On May 10, Bosnia and Herzegovina will be in the focus of the United Nations (UN) Security Council under the presidency of Switzerland, Daniel Hunn, that country’s ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, stated in a column.
This is the first time that Switzerland presides over this important body, announced the Swiss Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In New York, Switzerland will try to ensure good conditions for a constructive discussion on Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the same time, it has the ambition to ensure the smooth running of the Council’s work during her one-month presidency in May and use the opportunity to highlight the priorities defined for her mandate.
On January 1, 2023, Switzerland assumed the mandate of a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. In 2023 and 2024, Switzerland will use this role to promote peace and security, act as an independent bridge builder and enter into direct talks with key actors on the international stage.
“To do this, we have set four priorities for our mandate: building sustainable peace, protecting civilians, increasing efficiency and addressing climate security. We also intend to use our two-year engagement in the Security Council to promote our national values and interests at a time when democracy, human rights and the rule of law are under increasing pressure around the world. During the first four months of Switzerland’s mandate in the Security Council, we have worked hard to justify the trust placed in us. Thanks to Switzerland’s efforts, the Council unanimously extended the mandate for cross-border humanitarian aid to Syria in January 2023, allowing aid to reach the region where support is needed for more than four million people. In February, we warned about the threats of rising water levels and frequent floods due to climate change as one of the biggest contemporary risks for world peace and security,” Hunn said.
After assuming the important responsibility of its first presidency of the UN Security Council at the beginning of May, Swiss diplomacy is trying to ensure the smooth running of the Council’s work so that it can make decisions more easily and is trying to efficiently manage the one-month work program.
During its presidency, Switzerland will also use the opportunity to highlight its priorities defined for its mandate and provide impetus to the work of the Council. As its first major activity, on 3 May Switzerland organized an open debate on mutual trust for peace and security, in line with the priority of “promoting sustainable peace”.
Bosnia and Herzegovina will be on the agenda of the Security Council on May 10, and Switzerland, as chairman, will try to ensure the best possible conditions for a constructive exchange in this regard.
