Slovenia is concluding its third month in the Security Council. During the presidency of Japan, the month was marked by the adoption of a resolution on Gaza, showcasing the leading role of the 10 elected members in peace efforts. Japan organized open debates on the working methods of the UN Security Council and the role of women in conflict prevention.

The second month of our membership in the UN Security Council has come to an end. This month, under the Presidency of Guyana, was marked by the second anniversary of war in Ukraine and the dire situation in Gaza.

Today, the UN Security Council convened a briefing on food insecurity in Gaza, requested by Slovenia, Algeria, Guyana and Switzerland. The meeting followed a white note of 22 February, sent by OCHA to Council members on food security risks in Gaza.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly on the second anniversary of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, Minister Tanja Fajon stressed that the war in Ukraine has led to the largest humanitarian crisis in Europe since World War II. She added that we must all – without exception – respect international humanitarian law and human rights law at all times.

On 2 January 2024, the flag of Slovenia was officially raised in front of the Security Council Chamber together with other four new non-permanent members of the UN Security Council (Algeria, Guyana, Republic of Korea and Sierra Leone). During the ceremony the Representative of Slovenia to the UN Security Council Ambassador Samuel Žbogar stated: "The work of Slovenia in the Council will be guided by the UN Charter, international law, and our foreign policy of peace. We pledge to act in good will and transparency. We trust in the multilateral system with the UN at its core as the only way to find solutions to the most serious crisis." Slovenia will base its activities on four thematic priorities: prevention of conflicts, protection of populations in armed conflicts, women, peace and security and climate, peace and security.

Today, the UN Security Council convened an open briefing on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question. The meeting followed the 26 January order by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the case of South Africa against Israel, indicating provisional measures. Slovenia voiced its clear and strong support to the ICJ’s work and underlined that UNRWA is playing an indispensable role in the midst of the current crisis.

For the first time since Slovenia became a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon participated in the ministerial meeting of the UNSC in New York on the situation in the Middle East. In her address, she called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and in the region, outlining the reasons why it is so important.

On 1 January 2024, Slovenia becomes a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the second time in its history. Following its successful election by an overwhelming majority of 153 votes, and after three months as an observer, Slovenia will participate in decisions to maintain international peace and security during the 2024–2025 term. It will act in an inclusive and responsible manner, committed to the principles of the UN Charter, international law and human rights.

Minister Tanja Fajon made her first appearance at the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East in New York. On behalf of Slovenia, which will become a non-permanent member of the Security Council on 1 January 2024, she called for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza, a halt to violence, the protection of civilians, and urged the Security Council to step up its efforts to establish a lasting and just peace in the region.

Permanent Mission of Slovenia to the United Nations is recruiting highly motivated persons for the role of Experts for a period until January 31 2026 – indicatively from November 2023 to January 2026.

On the margins of the general debate of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Tanja Fajon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, attended the preparatory ministerial meeting for the Summit of the Future, which was opened by the President of the 78th UNGA, Dennis Francis, and the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres.

On the sidelines of the 78th UN General Assembly, Minister Tanja Fajon held a series of bilateral talks, including with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi, Foreign Minister of Ecuador Gustavo Manrique Miranda, and Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines Enrique Manalo.

On the sidelines of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon hosted the first meeting of foreign ministers representing the Incoming 5 members of the UN Security Council.

This year, Slovenian Bee diplomacy is entering a new phase with projects primarily supporting social and environmental resilience. In cooperation with local partners, Slovenian diplomatic missions and consular posts will again carry out more than 30 projects around the world. The two most important celebrations will take place in Rome and New York.

After more than a decade of efforts by Slovenia, Argentina, Belgium, Mongolia, the Netherlands and Senegal, an international diplomatic conference has opened in Ljubljana to adopt the text of a convention on international cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of the most serious crimes. The Conference will run until 26 May. Upon adoption, the convention will be called the Ljubljana-Hague Convention.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon held a series of meetings with representatives of UN regional groups and senior UN officials in New York from 8 to 10 May.

Minister of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning Uroš Brežan actively participated in the UN 2023 Water Conference, which took place in New York from 22 to 24 March 2023.

On the final day of the UN Water Conference, Minister Fajon participated in the roundtable entitled “Water Action Decade: Accelerating the implementation of the objectives of the Decade”. She also held a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the event.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon is attending the United Nations Water Conference in New York. This is only the second time in 45 years that a conference has been devoted exclusively to water. “Slovenia has succeeded in getting 150 countries to support its proposal for the appointment of a UN Special Envoy for Water. This is a great success for Slovenian diplomacy”, said Minister Fajon.

At the UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries in Doha, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon participated in the round table entitled ‘Leveraging the power of science, technology and innovation for the sustainable development of least developed countries’. She stressed the importance of cooperation, solidarity and development aid to eradicate poverty and inequality. On the sidelines of the Conference, Minister Fajon held a number of bilateral talks.