Malta and Switzerland have been elected to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) as non-permanent members (NPMs) for the 2023-24 term, that began on January 1, 2023. The two countries are elected in the “Western Europe and other States” category. Malta and Switzerland will be serving their second and first term respectively as UNSC’s non-permanent members. Prior to this, Malta held UNSC’s non-permanent membership in 1983-84. UNSC’s non-permanent membership provides an opportunity for the members to advance issues important to them. NPMs enter the council with a clear set of agenda and priorities and have the capability of influencing UNSC’s outcomes.[i] The brief analyzes Malta’s and Switzerland’s two-year tenure as non-permanent members and what do they bring on table amidst changing global geopolitics.
Source: Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA)
Malta’s Non-Permanent Membership in the UNSC
Malta is elected for the second time as UNSC’s non-permanent member with 185 votes. Malta’s Foreign Affairs Minister Ian Borg called it a historic day for the country. Malta’s PM Robert Abela tweeted saying that “Serving on the Council provides Malta a significant opportunity to contribute to the maintenance of global peace and security”.[ii]
Malta as part of its UNSC’s NPM candidature recognized its responsibility to maintain international peace and security and to promote equality and social solidarity. Malta has further stressed its commitment towards effective multilateralism as integral part of its foreign policy approach. In the post-pandemic world and subsequent geopolitical challenges, Malta highlighted the need for achieving security, sustainability and solidarity.[iii] Elaborating further on its agenda for the two-year tenure, Malta has emphasized the following:
With respect to its foreign policy, Malta appears determined to work towards conflict resolution and peace processes. For this purpose, it encourages an inclusive participation of women and youth across the world. Through the UNSC platform, Malta aims to highlight the role of education as being indispensable for the achievement of SDGs. It calls for an accessible educational system across the world where children acquire relevant knowledge, skills, competencies and attitudes. Malta calls for equity, social justice, diversity and inclusivity as the guiding principles for countries while implementing their educational system. Climate change and associated risks also appear central to Malta’s foreign policy.[iv] As a small island state, Malta is committed and aware of the threat emanating from climate change and calls for multilateral engagement and solidarity of the international community towards Small Island Developing States (SIDS).[v]
Apart from the pre-defined goals and objectives that Malta has outlined as part of its agenda at the UNSC, it’s participation, involvement and commitment towards already existing global outreach programs and policies will be looked at with greater hopes. For instance, Malta is a Co-Chair of the Group of Friends on the Reintegration of Child Soldiers. Since Malta outlines conflict resolution as one of its priority agenda, it’s approach towards addressing issues of children affected by armed conflict will be a crucial part of its tenure at UNSC. Additionally, Malta provides for Overseas Development Aid to improve the quality of lives of communities across the world. For example, training of Ghanaian firefighters in Malta, donating Maltese potatoes to Namibia etc. During the last decade, more than 180 projects have been co-financed by Malta across the world under the three pillars of capacity building, scholarships and humanitarian aid. The next two years shall be closely observed in terms of how Malta takes its aiding projects forward. Lastly, as an island country, vulnerable to climate change, Malta talks about the significance of enabling UNSC to effectively deal with interlinkage issues of climate and security.[vi] Hence, Malta’s voice in the UNSC will hold significance, particularly on matters related to climate change.
