28 May 2025
Thank you very much, Mr. President.
I want to thank Special Coordinator Kaag for her briefing today and for her asks. I also want to thank Dr. Sidhwa for his testimony and for his work in Gaza.
Mr. President,
Many times we have said we are lost for words. But we cannot repeat these phrases over and over again.
Early on during our Council term, I instructed my team to avoid lengthy explanations of the situation on the ground in our statements. This is for the briefers, who, usually on a weekly basis, or even more often, inform us about the state of affairs. And here at the UN and in the Security Council, I think we are very lucky, we are very privileged, we are honored to have the best briefers on the situation on the ground. From Special Coordinator Kaag, to Under-Secretary-General Fletcher to civil society briefers, like Dr. Sidhwa today.
Our role is not to challenge the briefers, is not to challenge the messages but to address the message. Our role is to take positions. To be the one who takes into account briefings. The one who can carefully examine the positions of the others and find possibilities for the Council to react to threats to international peace and security.
Mr. President,
My statement can be summarized in one word and one sentence – the word is responsibility. And we have the responsibility to protect. To protect civilians in Gaza.
Burning tents, striking schools-turned-shelters, continuously displacing civilians. Causing hunger, shutting down hospitals, cutting essential services. These grave violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law have pushed thousands of civilians to the brink of survival.
As the task of listing every single cruelty has become impossible, our responsibility not to remain silent has become clearer. And the responsibility to act.
We have a clear responsibility to protect civilians. With the alarm bells ringing through the latest IPC report and the information circulating on the hunger in Gaza, we continue calling for immediate lifting of the blockade on Gaza. As the full blockade surpassed two months, we must be clear that the current volume of aid reaching Gaza is not enough and that entry at scale and safe and unhindered distribution are urgently needed. Crossings need to be open, all possible corridors used and facilitation must be granted. Safe passage for medical personnel and humanitarian workers must be guaranteed. Time is of the essence.
We repeat that any actor delivering humanitarian assistance must adhere to international humanitarian law and international principles on humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence. We repeat our deep concerns over the new model of distribution of aid. We welcome the UN-coordinated plan to resume humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza, and as underlined in today’s statement by the EU High Representative Kallas, we recall the indispensable role of the UN in distributing humanitarian assistance. During the ceasefire, the UN proved that it can deliver if allowed.
Mr. President,
We have a clear responsibility to act.
This is why Slovenia fully supports the ongoing efforts of Egypt, Qatar and the United States to find a negotiated solution for a ceasefire in Gaza. We call on all parties to engage in good faith.
This is why Slovenia strongly supports the Conference on the two-state solution to be held in June under chairmanship of France and Saudi Arabia.
But we do believe these efforts should be done hand in hand with the action of the Security Council. Time is of the essence.
The Council should be clear in its unambiguous demand for unimpeded humanitarian access and that is why we support urgent action of the Council. We hope the Council will show unity when voting on a humanitarian resolution that is now being discussed among the elected members.
Mr. President,
Remaining silent is not an option.
Thank you.