The Elected Ones: Taking Care of Business in the UN Security Council, a study on Sweden (2017-18)

Please note: This page refers to an event that has already taken place.

Time: Wednesday, 23 June 2021 13:00-14:30
Place: Online event

The Elected Ones: Taking Care of Business in the UN Security Council, a study on Sweden (2017-18)
Security Council Meets on Liberia. A wide view of the Council chambers during the vote on resolution 1579 (2004) concerning Liberia. Unique Identifier: UN7769519 - Production Date: 12/21/2004 2:28:58 PM. Photo:

​On 11 June 2021, state representatives gathered in the UN General Assembly to elect new members to the UN Security Council (UNSC) for a two-year term. Elected states have an opportunity to affect core matters of international peace and security, but what are the practical implications for a state as one of the elected? How do they assess opportunities and form aims and strategies for their terms? What conditions do they have to maneuver to promote their interests in a hierarchical Council? Finally, how can we understand and assess potential results from their efforts? These questions are discussed in the report Sweden as an Elected Member of the UN Security Council (2017-18): Promoting Women, Peace and Security as Core Council Business. This webinar brings together scholars and decision-makers to discuss the findings of the report. promote dialogue, and advance our knowledge on elected UNSC members.

This webinar is free and open for all, attendance by registration.

Register here.

The report takes as its starting point that the opportunities for an elected state to influence Council proceedings might differ between policy areas, and particularly deliberates on the role of elected states in promoting the implementation of the resolutions on Women, Peace and Security (WPS). 

Sweden sought to promote WPS becoming 'core Council business  where attention was paid to women's participation in Council proceedings and the integration of WPS in regular UNSC resolutions in order to, in the words of the UN Secretary-General, move toward "impactful action rather than empty rhetoric". 

Norway, now serving on the Council, and Denmark, seeking a seat for 2025-2026, equally prioritize the promotion of WPS. As expressed by Norway's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ine Eriksen Søreide "… people in the Security Council and outside the Security Council, expect from us, that we will push this agenda forward". 

Thereby, the Nordic states join a long line of states before them in promoting WPS, starting with elected members Bangladesh and Namibia in 2000. Despite growing interest among elected states, however, research on their role and efforts on WPS in the UNSC remains limited, and is needed in order to assist in understanding progress and setbacks. This report seeks to contribute to ongoing efforts to address these gaps.

Speakers

  • André Mundal, Special Envoy for Women, Peace and Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway
  • Angela Muvumba Sellström, Senior Researcher, Nordic Africa Institute (NAI)
  • Annika Söder, Ambassador and Special Representative of the Osce CiO for South Caucasus, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Sweden
  • Carl Skau, Deputy Director General and Head of Department for UN policy, Conflict and Humanitarian Affairs, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Sweden
  • Henrik Urdal, Director, Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)
  • Louise Olsson, Senior Researcher at PRIO and leader of the project “Sweden in the UNSC”
  • Marianne Kress, Head of Department for Migration, Stabilization and Fragility, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Denmark
  • Mimmi Söderberg Kovacs, Head of Research and Development, the Folke Bernadotte Academy, FBA
  • Patty Chang, Senior Researcher, PRIO and New York University
  • Torunn L. Tryggestad, Director, PRIO Centre on Gender, Peace and Security
  • Therése Sjömander Magnusson, Director, the Nordic Africa Institute.

Programme

13.00-14.30 (CEST/GMT+2)

Welcome

  • Henrik Urdal, Director, Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO).

Swedish experiences of making WPS core business

  • Carl Skau, Deputy Director General and Head of Department for UN policy, Conflict and Humanitarian Affairs, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Sweden - TBC.

Presentation of the report

Chair: Torunn L. Tryggestad, Director, PRIO Centre on Gender, Peace and Security.

  • Louise Olsson, Senior Researcher at PRIO and leader of the project “Sweden in the UNSC”.
  • Patty Chang, Senior Researcher, PRIO and New York University.
  • Angela Muvumba Sellström, Senior Researcher, Nordic Africa Institute (NAI).
  • Reflections on the findings and the way ahead for research: Mimmi Söderberg Kovacs, Head of Research and Development, the Folke Bernadotte Academy, FBA.

Dialogue on Nordic experiences

Chair: Louise Olsson, Senior Researcher at PRIO and leader of the project “Sweden in the UNSC.
  • André Mundal, Special Envoy for Women, Peace and Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway.
  • Annika Söder, Ambassador and Special Representative of the Osce CiO for South Caucasus, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Sweden.
  • Marianne Kress, Head of Department for Migration, Stabilization and Fragility, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Denmark - TBC.

Closing reflections

  • Therése Sjömander Magnusson, Director, the Nordic Africa Institute

This event is organised by: 

Acknowledgements

The report is based on a project funded by the Norwegian Foreign Ministry, with additional support from the Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA), the Nordic Africa Institute (NAI) and Uppsala University. The research was conducted as a collaboration between PRIO and Uppsala University. The project is part of a larger research cooperation on the role of elected members between the Nordic Africa Institute and PRIO, with the University of Pretoria, funded by the Swedish Research Council.