Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 November 2020
18. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the preparations that have been made ahead of Ireland joining the UN Security Council in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38070/20]
View answerIreland will take up its seat on the UN Security Council for the 2021-2022 term on 1 January. We will engage constructively across the Council agenda, on the basis of three core principles: Building Peace, Strengthening Prevention, and Ensuring Accountability.
A key aspect of Building Peace is peacekeeping. We will look to improve peacekeeping mandates, and strengthen the link with peacebuilding. We want to emphasise an inclusive approach, ensuring the involvement of women, youth and civil society.
On Strengthening Prevention, we will address drivers of conflict, notably human rights violations and climate change, and strengthen the protection of civilians, including from conflict-related hunger.
To Ensure Accountability, we will uphold international humanitarian and human rights law, and stand firmly in support of the International Criminal Court.
We will also engage actively on country-specific issues. We are identifying where we can have most impact, for example on Women Peace and Security, on climate and security, in relation to Iran and the JCPOA, on sanctions policy and practice, and on humanitarian access in Syria.
We have good relationships with the Council’s Permanent and elected members. We do not agree on everything, and we have no illusions on the challenges ahead. I am undertaking a series of consultations with a wide range of counterparts and my officials are doing the same.
We will draw from the extensive expertise available within Irish civil society and academia. We have established a stakeholder forum, in partnership with the IIEA, to support us in planning for our Council term.
This is a Government-wide effort, and we will work closely with other Departments. An inter-departmental coordination group has been established to facilitate information sharing and ensure coherence on cross-cutting issues.
I was pleased to discuss our preparations with the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence on 12 November, and I look forward to keeping the Oireachtas informed of our work on the Council throughout Ireland’s term.
