Welcome
Working together to find solutions for peace and security: Foreign Minister Wadephul travels to the UN in New York
Flags of the member states in front of the United Nations Headquarters © Photothek
War in Ukraine and the Middle East and rising energy prices are issues that are on many people’s minds. The international community established the UN as an organisation to find solutions to such crises. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is travelling to the UN headquarters in New York today.
War in Ukraine and the Middle East and rising energy prices are issues that are on many people’s minds. The international community established the UN as an organisation to find solutions to such crises. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is travelling to the UN headquarters in New York today.
No single country can resolve the crises of our time by itself. When peace and security are at stake, the UN Security Council must take action. The Security Council can provide the international community with legitimate means to resolve wars and conflicts. This is another reason why Germany is applying for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2027/2028 term. If Germany is elected to the Security Council, we will focus on conflict prevention, crisis resolution, climate and security. With respect for the rules of the UN Charter and the perspectives of every member state, with a fair distribution of resources and with a commitment to peace and security as our top priority. Germany has therefore adopted the motto “Respect – Justice – Peace” for its candidacy.
Foreign Minister Wadephul stated the following in this regard prior to his departure:
As one of the world’s leading economies and one of the UN system’s most important donors, reliable rules and global partnerships are key priorities for us. And we want to take on even greater direct responsibility for this by presenting our candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council from 2027. Germany wants to help shape the world’s security architecture – for peace and security, with respect and justice.
On Monday, Foreign Minister Wadephul will address the Security Council on issues of maritime security. The focus here will primarily be on the international community’s approach to Iran and the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, which is one of the world’s most important trade routes. One in five litres of oil must pass through this strait. When such vital shipping routes are blocked, many people in Germany feel the impact at the petrol pumps. Elsewhere, hardship is severe due to a lack of fertiliser from the Gulf states and expected crop failures.
Foreign Minister Wadephul stated the following in this regard prior to his departure:
In the Persian Gulf, Iran is attacking the global economy. The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz reminds us how vulnerable our prosperity and global supply chains are. Those countries that have neither the means nor the resources to build up reserves are particularly affected. A lack of energy and fertiliser greatly jeopardises the world’s food supply. Today in New York, I will therefore call on the UN Security Council to live up to its responsibility. By stepping up and taking responsibility now, the Security Council is strengthening the international order.
Germany wants to help ensure that merchant ships can once again pass safely through the Strait of Hormuz; the UN Security Council could, for instance, issue a mandate to this effect. One way for the international community to intervene in conflicts, deploy peacekeeping missions or secure international shipping routes would be via a mandate from the UN Security Council.
Germany firmly believes that global issues can only be resolved in the long term through the cooperation of international partners and institutions. Many UN organisations undertake tasks on behalf of the international community that no one else is currently able to perform. For example, humanitarian assistance would be inconceivable without major UN organisations such as the World Food Programme and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Many people in war-torn regions such as the Sudan and Gaza are only able to survive with their help. In Lebanon, the UN Children’s Fund UNICEF, with Germany’s support, protects the most vulnerable in the current conflict. The World Bank promotes education, health and infrastructure projects in a wide range of countries, making it easier for them to secure loans, while the International Court of Justice ensures compliance with international law. All of these organisations are part of the UN and its specialised agencies.
That is why Germany needs the UN – and the UN needs strong member states such as Germany. More than 30 UN organisations with well in excess of 1000 staff members are based in Germany – including in Bonn, Berlin, Munich and Hamburg. Furthermore, Germany is becoming an increasingly important location for the UN. In January, the UNDP, as the leading organisation for development cooperation, decided to relocate part of its headquarters to Bonn. Germany is the second-largest contributor to the UN system and is involved in peacekeeping missions around the world with military, police and civilian forces.
At the same time, the complex conflicts of our time remind us that even the UN can reach its limits. The UN system needs to be reformed in order to ensure that the UN is able fulfil its role as a guardian of peace and security even more effectively in the future. Foreign Minister Wadephul will also discuss this in New York with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who has initiated comprehensive UN reforms. Germany supports this process.
Foreign Minister Wadephul stated the following in this regard prior to his departure:
To ensure the organisation continues to make a valuable contribution to a world that is witnessing ever more conflicts, we must summon up the courage to embark on a renewal of the United Nations. If the UN is to resolve present-day and future conflicts, the organisation must remain credible and become more capable of action.
