On 1 November 2026, Latvia will assume the presidency of the UN Security Council for a one-month term – the first time in history. During this month, Latvia will preside over all formal and informal meetings of the UN Security Council.
The Ambassador of Latvia to the UN, Sanita Pavļuta-Deslandes, notes: “The presidency of the Security Council is the moment when a country is most visible in the UN Security Council. Latvia’s contribution to the work of the UN Security Council has always been consistent and goal-oriented, but we will, of course, make the most effective use of the presidency by defending Latvia’s interests and values, promoting the country’s visibility and demonstrating a responsible stance. This is not an end in itself; rather, the principal task of Latvia’s foreign service, which is to strengthen Latvia’s security and statehood, and the UN Security Council is a means to that end.
The UN Security Council’s agenda consists mainly (90%) of recurring mandatory and regular meetings; however, the country holding the presidency may include one or two so-called signature events on its agenda to highlight a topic of particular importance to it. We will dedicate these to Latvia’s priorities on the UN Security Council.”
With Latvia’s presidency following those of Denmark, France and Greece, a series of four consecutive European presidencies will be completed. Even though the presidency is largely procedural in nature, at the UN Security Council, as elsewhere, procedural matters can be highly political. From a broader perspective, participation in the UN Security Council provides an insight into the inner workings of global politics.
The UN Security Council’s agenda covers more than 60 different thematic issues and conflicts across continents.
“There have never been as many parallel and interconnected conflicts globally as there are today, and, unfortunately, civilians are the primary victims. Through our work at the UN Security Council, we have come to understand and appreciate even more clearly what we have always known – that we must stand guard over our independence and freedom every single day. This is also Latvia’s principal objective at the UN Security Council – to strengthen Latvia’s security, including by supporting Ukraine.
We are making every effort to ensure that Russia’s war in Ukraine remains high on the UN Security Council’s agenda, to prevent the normalisation of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, to counter Russia’s propaganda and lies, and to explain Russia’s imperialist aims and their global consequences to the international community,” emphasises Sanita Pavļuta-Deslandes.
This year, 16 official meetings dedicated to Ukraine have taken place at the UN Security Council. Almost all of them were convened by Latvia, together with its European allies, at Ukraine’s request. In addition, Latvia organised an Arria-formula meeting (an informal UN Security Council meeting) on Ukraine, highlighting the humanitarian issues arising from Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, including prisoners of war, civilian detainees and the unlawful recruitment of foreign nationals into the Russian army.
Latvia’s work at the UN Security Council – facts and figures
Alongside its work at the UN Security Council, Latvia regularly organises informal briefings for other countries, on its own initiative, to discuss the situation in Ukraine and other current conflicts around the world, promoting an objective and comprehensive understanding of international security challenges.
These briefings include, for example, the situation on the frontline and violations of the rights of prisoners of war and civilians in the territories of Ukraine occupied by Russia. As a member of the UN Security Council, Latvia does this to make it clear that Russia’s narratives do not correspond to the truth, and to expose Russia’s disinformation and brutal human rights violations. Independent and objective experts, investigative journalists, witnesses and others are invited to these briefings.
A significant achievement is the establishment, on 23 October 2026, of the UN Security Council’s Informal Expert Group on Technology, Peace and Security, on the initiative of Latvia and Greece. The first meeting will take place in November, during Latvia’s presidency. Greece and Latvia will co-chair the expert group in 2026. This is the first UN Security Council format established with the aim of assessing the impact of new technologies on international peace and security.
Latvia, together with Colombia and Panama, also co-chairs the UN Security Council’s Informal Expert Group on Climate, Peace and Security. It serves as a platform for the exchange of evidence-based information and analysis on how climate change interacts with conflicts and instability in various geographical regions, particularly where active UN peacekeeping or political missions are taking place.
“Formal UN Security Council meetings are the ‘tip of the iceberg’ of our work – the bulk of the work takes place behind the scenes, in informal briefings, bilateral meetings and so on. And we are seeing results. A striking example is the UN Security Council meeting in June, where all UN Security Council members, with the exception of one – Russia – called for a complete, immediate and unconditional ceasefire.
Similarly, all UN Security Council members, with the exception of Russia, have called for an end to military operations and the engagement in peace talks, and have condemned the civilian casualties. This is just one example that confirms that there has never been a better time for Latvia to be actively engaged in the UN Security Council. No one else could advocate for our security interests better than we can ourselves,” notes Sanita Pavļuta-Deslandes.
She also points out that insufficient attention is paid to instances when countries are able to reach agreement on significant issues within the UN. Although the five permanent members of the Security Council, or the P5 (the United Kingdom, the US, France, Russia and China) are just as divided geopolitically as they were during the Cold War, within the UN Security Council they take one another’s positions into account, bearing in mind the possibility of using their veto to block progress on one issue or another.
