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Italy’s actions at the United Nations. Peace and Security

Since its entrance in the United Nations Organization in 1955, Italy has assured its utmost support to the decision to foster multilateralism, which represents one of the fundamental cornerstones of our foreign policy.

The value of the United Nations primarily resides in the Organization’s universal vocation to be a forum of political debate between States and to seek shared solutions on global issues concerning international security and stability, the promotion of human rights and the development and protection of the environment.

Italy is the eighth financial contributor of the United Nations and, since 1 January 2016, has been contributing to the Organization’s budget for the three-year period 2016-2017-2018 with a 3.748% rate on the basis of the “scale of assessments” established according to the Member States’ contribution capacity, in proportion to their GDP.

Italy has been elected seven times (1959-60, 1971-72, 1975-76, 1987-88, 1995-96, 2007-08, 2017) to sit as a non-permanent member on the Security Council. At the last election held in June 2016, following a lengthy and competitive campaign and as proof of the solidarity among European nations, Italy and the Netherlands decided to share the mandate: Italy sat on the Security Council in 2017 (and assumed its monthly chairmanship in November) and the Netherlands assumed the mandate on 1 January 2018. When sitting on the Security Council, the Organization’s topmost decision-making body, Italy submitted to its attention the main geographical areas of Italy’s primary interest, especially the Mediterranean, the Sahel and the Horn of Africa, as well as transversal issues such as mass migrations, terrorism, the protection of civilians, combating the violation of human and humanitarian rights, the protection of cultural heritage, the management of environmental issues and UN peacekeeping operations.

In addition, Italy was elected nine times (1961-63, 1970-72, 1974-82, 1986-94, 1998-2003, 2004-06, 2010-12, 2014-15, 2016-18) to sit on the Economic and Social Council, of which it is currently member with a mandate for 2016-2018.

On the front of human rights, Italy has been a member of the  Human Rights Council for two mandates (2007-2009, 2011-2014). At present, Italy continues to actively participate in the activities of the CDU as an observer and is a candidate for the mandate for 2019-2021. The election will be held in the autumn of 2018.