A conflict-prone UN Security Council?

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Against the backdrop of intensified US-China great power competition and the deepening isolation of Russia by the West, the UN Security Council (UNSC) risks becoming increasingly paralyzed given the veto power prerogatives held by the five permanent council members. Indeed, we might see a return to the Cold War era when the UNSC was systematically prevented from pursuing its authorized mandate of maintaining international peace and security. While this seems to bode ill, especially for small states relying on the effectiveness of multilateral institutions such as the UNSC, it may also open up new opportunities for small states if they understand how to navigate, mediate or even bypass a conflict-prone UNSC. 

Ahead of Denmark’s prospective UNSC membership (2025-26), this DIIS seminar offers a small states perspective on the UN Security Council, drawing on recent experiences and insights from Norway’s membership of the council during 2021-22. Specifically, it asks what kind of instruments/objectives small states can successfully employ/pursue in the UNSC, and what we can learn from Norway’s current membership agenda?  

Speakers
Kristin Haugevik, senior research fellow, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI)
Niels Nagelhus Schia, senior research fellow, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI)
Andreas Bøje Forsby, researcher, Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS)

Programme
15.00-15.10     Introduction, Andreas Bøje Forsby
15.10-15.25     Not so paralyzed? The UNSC as an arena for international diplomacy, and the role elected states can play, Niels Nagelhus Schia
15.25-15.40     Small states on the UNSC: Diplomacy, practice and the Nordic experience, Kristin Haugevik
15.40-16.30     Q&A, moderated by Andreas Bøje Forsby

Recorded on Thursday 25 August 2022, 15.00-16.30 at DIIS ∙ Danish Institute for International Studies