In the first ten months of this year, a series of agreements have been reached on the extension of sanctions regimes: in Afghanistan (Resolution 2816, the Taliban); Libya (Resolution 2819); the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Resolution 2825); South Sudan (Resolution 2821); Sudan (Resolution 2828); and Haiti (Resolution 2831). Latvia has made a significant contribution to the renewal of the sanctions regimes for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Resolution 1533), Afghanistan (Taliban, Resolution 1988) and Haiti (Resolution 2653). During Latvia’s Presidency, a vote is expected in the UN Security Council on the extension of the sanctions regime against Yemen.
The UN Security Council has also agreed this year to extend the mandates of several missions: the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BIHUN); the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP); the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA); the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS); the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF); the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS); as well as the extension of the mandate of the UN Security Council-authorised multinational Gang Suppression Force (GSF) in Haiti. The UN Security Council has adopted 19 resolutions this year.
The selection process for the next UN Secretary-General is currently underway, and the decision of the UN Security Council members – including Latvia – will play a decisive role in this process. Similarly, at the start of its presidency, on 3 November, Latvia will also preside over the election of judges to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), in which the UN Security Council plays a very important role, as the election of ICJ judges takes place in parallel within both of the UN’s principal institutions: the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly.
Latvia is a member of the ACT group, which advocates for greater UN accountability, coherence and transparency, as well as for the legitimacy, decision-making capacity and effectiveness of the UN Security Council to reflect geopolitical realities. Latvia also supports the expansion of the UN Security Council’s membership in both the permanent (currently five) and non-permanent (currently ten) categories, including fair geographical representation.
Latvia has been actively involved in improving the UN’s working methods, for example, by advocating for a more open and inclusive selection process for the next UN Secretary-General, insisting that all candidates hold interactive dialogues in the General Assembly and informal discussions with UN Security Council members before indicative votes, or straw polls, are conducted on the candidates in the UN Security Council.
- Latvia supports the call for members of the UN Security Council to refrain from exercising their veto when deciding on matters relating to mass crimes, genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.
- Latvia is one of the supporters of the so-called Veto Initiative, which stipulates that whenever a permanent member of the UN Security Council exercises its veto, the matter is automatically referred to the General Assembly within ten days at the latest, so that the reasons can be explained to the international community and the position made clear.
- Latvia continues to do everything in its power to isolate the aggressor within international organisations, including restricting the election of Russian and Belarusian representatives to UN institutions and forums, thereby reducing Russia’s influence and the mechanisms and instruments at its disposal, as well as weakening its reputation. Last year, Latvia, together with its allies, succeeded in isolating Russia in more than ten international organisations, including UN institutions in New York, Geneva, Vienna and Paris.
Latvia’s priorities at the UN Security Council
- Protecting international law and the UN Charter, in particular to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine and to strengthen the rule of law.
- Promoting gender equality and women’s participation.
- Addressing emerging security challenges, including those posed by artificial intelligence and climate change.
Latvia advocates for the improvements of the UN Security Council’s work methods, including reforms of the UN and the UN Security Council.
Facts about Latvia’s membership in the UN Security Council
- Latvia began its term on the UNSC on 1 January 2026 and will serve until 31 December 2027.
- In 2026, Latvia serves on the UN Security Council alongside the five permanent members – the United States, the United Kingdom, China, France and Russia – as well as nine non-permanent members: Denmark, Greece, Panama, Colombia, Bahrain, Pakistan, Liberia, Somalia, and Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- In 2027, Latvia will work together with the following nine elected members of the UN Security Council: Austria, Bahrain, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago, and Zimbabwe.
- The UN Security Council’s agenda includes 65 different issues relating to conflicts and military operations in countries or regions; children and armed conflict; sanctions; international threats; new technologies and threats; non-proliferation of weapons; the Women, Peace and Security agenda; humanitarian aid; climate security; resource management; sustainable development; conflict-related sexual violence; gender-based violence; and other issues.
- The rotation of the presidency in 2026 is as follows: January – Somalia; February – the United Kingdom; March – the USA; April – Bahrain; May – China; June – Colombia; July – Democratic Republic of the Congo; August – Denmark; September – France; October – Greece; November – Latvia; December – Liberia. The presidency rotates in alphabetical order.
- Latvia was elected to the UNSC for the first time in history on 3 June 2025, with broad support from UN Member States. The election required the support of two-thirds of UN Member States, or 129 out of 193 votes. Of the 188 countries that participated in the vote, 178 voted in favour of Latvia (10 countries abstained).
- Latvia’s participation in the UN Security Council has been one of the long-term goals of Latvian foreign policy. Latvia submitted its candidacy in 2011.