UN Security Council Membership as a Litmus Test for Slovenia’s Commitment to R2P

Abstract

ABSTRACT Slovenia, a small state, was actively involved in the formation of the Responsibility to protect (R2P) and continuously supports the principle through its own normative development (such as in the 2015 Declaration on Foreign Policy of the Republic of Slovenia and its Foreign Affairs Strategies) and by regular appointment of its R2P national focal points, which provide relevant domestic capacity to actively promote R2P’s operationalization domestically, regionally, and at the global level, most prominently within the UN. Several regional European R2P Focal Points Meetings and six biennial academic interdisciplinary conferences on R2P have been organized in Slovenia, providing opportunities to enhance its capacity to lead a well-informed active advocacy for R2P. Moreover, in July 2020 Slovenia supported the first standalone HRC Resolution on the Fifteenth anniversary of the R2P. In April 2022, Slovenia was among the 83 cosponsors of the UN General Assembly Resolution on Standing mandate for a General Assembly debate when a veto is cast in the Security Council. Now, with Slovenia’s election as a non-permanent UN Security Council member for the period 2024–25, an important opportunity has arisen to use accumulated knowledge and experience and strive for efficient operationalization of R2P, including through peace operations. The aim of this paper is to discuss Slovenia’s relationship with the R2P, including during Slovenia’s candidacy for the non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council, and to suggest possible future developments.