Switzerland’s Non-Permanent Membership in the UNSC
Since joining the UN in 2002, it is the first time Switzerland has been elected as a non-permanent member at the UNSC. Switzerland received 187 votes and had a clear confidence of the Security Council. Swiss President Ignazio Cassis reflected, through his statements, upon the role Switzerland intends to play at the UNSC by stating, “We want to exploit Swiss expertise to work for peace and represent our values in the world, and, as a neutral country, to be part of the search for compromise and solutions”.[vii]
Under Switzerland’s Federal Constitution, it states that the country has a duty to contribute to the peaceful coexistence of peoples and the preservation of natural resources. Through UNSC seat, Switzerland will be able to fulfill the constitutional mandate more effectively, considering it is in line with the Security Council’s mandate of promoting international peace and security. In terms of the Swiss agenda for the two-year term of the UNSC, President Ignazio has emphasized the need for greater dialogue in these challenging times and how Switzerland aims to facilitate the same. He further emphasized the need for strengthening multilateralism and enhanced cooperation among Member States to deal with issues like climate change, migration, poverty and pandemic. As part of its UNSC agenda, Switzerland has set four priorities for its two-year tenure: [viii]
UNSC’s non-permanent membership is likely to increase Switzerland’s foreign policy weight. Switzerland is an export-oriented economy that encourages open markets. Peace and stability are central to the uninterrupted flow of trade. As a UNSC NPM, Switzerland will have an opportunity to use its expertise and credibility in peaceful settlement of disputes and contribute to UN system of Collective Security.[ix] Switzerland’s neutrality has been the most striking feature of its candidature for the UNSC’s NPM. Neutrality facilitates greater credibility of mediation between conflicting parties. Switzerland will be expected to play an influential role during its tenure in terms of negotiating peace between conflicting countries.
On December 14, 2022, Switzerland in its official statement at the Security Council thanked India for initiating and organizing a debate on reformed multilateralism. Having said that, Switzerland highlighted its stance of dealing with complex challenges by strengthening multilateralism and through collective efforts. Switzerland highlighted three aspects of how it aims to deal with reformed multilateralism:[x]
Conclusion
Today, the geopolitical and strategic challenges across the world have reinstated a greater need of a more proactive UNSC. Return of conflicts and crisis across the world and global recession has drawn urgent attention of the world community. Amidst this, Malta and Switzerland’s tenure at the UNSC cannot be timelier. As these two small countries push for a more multilateral and inclusive approach in the UNSC, it is expected to have an impact on the course of international relations and veto behaviors of the permanent members in the Security Council.
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*Dr. Monika Gupta is a Research Fellow at ICWA.
Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal.
Endnotes
[i] Hillnotes (2020), “The role of non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council”, 12 June, Accessed on 26 December 2022, available at https://hillnotes.ca/2020/06/12/the-role-of-non-permanent-members-of-the-united-nations-security-council/.
[ii] Malta Independent (2022), “Malta elected as non-permanent member of UN Security Council”, 9 June, Accessed on 26 December 2022, available at https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2022-06-09/local-news/Malta-appointed-as-non-permanent-member-of-UN-security-council-6736243608.
[iii] Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade (2022), “Malta 2023-2024 United Nations Security Council”, Accessed on 27 December 2022, available at https://foreign.gov.mt/en/embassies/pr_new_york/documents/mfea%20unsc%20brochure.pdf
[iv] Ibid.
[v] SIDS – Small Island Developing States – is a distinct group of 38 UN member states and 20 non-UN members that face unique social, economic and environmental vulnerabilities.
[vi] Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade (2022), “Malta 2023-2024 United Nations Security Council”, Accessed on 27 December 2022, available at https://foreign.gov.mt/en/embassies/pr_new_york/documents/mfea%20unsc%20brochure.pdf
[vii] Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Switzerland (2022), “Switzerland’s election to the UN Security Council”, 9 June, Accessed on 27 December 2022, available at https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/fdfa/fdfa/aktuell/newsuebersicht/2022/06/wahl-schweiz-uno-sicherheitsrat.html.
[viii] Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Switzerland (2022), “Switzerland’s priorities for serving on the UN Security Council, 31 August, Accessed on 27 December 2022, available at https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/fdfa/fdfa/aktuell/newsuebersicht/2022/05/schweizer-schwerpunkte-uno-sicherheitsrat.html
[ix] Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Switzerland (2022), “Switzerland on the UN Security Council”, 9 June, Accessed on 28 December 2022, available at https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home/foreign-policy/international-organizations/un/switzerland-commitment/UNO-Sicherheitsrat.html#.
[x] Swiss Statement at the United Nations Security Council (2022), “Maintaining international peace and security: A new direction for a reformed multilateralism”, 14 December, Accessed on 29 December 2022, available at https://www.aplusforpeace.ch/maintaining-international-peace-and-security-new-direction-reformed-multilateralism.
[xi] United Nations, “Our Common Agenda”, Accessed on 28 December 2022, available at https://www.un.org/en/common-agenda .