Slovenia's Security Council Presidency.

Minister Tanja Fajon | Author UN Photo/Loey Felipe

"Slovenia has been preparing for several months to preside over this key body for international peace and security, because as a non-permanent member, it feels all the more responsible for peace. Today's world is divided, with the highest number of armed conflicts since the World War II and a record number of people in need of humanitarian aid. This makes it all the more important to also raise and address the right issues on the margins of the leaders' summit. Expectations are running high, and we are starting the Presidency on a positive note. Slovenia's principled positions have made it a visible, prominent and respected member of the Security Council. Our voice is not only heard, but often also echoed. Slovenia will continue to act in a cohesive and unifying manner, to reinforce the timeless values of the UN and to strive for a more consistent adherence to the Charter and the decisions of the Security Council, including by loudly calling for respect for international law and human rights. These are our priorities," said Minister Fajon at the start of the Presidency.

Ambassador Samuel Žbogar | Author UN

"For the United Nations, September is the most important and always the busiest month, as almost all world leaders gather in New York for the annual General Assembly. During the High-level Week, Slovenia will be conducting an important international debate at the highest level. Prime Minister Dr Robert Golob will chair a special session of the Security Council to discuss the legitimacy, relevance and future of this body, which has clearly failed to find effective solutions to stop the fighting and suffering of the population, especially women and children, in several crises, such as Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan. What leaders' views are on the way forward and how they see the Security Council in the future, and on multilateralism in general. This will be the main event of Slovenia's presidency," said Ambassador Samuel Žbogar, President of the UN Security Council for the month of September.

Each presidency of the Security Council begins on the first working day of the month with a Permanent Representatives' Breakfast, which will be hosted by Ambassador Samuel Žbogar, Slovenia's representative to the Security Council, at UN Headquarters on 3 September. He will present the monthly work programme, Slovenia's priorities and signature events. The working breakfast will be followed by a regular meeting of political coordinators which will adopt the monthly work programme. Slovenia is represented at these meetings by Political Coordinator Klemen Ponikvar. After the formal adoption of the programme, the new President presents it to the general public and United Nations foreign correspondents at a press conference. The press conference, which will be webstreamed on 3 September 2024 at 19:00 (CEST) at this link, is part of the first working day of the Presidency.

Prime Minister Dr Robert Golob will chair the main debate on the future of SC

The High-level Open Debate on LeadershipforPeace on 25 September will be chaired by Prime Minister Dr Golob. The debate, focusing on the future of the Security Council, is organised by the Slovenian Presidency.

Foreign Minister to chair two meetings

On 18 September, Minister Fajon will chair the regular Security Council debate on the situation in Afghanistan, which Slovenia will elevate to the ministerial level, with a focus on the education of women and girls. "Our guiding principle will be that there can be no lasting peace and stability without the full, inclusive and equal participation of women in all spheres of social life," the Minister said.

A day later, she will chair the regular session of the Security Council on the implementation of resolution 2334 on Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Slovenia is keen to focus the debate on the Middle East peace process.

On 26 September, on the margins of the leaders' summit, Foreign Minister Fajon will host the annual meeting of the Security Council with the leaders of the League of Arab States in the form of a closed-door interactive dialogue. They will discuss cooperation between the Security Council and the League, in particular in the search for a solution for peace in the Middle East.

One of Slovenia's objectives is to reinvigorate the discussions

Slovenia aims to bring freshness and a new perspective to some of the established discussions in the Security Council, and would like to focus the regular discussion on the situation in Afghanistan on the education of women and girls, and the discussion on Israeli settlements in the West Bank on the Middle East peace process. Following the briefing by the Humanitarian Coordinator for Gaza, Sigrid Kaag, Slovenia wants to steer the debate on reconstruction, and the regular discussion on peacekeeping operations will focus on the peace operations' future and the continued support of the Security Council. In the session on peacekeeping operations, which are at a critical juncture due to challenges to their very existence, Slovenia will allow the wider UN membership to participate (open debate).

Agenda and format of sessions

The agenda or programme of work of the Security Council consists of regular and emergency sessions, as well as the aforementioned special meeting during the High-level Week. At the regular sessions in September, members of the Security Council will discuss, inter alia, the situation in Gaza, Syria, Sudan, Yemen and DR Congo and the future of peacekeeping operations. Slovenia also expects requests for additional sessions on the situation in Ukraine or on the Russian aggression against Ukraine, as well as on Gaza and Sudan, and plans the adoption of resolutions on the extension of the Security Council's sanctions regime in Sudan and on the mandate of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission in Haiti.

An emergency session may be proposed at any time by any member state of the Security Council - including at the request of a non-member state - in the event of a threat to international peace and security, and it is the responsibility of the state holding the presidency to convene and organise it.

The Security Council meets in open sessions in the form of briefings, or in closed-door sessions in the form of consultations. It may also allow the wider UN membership to participate in the discussions. Slovenia will allow the wider UN membership to participate in discussions on peacekeeping operations and during the High-level Week, when the Prime Minister will chair the session.