Reform of the UN Security Council

Since its last reform in 1963, the UN Security Council has comprised five permanent and ten non-permanent seats. Efforts for an expansion have been ongoing since 1993, but have so far not led to any results. Liechtenstein is advocating a compromise solution: According to this "intermediate model", a new category of six long-term seats should be created, which will be allocated for a period of eight to ten years. Liechtenstein sees this as a possible compromise between those states that want to create new permanent seats and those that only want to add non-permanent seats.

In April 2022 the UN General Assembly adopted the “Veto Initiative” launched by Liechtenstein (Resolution 76/262). The initiative aims at enhancing the role of the General Assembly in accordance with its UN Charter mandate. Under Resolution 76/262, the General Assembly has mandated a formal meeting of the General Assembly every time a veto is cast in the Security Council. This provides all UN Member States with the opportunity to express their positions and expectations on the issue debated in the UN Security Council. By enhancing the role of the General Assembly, the Veto Initiative aims to strengthen inclusive multilateralism and the international rule of law.

Within the ACT (Accountability, Coherence, Transparency) Group, Liechtenstein has taken the lead in drafting a code of conduct to help the Security Council respond more effectively to mass crimes such as genocide. More than 110 states, including most of the current Security Council members including the veto powers France and the United Kingdom, have joined the initiative. In general, Liechtenstein is committed to more transparency in the work of the Council, especially in the implementation of sanctions, in the election of the UN Secretary-General, and generally in the cooperation with non-member states.