The UN Security Council: Maintaining international peace after the invasion

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As the war in Ukraine is about to enter its second year, the UN Security Council is struggling to act decisively in the face of increased great power rivalry and the hardening conflict with Russia. This is driven by the institutionalized power of the five permanent members which allows them to not only veto decisions but to influence the agenda of the UNSC or undermine UN activities by withholding funding. In this context, Denmark has launched its candidacy for the UN Security Council in 2025-2026 but what can small states hope to achieve as elected members of the UN Security Council? 

This event will explore strategies available to non-permanent elected members of the UN Security Council to exert influence. It will point to examples and strategies available to single elected members-states, particularly the lessons-learned by Norway during its 2021-2022 UNSC membership, but also explore the potential of increased collaboration within the group of elected members (the so-called E10) to influence the UNSC agenda. 

Speakers

Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, President, International Peace Institute (IPI)
Zeid was Jordan's representative to the UN 2000-2007 and ambassador to the United States between 2007-2010. He played a key role in the establishment of the International Criminal Court and served as the UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights from from 2014 to 2018. He has an extensive knowledge of peacekeeping, serving in different UN peacekeeping missions and is a professor of Practice of Law and Human Rights at the University of Pennsylvania.

Niels Nagelhaus Schia, Senior Research Fellow, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI)
Niels Nagelhus Schia is a senior research fellow, head of NUPI's Research group on security and defense, and head of NUPI's Center on digitalization and cyber security studies.

Cecilie Felicia Stokholm Banke, head of the Foreign Policy unit and senior researcher, DIIS

Maria-Louise Clausen, senior researcher, DIIS

Programme

15.00-15.10     Introduction, Cecilie Felicia Stokholm Banke
15.10-15.25     Breaking the Paralysis: How the E10 Can Meet the Challenge of Ukraine, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein
15.25-15.40     Useful or useless? The UN Security Council and Russia’s war in Ukraine, Niels Nagelhaus Schia
15.40-16.00     Q&A, moderated by Maria-Louise Clausen

Recorded on 20 February 2023, 15.00-16.00 at DIIS Auditorium.