Switzerland's membership of the UN Security Council: a look back and a look ahead

As part of its priority of building sustainable peace, Switzerland, as a member of the Security Council, is committed to fostering trust in order to strengthen cooperation between Council members. On 3 May, Switzerland organised a high-level debate during its month-long presidency, focusing on building trust for global peace and security. With the statement "Where there is trust, anything is possible", Federal Councillor and head of the FDFA Ignazio Cassis launched the Council discussion on a topic that is more important than ever against the backdrop of mistrust and tensions between the major powers. The bulk of the 68 countries that took part in the debate agreed that trust in institutions is a key enabler of peace. Mr Cassis emphasised that science can play a key role in promoting sustainable peace. Scientifically sound facts underpin mutual trust, and science and new technologies offer the opportunity to anticipate and understand future risks and opportunities, in order to respond to them.

On 2 November, the UN Security Council unanimously authorised the mandate of the EUFOR ALTHEA stabilisation mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina for another year. The core task of the mission is to support the authorities in maintaining a secure environment in the country. This year's negotiations took place under Switzerland's leadership. In this role, it facilitated dialogue between all parties. EUFOR ALTHEA makes an important contribution to peacekeeping in Bosnia and Herzegovina and helps stabilise the Western Balkans region.

On 30 May 2023, Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), presented five principles for the protection of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in south-eastern Ukraine to the UN Security Council, in the presence of Ukrainian and Russian representatives:

1. No attacks of any kind from or against the nuclear power plant;
2. No storage or stationing of heavy weapons or troops at the plant;
3. No threat to the external power supply;
4. Protection of all systems necessary for safe operation against attacks or acts of sabotage;
5. No actions that undermine these principles.

The session focused on the protection of civilians from nuclear disasters. "We are all aware of the risks to the civilian population when a nuclear power plant is located in a war zone. It is our duty to protect the civilian population," said Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis at the meeting in New York. In consultation with the IAEA and the other Council members, Swiss diplomacy had been working in the weeks prior to 30 May to ensure that this meeting took place. Mr Cassis, who chaired the meeting in the Council, recalled that the protection of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is a matter of respect for international humanitarian law. Respecting and promoting this law is a priority for Switzerland and a pillar of its good offices.

Switzerland also organised another open debate in the Security Council during its presidency. Chaired by the President of the Swiss Confederation, Alain Berset, the meeting discussed actions to break the vicious cycle between conflict and food insecurity and was attended by a large number of high-level participants. The debate highlighted the importance of international humanitarian law in armed conflicts, an issue that Switzerland, as depositary state of the Geneva Conventions and host state of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), has long been strongly committed to. Speaking on Switzerland's behalf, Mr Berset suggested concrete ways in which civilians could be better protected, while stressing that political will was crucial. 

Switzerland was also able to make its mark in the area of climate security, although the issue is not an easy one in the UN Security Council due to the national interests of various Council members. The effects of climate change, such as droughts, floods and other natural disasters, threaten the livelihoods of people worldwide. This undermines stability and security in many countries and regions. Armed conflicts are prevalent in more than half of the states most affected by climate change and most vulnerable to its consequences. During the negotiations on five mandate renewals for UN peacekeeping missions in 2023, Switzerland successfully advocated for the issue of security to be incorporated in the adopted resolution texts and given greater consideration. The missions concerned are those in South Sudan (UNMISS), Iraq (UNAMI), Haiti (BINUH), Libya (UNSMIL) and Somalia (UNSOM). 

As part of its priority of enhancing the effectiveness of the Security Council, Switzerland is committed, among other things, to strengthening the Council's link with the work of the UN in Geneva and to improving working processes and the Security Council's capacity to act. At Switzerland's initiative, the current ten non-permanent members (E10) of the Council and the five newly elected members for the years 2024–25 met in Geneva and in Glion, near Montreux, between 27 and 29 August 2023. This exchange provided an opportunity to build relationships and discuss common challenges and potential solutions in the Security Council. This engagement also promotes the institutional memory of the E10 and thus the continuity of the Council's work. Furthermore, it strengthens the capacity of elected members to influence the Council's agenda, working methods and decision-making processes. This ultimately benefits the Security Council, the UN and multilateralism. After all, against the backdrop of countless conflicts and crises around the world, an efficient and capable Security Council is more important than ever.