Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia

01/20/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/21/2025 06:21

Minister Fajon at the UN Security Council: we must not be discouraged by the challenges ahead

Speaking at an open debate of the UN Security Council, a day after the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect, the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Tanja Fajon, called on the warring parties in the Middle East to respect the agreements. She emphasised that all members of the Security Council must shoulder their share of responsibility and provide the necessary support to address the ongoing challenges in the Middle East.

Delivering her first address to the UN Security Council in 2025, during an open debate on the situation in the Middle East, Minister Tanja Fajon remarked, "Slovenia will not approach conflicts on the basis of geography, but on the basis of principles. We will continue to believe in solving problems through dialogue, not aggression. We believe in building trust and peace."

Minister Fajon welcomed the observance of the agreement between Israel and Hamas, as well as the release of hostages and prisoners. She added, "Slovenia calls on all parties to honour the ceasefire commitments. The Security Council must now focus on finding a path towards a lasting peace based on trust, justice and reconciliation." She also highlighted the positive signals and developments in Syria and Lebanon, countries she plans to visit in the near future, and addressed the situation in Ukraine: "The world's most complex problems require a global response. I travelled to New York directly from Kyiv. In the third year of Russian aggression in Ukraine, much of the world remains reserved in its response. Slovenia has always been vocal at this table when addressing unjustified wars, violations of international law, the UN Charter, and the suffering of civilians, women and children." Minister Fajon further stated that, during her almost three years as Slovenian Foreign Minister, she had consistently condemned the brutal killing of civilians: "I am proud that Slovenia has recognised an independent and sovereign Palestine. I believe we were on the right side of history. The people of Gaza deserve to live without bombs and weapons. The people of Israel deserve to live in safety. As members of the Security Council, we must work tirelessly for a lasting and just peace in the Middle East, just as we have in Ukraine and other conflicts around the world."

She underscored that only an end to suffering, hatred and fear can bring about peace. "To achieve this, we need leadership for people, leadership for peace and leadership for multilateralism. Leadership is never easy. We must not give up on the challenges ahead. We must focus on what unites us, not on what divides us," she stated in her closing address at the meeting, which was chaired by Ahmed Attaf, Foreign Minister of Algeria, the country holding the Security Council Presidency in January.

On the margins of the meeting, the Minister held several bilateral talks, including discussions with UN Secretary-General António Guterres.