Confederation satisfied after a year on the UN Security Council
Published: Tuesday, Dec 19th 2023, 16:30
Updated At: Tuesday, Dec 19th 2023, 16:30
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After a year as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UN), Switzerland is looking back on a positive year despite the growing tensions between the major powers. The discussions in parliament surrounding the Palestine Refugee Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) are currently having no impact, but are being monitored, it said on Tuesday.
Switzerland "performed well" and "played a positive role in line with its priorities", Deputy State Secretary Thomas Gürber told the media in Bern. This was the case with regard to lasting peace, the protection of civilians, the climate and the efficiency of the Security Council.
By emphasizing international humanitarian law, Switzerland "really made a difference", said Pascale Baeriswyl, the Swiss ambassador to the UN in New York. While the situation in the Gaza Strip led to tensions, the threat to cut Switzerland's contribution to the UN's Palestine Refugee Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) shook the organization.
It is "being monitored in the Council", said Baeriswyl. And: "But I cannot yet say that it will have an effect on Switzerland's room for maneuver until a decision has been made". The Swiss UN ambassador went on to say that if accusations were to be made in the Council in this regard, they would have to be discussed.
According to Gürber and Baeriswyl, neutrality did not contradict any of the positions that Switzerland had to take in the Security Council. The Confederation also sees the negotiations on the renewal of the mandate of the peacekeeping mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the expansion of the participation of women in Colombia and the strengthening of human rights as part of a multinational police mission to be deployed to the Caribbean state of Haiti as successes.
Polarization in the Council increases
However, Switzerland also suffered defeats in the Council. For example, when Russia vetoed a draft resolution to renew the mechanism for humanitarian aid in Syria, which had been ravaged by a long civil war. "We had no choice but to try," said Baeriswyl.
There has been no shortage of crises throughout the year, which has increased the "polarization" between the major powers in the Council, said Deputy State Secretary Gürber. However, this situation has also opened additional doors for a country like Switzerland with its mediating role, he said.
In recent weeks, the Middle East has been the center of attention. An emergency meeting was held every week, and several draft resolutions were unsuccessful. "Switzerland has been actively involved, particularly in the area of international humanitarian law," said Baeriswyl.
Situation "even more unstable"
In recent months, "the world has become even more unstable", said Gürber. The ongoing war in Ukraine, the civil war in Sudan, the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and the coup in Niger are just a few examples of the numerous conflicts that the 15 members of the UN Security Council have had to deal with.
In the coming year, Switzerland will continue to focus on the topics of its mandate: The 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions - the core of international humanitarian law - will give Switzerland the opportunity to focus on precisely that. Switzerland also intends to place even greater emphasis on International Geneva, scientific diplomacy and the topic of "women, peace and security".
In October, Switzerland will once again lead the most powerful organ of the UN system. Defense Minister Viola Amherd should then travel to the UN headquarters in New York as President of the Swiss Confederation.
©Keystone/SDA
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