slovenia for the un security council 2012-2013

8/6/2019 Slovenia for the UN Security Council 2012-2013

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CANDIDATEWith a strong determination to contribute to the maintenance of international peace andsecurity, Slovenia haspresented its candidature for a non-permanent seaton the United NationsSecurity Council, allocated to the Eastern European States Group (EEG), for the period2012-2013.The election will beheld during the 66th Sessionofthe UNGeneralAssembly in 2011.

Slovenia is a strong advocate of effective multilateralism and,where needed, of UN reform to make the organization a moreefficient and transparent global player, ready to meetcontemporary challenges.In the words of Dr Danilo Turk, the President of Slovenia, at the63rd Sessionof the UNGeneralAssembly:

" If you asked me to identify the key policy requirem ent for theU nited N ation s toda y w ith a single concept - and in one word - mya nsw er w ou ld b e like th is: W e live at a t ime requir ing trans format ion .T his sh ou ld b e th e key id ea o f p olicy -m ak in g to guide the U N action. "

EXPERIENCEDSlovenia plays an active role in the international communityand hasheld: Non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council from 1998

to 1999and presidenciesof the Security Council inAugust 1998and November 1999; Chairmanship of the Organization for Security and

Co-operation in Europe (OSCE),the world's biggest regionalsecurity organization, in 2005; Chairmanship of the International Atomic Energy AgencyBoard of Governors in 2006; Membership of the UN Human RightsCouncilforthe period

2007-2010; Presidency of the European Union, in the first half

of 2008; Chairmanship of the Council of Europe, the oldest

international organization working towards Europeancooperation, in 2009; Membership of a number of boards, commissions and

committees: UNDP/UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNDEF,UNIFEM, Commission for Sustainable Development,International Law Commission, Committee on the Eliminationof Discrimination Against Women, Committee on the Rights ofPersonswith Disabilities.


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COMMITTEDThe United Nations isthe world's only universal international organization. As such, it is alsothe most important forum for multilateral cooperation, devoted to strengthening friendlyrelations among nations, enhancing respect for international law and human rights, andcreating better living conditions.It is also for this reason that Slovenia is dedicated to the timely and full realization of theMillennium Development Goals. Progress along the path of equitable economic growth andsustainable development iscrucial for the well-being of everyone.As Borut Pahor, the Prime Minister of Slovenia,stressedat the 4th BledStrategic Forum:

"W e must uphold our commitm ent to achieve theM illennium D evelopm ent G oals. It is not just our m oralr es pon sib ility . I t is a ls o in our own s elf- in te re st to achievea m ore balanced global developm ent that w ill increasep ro sp erity a nd se cu rity o f u s a ll. "

ACTIVESlovenia firmly subscribes to the principlesset out in the 2005World Summit Outcomethat development, peace and security, andhuman rights are interlinked and mutuallyreinforcing.Determined to build on its commitments

and experience, Slovenia continues to fosteropen and transparent international dialoguein the spirit of cooperation andconsensus-building.Slovenia is interested in advancing theglobal discussion on long-term cooperativeaction to address climate change, and isresolved to contribute its share to securingthe future of the planet by meeting itscommitments under the Kyoto Protocol.

As a founding member of the InternationalCriminal Court, Slovenia is dedicated topromoting and strengthening the rule of lawat national and international levels andsupports the progressive development ofinternational law and its codification.By ratifying and implementing all the majorinstruments against international terrorismthat have been elaborated within the UNsystem, the European Union and regionalframeworks, Slovenia also activelycontributes to the common struggle againstthis global threat.


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ENGAGEDThe Slovenian Armed Forces, the Policeand civilians have been regular participantsin peacekeeping operations under themandate of the UN Security Council. Over5,000 Slovenian peacekeepers have beendeployed to operations around the world,including Afghanistan, Albania, Bosnia andHerzegovina, Chad, DR Congo, Cyprus,Timor-Leste, Iraq, Kosovo, Lebanon,Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,Sudanand Syria.

The International Trust Fund for Deminingand MineVictims Assistance (ITF), foundedby the Siovenian Government in 1998, hasorganized the demining of over 91 millionsquare meters of mine-contaminated landin South-Eastern Europe, including therehabilitation of mine victims.The steady increase of Sloveniandevelopment assistance is aimed atmeeting the level of 0.7% of gross nationalincome set by the UN. Over half of the

development funds are for multilateralinitiatives, while the remainder isdistributed in the framework of bilateralassistance, and includes the WesternBalkans, Sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asiaand the Caucasus.Asamember of the Group of FriendsoftheAlliance of Civilizations, Slovenia is activelyengaged in promoting cooperation andbetter understanding among differentcultures. One of the SiovenianGovernment's key projects in this field istheEuro-Mediterranean University (EMUNI),which was set up in Portorof, with the goalof promoting dialogue among youth andscholars in the Mediterranean region.

In 2008, UN Secretary-General BanKi-moon commended the thirty-oneMember States, including Slovenia, thathad paid all their assessed contributionsinto the regular budget, internationaltribunals, peacekeeping operations and theCapital Master Plan.


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CARINGRecognizing that few needs are more acutethan those of children in the midst of war,Slovenia is active in the Group of Friendsof Children in Armed Conflict. During itsPresidency of the European Union in 2008,Slovenia dedicated particular attention tothe situation of children in armed conflictsand commissioned the study "Enhancingthe EU Response to Children Affected byArmed Conflict with Particular Reference toDevelopment Policy".Slovenia provides special assistance andsupport to the "Together" Foundation,an NGO caring for the psycho-socialwell-being of children in war-torn societies.The Foundation has assisted hundreds ofthousands of children and their parentsin South-Eastern Europe, Iraq and theCaucasus.As a member of the Human SecurityNetwork and the Group of Friends of HumanSecurity, Slovenia actively participates inpromoting the right of people to live freefrom fear, free from want, and in dignity, withequal opportunities to enjoy all their rightsand fully develop their human potential.

Samuel Zbogar, the Minister of ForeignAffairs of Slovenia, therefore pointed out thefollowing in his capacity as the Chairman ofthe Committee of Ministers of the Council ofEurope at the opening of the exhibition "OurRights" in June2009:

"H uma n a nd c hild ren 's rig hts a re u nive rsa l.C ou ntrie s a re su pp ose d to b e committed toin fo rm abo ut th em , teach them / im plem ent an drespect them . The em pow erm ent of children- both to educate them on their rights and toe ns ur e th eir a cc ess to justice - rem ains one ofth e k ey p rio ritie s o f S lo venian fo re ign polic y. "


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slovenia for the un security council 2012-2013

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