Statement by Permanent Representative of Slovenia to the United Nations Samuel Žbogar at the UNSC open debate on the maintenance of international peace and security, titled Leadership for Peace

I also want to thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Professor Dayal for contributing to our discussions today. We also welcome the members of the Elders, President Santos, to the chamber. We appreciate the cooperation and support that the Elders have provided to our delegation in the past two years.

It is hardly news that the world today is in an era defined by mounting global challenges, power transition and state of disorder. And very fragile peace.

At such times, there is no other way, but for the UN to evolve boldly and decisively.

Slovenia is confident in the UN’s ability to take action, as a cornerstone of effective multilateralism. 

Slovenia believes in this organization which has no alternative. We wish to see a truly representative, agile UN, deeply connected to the lived global realities. It should embody not only the aspirations of its Charter, but also the urgency of today’s interconnected crises. We need a UN that is effective at addressing global threats and capable of acting swiftly and decisively, particularly on prevention.

The UN should be open to “out of the box” but not “out of the Charter” solutions.

We need a UN that is the guardian of international law, including international humanitarian and human right law. The one that ensures accountability for their violations.

The global public continues to turn to the UN with hope and expectations of solutions which brings responsibility for action.

The UN’s convening power is unmatched. No bilateral cooperation and no group of countries can replace it. For the UN to fulfill this role, it must continuously adapt and it must also be supported by adequate political backing and financial resources. No reform can succeed if member states do not meet their financial obligations.

We need a UN that is transparent, accountable, and results-driven, as public trust is fundamental and connection to local communities is key. It also needs to be more inclusive and legitimate. Decision-making structures, such as this Council, reflect neither the world’s political nor demographic landscape of today.

Colleagues,

Slovenia has always held the highest esteem for the institution of the UN Secretary-General. We have strongly supported them in their demanding mandates. As we are entering the final year of Secretray-General Guterres’ term, we take our shared responsibility to select the best candidate to lead the UN in the next period with utmost seriousness.

We and not the candidates’ campaigns should drive the selection process. The new Secretary-General should not become the one who wants the job the most or has the loudest campaign but rather the one we believe represents the best fit.

The selected Secretary-General should demonstrate respect to the membership of the General Assembly as much as to the one of the Security Council.

The Secretary-General carries significant moral authority. They must serve as a global diplomat and an independent and impartial advocate of peace, development and human rights, as well as the main engine of institutional reform. They must be able to find their own path, not to be too restricted by tasks given by member states.

They must be able to de-escalate tensions and mediate conflicts – a global convener, an honest broker, a peacemaker. This requires exceptional diplomatic skill, neutrality and political courage. It requires investing into field work and effectively using the network of special and personal envoys as well as Article 99 of the Charter.

What benefits the UN benefits the member states. Therefore, we want a Secretary-General who consistently places this organization and its integrity first, always acting in its best interest and who regularly takes initiative.

At the same time, we need a manager who understands complex systems, and recognizes that the UN cannot be run like a for-profit company. Someone who sees the UN as an integrated whole that operates in synergy, decisively, and fast. Someone who gives full attention to all three pillars of this organization and is uniquely positioned to continue advancing reforms, particularly on the coherence and efficiency of the UN system.

It goes without saying that we need to ensure that the most qualified individual is chosen for the role. At the same time, we cannot ignore that half of the world population are women. Yet, this organization has never had a female Secretary-General. The UN is an active promoter of global gender equality and women’s empowerment. A female UN Secretary-General is not just about symbolism, it is about credibility.

In conclusion,

We believe we have the duty to choose a Secretary-General who has proven through their past work that they can act independently and impartially, and who will place peace, development and human rights and dignity at the forefront.

Slovenia is ready to work with every Member State that believes in a stronger Organization and in empowering the next Secretary-General.

Because let us be clear: even the best candidate cannot succeed alone. Leadership without backing is leadership without power. We need a movement to build the support that real leadership requires, we need alliance for peace.

Recent Statements