Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany

06/03/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/03/2026 06:55

Germany wants to take on global responsibility once again: Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is travelling to New York for the UN Security Council election

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Germany wants to take on global responsibility once again: Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is travelling to New York for the UN Security Council election

Foreign Minister Wadephul at the United Nations General Assembly in New York © Juliane Sonntag/AA/photothek.de

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03.06.2026 - Article

The UN Security Council is the most important global institution for peace and security. On 3 June in New York, five countries will be elected to join the Security Council for a period of two years. Germany hopes to be one of them. Foreign Minister Wadephul is there in person for the election.

Global crises and wars cannot be solved by any single country alone. The United Nations Security Council exists to maintain peace and security in the world. It bears special responsibility as the only legitimate UN body that can take binding decisions regarding peace and security. It can deploy peace missions and impose sanctions.

The Security Council is composed of five permanent members - the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China and Russia - as well as ten countries elected as non-permanent members for two years at a time. Germany has already served as a non-permanent member six times and would like to do so again during the 2027/2028 term.

It has adopted the motto "Respect - Justice - Peace" for its candidacy. If Germany is elected to the Security Council, it will focus on conflict prevention and crisis resolution. Its utmost priority will be respect for the rules of international law and the UN Charter as well as committed efforts for peace and security.

After arriving in New York on 29 May, Foreign Minister Wadephul commented:

When global crises are on the agenda, Germany wants to bring its weight to bear - as befits the world's third-largest economy.

Germany has already sat on the Security Council several times, generating important momentum and ideas. It last held a seat in the 2019/2020 term. During this period, the Federal Government advocated issues including protection for civilian populations during armed conflicts, the strengthening of international humanitarian law, the role of women in peace processes and the fight against the impact of climate change on peace and security.

Germany's current candidacy aims to build on these efforts. The Federal Government firmly believes that multilateral cooperation is more important now than ever. Global challenges can only be resolved through collaborative efforts rooted in respect for the sovereignty of all states.

On his arrival, Foreign Minister Wadephul commented:

We are confident going into this election because we are ready and willing to take on responsibility within the most important global forum for peace and security - and because we have a strong proposal for doing so. I have received a great deal of support in my talks to date. Support for Germany as a strong and audible voice for peace and security.

Germany is actively involved across the whole breadth of the UN. It is valued as a reliable and committed partner thanks to its global efforts for peace and security.

At the UN General Assembly, the Foreign Minister will speak about how conflicts can be resolved through negotiations or mediation before they escalate into violence or war. He will meet with representatives of countries that, like Germany, are particularly involved in peacekeeping and supported the 2025 Peacekeeping Ministerial in Berlin, and discuss with them how UN missions can continue to be used to effectively secure peace. He will also talk with representatives of small island states that are particularly hard-hit by climate change about possibilities for joint climate action.

Germany's candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the Security Council reflects these broad-based efforts and an offer to the international community to work together for a more peaceful, more just and safer world.

On 1 June in New York, Foreign Minister Wadephul commented:

At a time of growing global challenges, we want to make the UN Security Council an effective and powerful actor once again. Germany is ready and willing to play an even greater role and take on even greater responsibility - within the UN Security Council, for the United Nations and for its member states.

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Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany published this content on June 03, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on June 03, 2026 at 12:56 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]