Slovenia on the UN Security Council: two years of responsible, visible and principled engagement

Highlights of Slovenia's UN Security Council membership | Author Ministrstvo za zunanje in evropske zadeve

Throughout its term, Slovenia participated in 558 formal meetings and 238 consultations of the Security Council. During this period, the Council adopted 90 resolutions, 15 presidential statements and 78 press statements. It also held eight informal interactive dialogues and undertook three field missions, to Colombia, Syria and Lebanon. In December 2025, Slovenia led a formal field visit of Security Council permanent representatives to Syria and Lebanon, as well as an informal visit by Security Council experts on climate, peace and security to Chad.

Slovenia consistently acted as a principled, active and transparent member of the Council. It advocated the application of equal standards for all, remained firmly committed to multilateralism and international law and upheld respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Slovenia participated in 27 Arria-formula meetings, three of which it convened. These focused on the links between environmental challenges and opportunities for peace, the protection of persons with disabilities in armed conflict and related humanitarian crises and the safeguarding of water resources and infrastructure in armed conflicts. Slovenia has chaired the Security Council twice and proposed five resolutions, four of which addressed the situation in Gaza. Resolution 2728 was adopted in March 2024, while subsequent proposals were not approved due to the use of the veto. Of particular significance was the unanimous adoption of Resolution 2805 (2025) on the review of the UN peacebuilding architecture, which was subsequently endorsed by the UN General Assembly.

Slovenia also initiated four presidential statements of the Security Council, addressing the political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the plight of humanitarian workers and famine in Gaza, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and terrorist attacks in Burkina Faso. Additionally, Slovenia organised three open debates of the Security Council: two under the Leadership for Peace initiative and one on the future of peace operations. During its membership, Slovenia requested more than 50 emergency meetings of the Security Council, primarily in relation to Ukraine, Gaza and the protection of civilians. It also successfully negotiated two presidential statements, both adopted unanimously.

Slovenia's membership of the Security Council was underpinned by strong support from UN Member States. A record 153 countries voted in favour of Slovenia's election, placing their trust in its role on the Council. This confidence was reflected in strengthened bilateral relations, increased international visibility and improved access to partners across the globe.

A comprehensive report and in-depth analysis of Slovenia's Security Council membership will be prepared in early 2026. This will allow time to gather perspectives, conduct a thorough assessment and identify lessons learned, ensuring that the experience gained informs Slovenia's future engagement.

The experience and reputation acquired during this period provide a strong foundation for Slovenia's continued international engagement, including the start of its membership of the UN Human Rights Council. In this capacity, Slovenia will continue its work to strengthen the multilateral system and to protect human dignity worldwide.