In New York, the High-level Week has begun with leaders from all over the world gathering at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters. One day before the official opening of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly on 24 September 2024, world leaders participated in the Summit of the Future and adopted the Compact for the Future, which includes commitments to promote international peace and security and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

The General Assembly, with Prime Minister Robert Golob and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon in attendance, is taking place against the backdrop of an escalating situation in the Middle East.

“This week, as the world’s diplomats gather at the UN headquarters in New York, we are witnessing a further escalation of the situation in the Middle East. New military attacks and new deaths are extremely worrying; we seem to be approaching a point of dangerous escalation. Slovenia therefore calls for restraint and a ceasefire. Slovenia also calls for respect for international law and for dialogue. Lebanon must not become the next Gaza. Slovenia, currently presiding the UN Security Council, will do its utmost to help calm the situation. At the end of the week, I will chair the Security Council debate on the Middle East which will be a new opportunity to hear different views and play a constructive role,” said Ms Fajon.

Minister Fajon discussed with the Foreign Ministers of Bahrain and Egypt and the Minister for International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates the efforts of various actors to calm the situation and bring about a two-state solution. The Middle East is on the agenda of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in New York, along with the Russian aggression against Ukraine.

“The European Union must condemn in the strongest possible terms the Israeli attacks on Lebanon, which are causing a large number of civilian casualties and are leading to a dangerous escalation of the situation in the region. The EU will lose credibility if it is unable to call on Israel to respect the ICJ’s opinion on the illegal occupation, and to proceed with the recognition of Palestine,” Minister Fajon said on the sidelines of the Foreign Ministers’ meeting.

She also took part in a meeting between Prime Minister Robert Golob and UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who praised Slovenia’s role and its coherent, bridge-building foreign policy. He said that Slovenia’s excellent work in the UN Security Council contributed greatly to the EU’s enhanced role in the world.

On the margins of the 79th UN General Assembly, Minister Fajon hosted a meeting of the Green Group, established in 2009 at the initiative of Slovenia. Ministers and high-level representatives of the Group – which, in addition to Slovenia, also includes Iceland, Costa Rica, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and Cape Verde – discussed climate and environmental challenges, their role in supporting societies through a green and just transition, and the protection of the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. Climate, peace and security is also one of the priority themes of the Slovenian presidency of the Security Council.

This evening, Minister Fajon will host a meeting of ministers from the current and incoming elected (non-permanent) members of the UN Security Council. She will urge her ministerial colleagues to continue their close cooperation and coordination as the role of the non-permanent members becomes more ambitious and visible. This is demonstrated by the fact that the first Security Council resolution since 7 October last year (resolution 2782) calling for a ceasefire was initiated by elected members, including Slovenia.

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