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For the second year running, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs welcomed university and high school students, who took on the roles of diplomats and simulated international negotiations within the framework of the United Nations, under the auspices of the United Nations Association of Slovenia.

At the Munich Security Conference, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon said that contemporary security challenges cannot be effectively addressed without inclusive leadership and the equitable management of natural resources. “Gender equality and access to water are key factors for stability, conflict prevention and the strengthening of international peace and collective security.”

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon is participating in the 62nd Munich Security Conference, which has brought together more than 60 heads of state and government, 100 foreign and defence ministers and numerous experts and representatives of civil society. The conference remains one of the most important global forums for discussing current foreign policy issues and common security challenges.

In the new episode of the GOVSI podcast, we focused on one of the most demanding and at the same time most significant periods of Slovenian foreign policy – Slovenia’s two-year term as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Slovenia and Spain condemn the latest Israeli legislation targeting UNRWA, including measures to cut water, electricity and communications to its facilities. Such actions undermine the UN mandate, violate international law and run counter to the findings of the International Court of Justice, while risking grave humanitarian consequences for the Palestinian civilian population and refugees.

Slovenia has completed its second Council presidency, thus concluding its two-year membership of the UN Security Council.

Slovenia today concludes its two-year term on the United Nations Security Council. On this occasion, the Prime Minister issued the following statement.

During its two-year term on the Security Council, Slovenia has proven its ability to contribute significantly to tackling the most pressing global issues by taking clear positions, upholding its values, sharing its expertise and maintaining consistency. With active, responsible and principled work, Slovenia has left a recognisable mark on the UN’s central body for the maintenance of international peace and security, further strengthening its own reputation as a credible and reliable partner.

To mark Human Rights Day, the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Tanja Fajon, in her capacity as President of the Security Council, chaired a discussion on the situation in Afghanistan. "Although human rights are universal, inalienable and indivisible, the situation on the ground is a stark reminder that their realisation remains a distant prospect, particularly for women and girls," the Minister underlined.

On the 75th anniversary of the proclamation of 10 December as International Human Rights Day, with this year’s slogan being Human Rights, Our Daily Essence, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon emphasised: "Slovenia strives to contribute to a world in which everyone can live with dignity and enjoy equal opportunities. In the international community, we systematically support human rights as a universal value".

In 2015, the UN General Assembly, on the initiative of Armenia, passed a resolution establishing 9 December as the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime. The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide was one of the first treaties addressing respect for human rights and was adopted one day before the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, on 10 December 1948. Commemoration and memorialisation efforts not only honour the victims and survivors of genocide, but also serve as effective mechanisms for the prevention of future genocides.

On the first day of her December visit to New York, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon, as President of the Council, chaired a discussion on cooperation between the UN and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). She emphasised that the fundamental principles and commitments on which both organisations operate must apply equally to all, without exceptions or double standards.

In November, under Sierra Leone’s presidency, the adoption of the resolution on Gaza resonated most strongly in the Security Council. The resolution welcomes the adoption of a comprehensive plan to end the war and establish a Peace Committee, and authorises the latter to establish an international stabilisation force in Gaza.

Slovenia begins its second one-month Presidency of the UN Security Council for the 2024–2025 term, which will be marked by three signature events: a visit by the Security Council to Syria and Lebanon, an open debate on Leadership for Peace and a meeting on Afghanistan held on Human Rights Day. As expected, the Council will also focus on Palestine and Ukraine.

Today, the General Assembly and the Security Council unanimously adopted twin resolutions with identical wording on the review of the UN Peacebuilding Architecture (Peacebuilding Architecture Review – PBAR). The negotiation process was led by the Permanent Representatives of Slovenia and Egypt, Ambassadors Samuel Žbogar and Osama Abdelkhalek. The adoption of the resolutions and the agreement on strengthening the effectiveness of the UN Peacebuilding Architecture marked the successful conclusion of nearly one year of negotiations.

"We must always stand up for the rights of women and girls. This is a priority of Slovenia’s foreign policy, both in the context of its non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council and its upcoming UN Human Rights Council membership. I would like us to build a world in which all women and girls are safe and do not experience violence."

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Tanja Fajon, represented Slovenia at the seventh EU-African Union Summit in Luanda, attended by more than 40 European and African leaders. She participated in discussions on peace, security and governance, and held numerous bilateral meetings, where she presented Slovenia’s work in the Security Council, with a focus on Africa.

After several weeks of meetings in New York, the work of the UN General Assembly Committee on Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Issues, known as the Third Committee, which focuses largely on human rights issues, has concluded.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon is in Belém, Brazil, attending the Leaders' Summit of the 30th session of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP30). On the opening day of the summit, world leaders once again called for greater global ambition in mitigating and adapting to climate change, as well as for the mobilisation of adequate financing for climate action.

In November, as the presidency of the UN Security Council was held by the United Kingdom, Slovenia co-sponsored two briefings, one on the denuclearisation of North Korea and the other on imminent famine in Gaza. State Secretary Marko Štucin participated in a high-level meeting on the situation in Gaza and Ukraine, where he called for the Security Council to take more decisive action on the conflicts..