The Security Council: Norway’s priorities

Norway will work to enhance the protection of civilians, promote women’s participation and rights in peace processes and highlight the links between security and sustainable development, including security concerns related to climate change. 

Norway’s commitment to the UN has deep roots. As a founding member, Norway has been an unwavering and consistent supporter of the United Nations and the rules-based international system since the foundation.

Norway has participated in quiet diplomacy  for decades, and has played an active role in peace and reconciliation efforts all over the world – from the Middle East, to Africa, Asia and Latin America. Norway continues to be strongly engaged in this field today. In this work, we have shown that we are a reliable and constructive problem-solver. This is an approach we will take with us into the Security Council.

Our approach will be clear and consistent, and our positions will be based on the long-standing and well-established principles of Norwegian foreign policy. We will be an outspoken defender of international law, including international humanitarian and human rights law.

We will seek to make the Security Council’s working methods more transparent and inclusive. We will consult with all member states to find solution and we will engage with civil society and other stakeholders.  

In addressing country situations on the Council’s agenda, Norway will focus in particular on four thematic areas:

1. Peace diplomacy. Over the course of many years, Norway has built up unique experience and extensive networks of contacts in the area of peace diplomacy. We will use the knowledge we have gained from our engagement in peace processes to strengthen the Council’s conflict prevention and resolution efforts.

• Norway’s peace and reconciliation efforts

2. Inclusion of women. Norway has worked systematically over many years to promote women’s participation in peace processes in which we are engaged. If elected to the Council, we can make use of our knowledge of the women, peace and security agenda and integrate this area into all the Council’s work. We can help to ensure that women’s participation and rights are safeguarded in UN peace and security efforts.

• Women’s participation in peace processes

3 Protection of civilians. Norway will work to strengthen the protection of civilians, including children, and will use international humanitarian and human rights law as a basis for these efforts. Norway is a major humanitarian actor and has gained wide knowledge and experience of humanitarian work, in part from cooperation with civil society organisations, that we can bring to the Security Council. Norway will give special priority to efforts to prevent and combat sexual violence in conflict.

• Norway’s humanitarian efforts

4. Climate change and security. Climate change and security are closely linked. Norway will work to ensure that the Security Council discusses climate-related security threats and that it assesses, on a continual basis, the possible impact of climate change on other issues on its agenda.

1. Norway’s approach to climate and security

The UN Security Council’s legitimacy and effectiveness are dependent on all member states playing their part so that the Security Council can fulfil its responsibility to safeguard international peace and security. Norway will shoulder its share of this responsibility.