Security Council Presidency

• June 1, 2020

Even if Belgium’s presidency took place in February and Estonia’s, in May, is over, the European Union just held a virtual press conference from its mission in New York City to say that this spring was a European one in the United Nations Security Council. The goal of the briefing, on May 29, was …

Security Council Presidency, US-UN Relations

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SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENCY

Estonia to Deliver High Tech, at Last, to the UN Security Council

Stéphanie Fillion

• April 30, 2020

Estonia assumed its first two-year term on the United Nations Security Council in January, and it will hold the presidency in May. It’s a tough time for international diplomacy, in light of the pandemic. “I don’t know exactly what’s waiting for us,” Estonian Ambassador Sven Jurgenson told PassBlue over Zoom from New York, where …

Security Council Presidency

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SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENCY

The Dominican Republic’s Hope for April: Smooth Sailing

Stéphanie Fillion

• April 2, 2020

With the incremental transformation the Security Council has gone through in March by transferring the bulk of its meetings online, the Dominican Republic’s special envoy to the United Nations intends to preside over the Council “like a sailboat, we’ll go wherever the wind takes us.” As the agenda of the Council will be adopted …

Caribbean, Peace and Security, Security Council Presidency

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SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENCY

China Is in the Hot Seat as Covid-19 Shadows Its Diplomacy

Stéphanie Fillion

• March 5, 2020

Over the past year China’s presence at the United Nations got suddenly noticed. It may be its more outgoing ambassador, Zhang Jun, its lobbying against human rights, its accession to high-level roles or the disengagement of the United States — perhaps all of the above that has drawn attention. But just as the country …

Peace and Security, Security Council Presidency

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SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENCY

From Five to Four: Belgium Strives to Fill the European Gap in the Security Council Left by Brexit

Stéphanie Fillion

• February 6, 2020

In Brussels, the month started with the removal of Britain’s flag from the European Union headquarters, while in New York, Belgium became rotating president of the United Nations Security Council for February, ready to fill the political vacuum left by Britain’s departure from the European bloc on the Council, thanks to Brexit. PassBlue met …

Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Security Council Presidency

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SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENCY

Vietnam’s Pivotal Month as Leader of the Security Council and of Asean for 2020

Stéphanie Fillion

• January 8, 2020

With tensions becoming more and more serious in the Middle East and with two crucial leadership roles to play internationally, diplomats in Hanoi are probably working hard to make sure Vietnam’s big diplomatic month of January is a success. Vietnam’s diplomacy has arrived at a critical moment, as it presides over the United Nations …

Asia, Security Council Presidency

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SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENCY

Kelly Knight Craft’s Menu for the UN: Bourbon, Basketball and Bonding

Dulcie Leimbach and Stéphanie Fillion

• December 6, 2019

GLASGOW, Kentucky — “There’s no place like home for the holidays” is the United States’ theme for the Security Council presidency in December, while at the same time, in a slight contradiction, the US wants to tackle the problem of the Council’s credibility. To illustrate her point about the Council’s “credibility,” as she said, …

Security Council Presidency, US Foreign Relations, US-UN Relations

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SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENCY

Britain’s Plan for the UN Security Council Presidency: Forget About Brexit

Stéphanie Fillion

• November 7, 2019

While Britain struggles to find an orderly way to exit the European Union after several years of attempting to do so, the country will highlight how other world problems affect ordinary people in its role as Security Council president in November. That focus definitely means avoiding the subject of Brexit! Britain, which has been …

Security Council Presidency

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SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENCY

Africa Will No Longer Be Sidelined: South Africa’s Goal on the UN Security Council

Stéphanie Fillion

• October 9, 2019

Jerry Matthews Matjila, South Africa’s point man at the United Nations, took the hot seat on the Security Council as its president for October with busy days now in sight. “There are 40 meetings already planned before we start the month,” he told the press, noting the month covers five weeks. “It’s going to …

Africa, Peace and Security, Security Council Presidency

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Russia Is Busy as Security Council President, but Putin Is Staying Home

Stéphanie Fillion

• September 4, 2019

Russia is president of the United Nations Security Council in September just as nearly 200 heads of state and government and even a prince or two will soon travel to New York City to attend the opening session of the General Assembly. President Vladimir Putin will not be taking part in any event this …

Nuclear Disarmament, Security Council Presidency, US Foreign Relations

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SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENCY

Why Poland Could Master Mideast Issues in the UN Security Council

Stéphanie Fillion

• August 6, 2019

Even though many people think of August as vacation time, Joanna Wronecka, Poland’s ambassador to the United Nations, is not taking off anytime soon, as she is presiding over the Security Council for the month. As the Security Council is going to tackle issues affecting the Middle East and other parts of the world, …

Child Soldiers, Middle East, Security Council Presidency

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SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENCY

Peru’s Security Council Presidency: Watching Over Latin America

Stéphanie Fillion

• July 2, 2019

Peru, the second country after Colombia to accept the most refugees from Venezuela, has so far taken in 800,000 Venezuelans escaping their nation’s crushing economic and political crisis. But the Peruvian government has recently changed its travel requirements, asking migrants and refugees to have a humanitarian visa and a passport to enter the country. Despite the change, …

Latin America, Security Council, Security Council Presidency

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SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENCY

Kuwait’s Priority for the UN Security Council Presidency: Iraq and the Mideast

Stéphanie Fillion

• June 3, 2019

Still, this small oil-rich Arab country has an agenda of its own that it wants to fulfill as it ends its last presidency on the Council — in probably decades — on a strong note. For June, Kuwait plans to work on the topic of missing persons in armed conflict, an issue that touches its …

Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Middle East, Security Council Presidency

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SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENCY

The UN Security Council’s New President: An Indonesian Economist and ‘Peace Broker’

Stéphanie Fillion

• May 2, 2019

Indonesia, the world’s fourth-most populous country, just held what its top United Nations ambassador, Dian Triansyah Djani, calls the “world’s largest election ever held” for a presidency in such a short period of time. While ballots are still being counted and the next government prepares to take shape in May, Indonesia’s work at the …

Asia, Security Council Presidency

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SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENCY

UN Security Council Presidency: Two Old Friends Share an Office, Part 2

Stéphanie Fillion

• April 9, 2019

To try to show European unity before a key parliamentary election for the European Union in May, France and Germany teamed up for the United Nations Security Council presidencies in March and April, respectively. After the first stint by France — including a Council trip to Mali and Burkina Faso in the Sahel region …