Meinl-Reisinger Launches Austria's Bid for a Seat on the UN Security Council

Austria aims to take responsibility once again in the most powerful UN body for the 2027/28 period - "for the security of law instead of the law of the strongest!", stated Beate Meinl-Reisinger (NEOS) on Twitter/X. Austria's Foreign Minister will meet with UN Secretary-General António Guterres in New York, among others.

Appearance of Foreign Minister Meinl-Reisinger at Debate on Conflict Hotspots in the UN Security Council

In an open debate in the UN Security Council on the topic "Advancing Adaptability in UN Peace Operations - Responding to New Realities," Foreign Minister Meinl-Reisinger will also demand the maintenance of the rules-based international order. "Especially for countries the size of Austria, it would be particularly dangerous if the law of the strongest were to prevail over the security of law on an international level," said Foreign Minister Meinl-Reisinger in advance. The focus of the debate is on geopolitical crisis hotspots, primarily Ukraine and the Middle East. The Foreign Minister particularly wants to emphasize the importance of security and stability in the Western Balkans.

Austria Aims for Fourth Time in UN Security Council

Austria has been elected to the UN Security Council three times so far: in the periods 1973/74, 1991/92, and 2009/10. The election for the 2027/28 period will take place in 2026. The domestic campaign is coordinated by diplomat Jan Kickert, who was, among other roles, Austria's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York. The UN Security Council has 15 members. Five members are permanently represented: the USA, China, Russia, France, and the United Kingdom. They have veto power. Decisions are only made if a majority of nine out of the 15 vote in favor and all representatives of the five are on board. This composition and weighting primarily reflect the world order after the end of World War II. The other ten members of the UN Security Council are elected for two-year terms and do not have veto power. There is a regional key for this: Africa provides three of the ten non-permanent members, the blocks Asia, Latin America/Caribbean, and Western Europe each provide two, and Eastern Europe provides one.

Austria Seeks to Succeed Denmark in UN Security Council

Meinl-Reisinger will also meet her Danish counterpart Lars Løkke Rasmussen in New York for a bilateral working meeting. Denmark is currently one of the non-permanent members of the UN Security Council for 2025/26. If elected to the body, Austria would effectively take Denmark's place for Western Europe. The program of the NEOS politician's trip to New York also includes a meeting with Rabbi Arthur Schneier at the Park East Synagogue, where Meinl-Reisinger will reaffirm Austria's commitment to combating all forms of anti-Semitism.

(APA/Red)

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