Minister Sajovic at the United Nations Defense Ministers' Meeting on Maintaining International Peace

At the meeting, Minister Sajovic presented the Republic of Slovenia's commitments to filling in the UN's capacity gaps in peacekeeping operations. With these commitments, the Republic of Slovenia, as a responsible member of the UN and current non-permanent member of the Security Council, is contributing to multilateralism and the effectiveness of UN peacekeeping operations, thereby enhancing its reputation at the global level. The selection of commitments is also in line with the thematic priority areas of the Republic of Slovenia as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the period 2024–2025.

The meeting of defense ministers, which was also attended by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, took place on the first day as part of two consecutive panel discussions on the future of peacekeeping and the reform of UN peace operations to make them more effective and safer for peacekeepers. Ministers and other participants also took note of the results of three preparatory conferences for the ministerial meeting in Uruguay, Indonesia, and Pakistan. Regardless of geopolitical changes, UN peacekeeping operations remain, despite the challenges, one of the few instruments with broad political support regarding the fundamental determinants of the future development of the UN.

In the first discussion, Minister Sajovic emphasized that United Nations (UN) peace operations have been an important part of the comprehensive approach to international peace and security for more than 75 years, as they prevent the escalation of conflicts, support the stability of political change, protect civilians, and promote the conditions necessary for lasting peace. The minister added that we are at a critical juncture today, as we face increasingly complex and multidimensional threats, ranging from active conflicts and asymmetric warfare to climate uncertainty and growing geopolitical fragmentation. In this context, peace operations are being tested as never before. He emphasized that Slovenia firmly believes that the future of UN peacekeeping forces depends on an ambitious but realistic transformation that remains faithful to the principles of the UN Charter while adapting to the challenges of today. We therefore welcome the current reform efforts and fully support their goal of making peace operations more effective, responsive, better integrated, and truly fit for purpose so that they can address real needs on the ground. According to the Minister, we must also move beyond traditional reactive models and adopt approaches that are proactive, dynamic, flexible, and sustainable. Peacekeeping must be more effective, but people-centered, responsive to their needs, and committed to protecting the most vulnerable, the Minister emphasized, Therefore, we must increase efficiency through smarter planning, innovation, and the effective use of technology to make peacekeeping more responsive, accountable, and results-oriented, even in times of limited resources. As an active member of the United Nations and a participant in the UNTSO, UNFICYP, and UNMIK missions, Slovenia is always committed to ensuring that peace operations continue to protect and ensure peace and security where needed, Minister Borut Sajovic concluded his address.

On the second day of the meeting, the defense ministers made commitments on behalf of their countries to support the elimination of capability gaps and the adaptation of peace operations so that they can better respond to current challenges and new circumstances. In his speech, Minister Sajovic emphasized that, for peace operations to be successful and effective, we must ensure that missions are equipped with the right capabilities, including adequate personnel, tools, training, and operational support. Slovenia is committed to actively contributing to these efforts. The minister went on to say that Slovenia would donate Class I unmanned aerial vehicles and related training worth €1.5 million to support peace missions and contribute to greater security and protection for peacekeepers and civilians. In 2025 and 2026, we will allocate an additional €190,000 for pre-deployment training at the Slovenian Peace Operations Training Center, ensuring that peacekeepers are well prepared for complex challenges. The Slovenian Peace Operations Training Center is a long-standing training institution dedicated to preparing peacekeepers for the changing demands of global peace operations. Minister Sajovic also said that, in addition to the above, Slovenia is donating 1,000 Buddy first aid kits, which will help protect the health of peacekeepers in the field and provide them with real-time medical assistance.

Slovenia also reaffirms its commitment to promoting the women, peace, and security agenda with a voluntary contribution of €10,000 to support the activities of UN Women. This will help ensure that women's participation and protection are part of peace efforts, especially in conflict and post-conflict environments, Minister Sajovic added. In addition, Slovenia will offer expertise on technologies and solutions for UN smart databases, which will contribute to more effective, resilient, and sustainable peace operations. Slovenia has also pledged to allocate €50,000 to projects of the UN Department of Peace Operations and the Department of Operational Support, which increase the impact of missions. It will contribute an additional €15,000 to the UN Group of Experts on the Rule of Law and Gender Violence in Conflict, supporting their important work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in addressing the challenging issue of sexual violence in conflict.

Together with Slovenia's regular contributions to missions such as UNTSO, UNMIK, and UNFICYP, these commitments confirm Slovenia's strong support for the principles of multilateralism represented by the UN and the UN peacekeeping forces, as well as its commitment to ensuring that missions are well equipped, ready and able to protect those who need it most, Minister Borut Sajovic concluded his address.

Alongside the presentation of commitments, six separate focused discussions on peace operations were held, in which members of delegations were able to participate. A member of the Ministry of Defense delegation also spoke at one of these discussions, namely on operational resilience and environmental management. A representative of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs spoke at two other separate focused discussions.