UN Security Council: Heiko Maas on international peace and security

"Conflicts are part and parcel of the Security Council’s day-to-day business. But we don’t often have an opportunity to take a step back and consider the causes of these conflicts."

At the start of Germany’s two-year membership of the Security Council, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas underlined the country’s interest in playing an active role. The priorities for its term on the Security Council will include the impact of climate change on security and combating sexual violence.

Germany has been a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for a two-year term since 1 January 2019. The Security Council is the only body that can make legally binding decisions for all Member States. It is comprised of five permanent members (France, Russia, the US, China and the UK) and ten non-permanent members. Under the Charter of the United Nations, the Security Council’s task is to safeguard peace and security worldwide.