Following list provides six priorities of the Republic of Slovenia for the 67th session of the United Nations General Assembly, in the period between 2012 and 2013. Within the scope of its human and financial resources, Slovenia will work towards co-creating, actively promoting and implementing the priorities, bearing in mind current global trends as well as its own resources and the advantages on which it can upgrade its activity.

1. At the 67th session of the UN General Assembly, Slovenia will seek to raise its visibility and focus its activities on the basis of the concept of preventive diplomacy. Slovenia advocates the ‘responsibility to protect’ (R2P) concept to prevent the most serious human rights violations: genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity. As a member of the Group of Friends on Responsibility to Protect, it will further contribute to the discussion on the promotion of this concept within the UN. Within the scope of the operationalisation of the R2P concept, Slovenia has been closely following the activities of certain countries active in the area of genocide prevention and the initiatives of various organisations of the civil society in the international community for an adequate institutionally enhanced prevention of genocide and other atrocities. At the 67th session of the UN General Assembly, Slovenia will present the initiative to set up an adequate international legal mechanism for the effective prevention of the crime of genocide. More needs to be done to implement the provisions of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Slovenia is an active member in the field of human security. It will pursue this path also in the future, both as part of the Human Security Network and the Friends of Human Security. As a member of the Group of Friends on Peace Mediation, Slovenia will uphold the efforts of the UN to guarantee peace mediation in conflicts by enhancing the UN’s mediation efforts. Only by according due respect to the rule of law is it possible to preserve international peace and security. Slovenia thus fully supports the efforts of the UN to ensure the consistent respect for the rule of law at the national and at the international level. Slovenia will resolutely support the efforts to end impunity for perpetrators of the most serious crimes, in particular the work of the International Criminal Court and other international tribunals. Furthermore, Slovenia fosters intercultural and interreligious dialogue and understanding among nations. As an active member of the Alliance of Civilizations, it seeks trust and understanding among different cultures, and promotes particularly policies and initiatives to improve the relations between the Western and the Muslim worlds.

2. Slovenia promotes the principles of democracy, human rights and dignity. It is in favour of: upgrading existing and developing new standards and guaranteeing the exercise of the existing rights; promoting respect for the rights of the child, the disabled; gender equality; eliminating all types of discrimination; upholding the rights of national and ethnic minorities; human rights education; promoting environment-related human rights; and abolishing capital punishment. Slovenia decided to put forward a candidature for the membership of the UN Human Rights Council for the period between 2016 and 2018.

3. Environmental changes brought about by climate change affect food, energy, and health security as well as migration flows, which, in turn, put at risk the economic and social development, as well as international peace and security. It places special attention on water, energy, forests, and biodiversity, keeping in mind its own natural resources and expertise. It stands for a more efficient management of natural resources, also as part of the International Decade for Action 'Water for Life', 2005–2015. Slovenia notes the importance of adequate access to energy resources, energy efficiency, and renewable energy, and upholds the initiative of the UN Secretary-General on Sustainable Energy for All.

4. In conventional arms control and disarmament, Slovenia will participate in the implementation, and strive for universal application, of the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Slovenia’s years-long disarmament efforts led to its election as the presiding country of the 12th meeting of the Parties to the Ottawa Convention on the prohibition of anti-personnel mines for the period 2012–2013. In this regard, Slovenia, through Slovenia based international trust fund – ITF Enhancing Human Security, is visible and active in the international community particularly in demining efforts and mine victims’ assistance.

5. Slovenia has been consistently highlighting the importance of safeguarding the progress achieved in developing countries in the past decades and of the realisation of the Millennium Development Goals. The goals agreed on in the international arena must be translated into regional, national, and sub-national goals, and be based on fundamental principles linked with sustainability, inclusiveness and equality, and respect for human rights. Well aware of the significance of the commitments on official development assistance, Slovenia will further endeavour to attain the defined goals within the scope of its capacities. 

6. In respect of sustainable development, Slovenia will be actively involved in the follow-up to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development Rio+20 and will seek to be included in the key processes and working groups. It will work towards a more balanced approach to all three dimensions of sustainable development – social, environmental, and economic.

Other areas and topics on the agenda of the 67th session of the UN General Assembly will also be closely followed by the Republic of Slovenia. Slovenia is a staunch supporter of the UN’s role in global governance and the related issues of a comprehensive reform, the rationalisation and enhanced effectiveness of the UN to adapt to the new geostrategic situation in the international community and to respond to the global financial and economic challenges the member states are facing. To strengthen and raise its visibility and influence, Slovenia must be as best represented in the UN system as possible. As a coastal state, Slovenia places particular attention on marine environment protection and is thus a keen advocate of UN efforts to safeguard and protect the oceans. Slovenia will actively participate in mobilising support for the resolution on the revitalisation of the Conference on Disarmament and taking forward international disarmament negotiations. Slovenia will actively follow all issues with regard to ensuring peace and security that appear on the UN Security Council and General Assembly agendas. Slovenia’s representatives will continue to take part in UN peacekeeping missions. In this context, Slovenia supports the efforts for a universal application of counter-terrorist instruments, the necessary respect for human rights in combating terrorism, enhanced implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and an expedited conclusion of negotiations on the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.