Belgium as new boss of UN Security Council

by Roni Alasor

Brussels, 31 January 2020 - Middle East Diplomatic - From 1st of February 2020, Belgium is going to lead UN Security Council for one month. Belgium has seat in UN Security Council for two years from January 1st 2019 to end of 2020.

Speaking to the journalists in walking lunch in historical building Egmont Palace, Belgium Foreign Minister and Minister of Defence Philippe Goffin told that his country is ready to take over UN Security Council.

Minister Goffin and his diplomatic corps are full of energy with ambitious to develop Belgium vision of multilateralism based on preventive diplomacy and dialogue for a safer world. Right after 1st February 2020, Minister Goffin and his team will pay a visit to Middle East where he will also have meetings with Iraqi authorities,  Prime Minister and President of Kurdistan Region. 

Talking to Med-Diplomatic, Minister Goffin is aware over the challenges Belgium is going to face in the current world crises when we have five big permanent heads leading UN Security Council, each trying to put their own agenda.

As a founding member of the United Nations, Belgium will closely cooperate with European Union to put EU values and policy in UN agenda. Well informed sources from Belgium Ministry of Foreign Affairs told that its UN team will also fight for Germany’s Libya initiative as EU project. 

However, Belgium is not going to work only on Syrian war, Daesh/ISIS terror, Libya, Sudan and many other global crises and conflicts where many powers and interests are involved, but during its presidency, Belgium will also put other topics on the Council`s agenda, such as the issue of children in armed conflict, Transitional Justice and the importance of European cooperation within the Council.

In a press release, Belgium has decided to put three specific topics on the agenda of the Security Council:

•Children in armed conflict. Today, more than 420 million children (1 in 5 worldwide) suffer the consequences of conflict situations. On February 12, King Philippe will address the Security Council on the theme "Protecting children through peace processes". This session will provide an opportunity to discuss the guidelines on the protection of children in peace processes developed by the United Nations and to mobilize the members of the Security Council around this theme.

•Transitional Justice. In the aftermath of conflict, countries often still face enormous challenges such as violence or major violations of human rights or international humanitarian law. Communities that were previously opposed must learn to live together again and to build a society based on reconciliation. Increasingly, countries emerging from crisis understand the importance of taking these traumas into account in order to lead to peaceful societies and lasting peace. Transitional Justice plays a key role in this area. On February 13, Foreign Minister Philippe Goffin will preside over an open debate in the Security Council on "Transitional Justice", in the presence of several experts and key witnesses.

•European cooperation within the UN Security Council: Belgium has invited Josep Borrell, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs, to address the Security Council on the role and actions of the European Union in world affairs and on cooperation between the EU and the UN. His speech - the first in his capacity as High Representative - is scheduled for February 25.