In March, the Security Council held several briefings, primarily on the Middle East and Africa. Slovenia supported calls for meetings on the humanitarian situations in both Ukraine and Gaza and requested closed consultations on Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Citing the political crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia called for closed consultations under “Any Other Business” and expressed concern over the latest developments in the entity of Republika Srpska, which undermine the country’s constitutional order, stability and territorial integrity. “It is important that the Security Council keeps a close watch on Bosnia and Herzegovina and takes note of the increasingly difficult situation there,” said Samuel Žbogar, Permanent Representative of Slovenia to the UN. At the initiative of Slovenia, Security Council members adopted a Press Statement calling for political dialogue as well as reaffirming the importance of upholding the Dayton Peace Agreement and Constitutional Laws of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

After weeks of relative calm, Gaza has once again been engulfed in war, suffering devastating new strikes that have claimed hundreds of lives. Slovenia condemned the attacks and called on Israel to halt them immediately. The resumption of hostilities threatens all civilians, including hostages still held in Gaza. Slovenia reiterated its call for their unconditional and immediate release. Regarding the humanitarian situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, Slovenia stressed that humanitarian aid is not negotiable and must not be politicised. “Israel’s blockade of all goods and humanitarian aid into Gaza is unacceptable. International law is clear and must be respected,” stated Ambassador Žbogar. Furthermore, Slovenia remains extremely concerned over the reduced UN staff members in Gaza.

Addressing the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, Slovenia highlighted that the hostilities, which have taken a tremendous toll on civilians, continue to rage with no end in sight. “Since 24 February 2022, at least 12,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed and 30,000 injured,” said the Ambassador, calling for an end to the attacks. He reaffirmed Slovenia’s commitment to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine, in line with the UN Charter, and welcomed efforts by the United States to initiate Russia-Ukraine peace talks.

In response to the catastrophic protection crisis in Sudan andshocking reports of sexual violence against women, girls and even infants, Slovenia strongly condemned all forms of sexual violence, including conflict-related sexual violence. “We demand the provision of medical and psychological assistance to all survivors and call for urgently needed humanitarian access to all those in need,” stated Deputy Permanent Representative (DPR) Ondina Blokar Drobič. This year alone, more than 30 million people require humanitarian assistance, including 16 million children.Nearly two years into the conflict, the war in Sudan continues.

Slovenia also participated in a regular briefing on Afghanistan, reiterating its support for UNAMA’s work and the renewal of its mandate. DPR Blokar Drobič further advocated for Afghan women and girls, who face systematic gender-based discrimination, and welcomed UNAMA’s activities in the fields of environment and climate change. A week after the briefing, the Council unanimously adopted a resolution to renew UNAMA’s mandate.

During a briefing on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Slovenia expressed profound concern over ongoing serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights. It called on M23 group to halt its offensive and withdraw from the DRC’s territory, while also urging the DRC to cease cooperation with the FDLR and other armed groups. Given that the conflict is destabilising the entire region, DPR Blokar Drobič emphasised that “this crisis has no military solution and that returning to negotiations in good faith without delay is the right step towards a peace agreement.”

Slovenia joined the UN Security Council Joint Pledges on Climate, Peace and Security in a unified call to address the impact of climate change on instability and conflict in Yemen. Ravaged by droughts and flooding, Yemen is one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries. As a result, prevention and peacebuilding efforts must fully integrate environmental concerns.

During the annual meeting on the EU-UN partnership, Slovenia underscored that effective cooperation between the two is essential to preserving multilateralism. As highlighted by the DPR, both must work together to uphold core values – peace and security, development and human rights – and to support a just and lasting peace in Ukraine and elsewhere, in full respect of the UN Charter.

The Danish Presidency’s signature event focused on the adaptability of UN Peace Operations to new realities. “To ensure that UN peacekeeping remains fit for purpose and a useful tool, it must continuously adapt to new security challenges,” stressed the DPR. She added that, for Slovenia, future UN Peace Operations must also address the root causes of conflicts to achieve long-term stability, enhance synergies between prevention, peacekeeping and peacebuilding and strengthen cooperation of the UN Security Council within the UN system and with global and regional partners.

In March, the Security Council adopted a presidential statement on Syria, reiterating strong condemnation of the widespread violence at the beginning of the month, which resulted in mass civilian casualties. During a regular monthly briefing on Syria, Slovenia underlined the need for a truly inclusive political transition, with meaningful roles for women, youth and civil society. It stressed the obligation of the interim authorities to protect the population and work towards reconciliation and recovery. The international community stands ready to assist. DPR Blokar Drobič also underlined the importance of respecting Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, particularly in adherence to the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.

As part of the Peacebuilding Architecture Review (PBAR), co-facilitators Ambassador Samuel Žbogar and Ambassador Osama Abdelkhalek of Egypt exchanged views with UN Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo on ways to strengthen conflict prevention within the UN’s peacebuilding architecture. The two Ambassadors continue to engage with various stakeholders to assess and advance the UN’s peacebuilding efforts.

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