05/18/2023
30 years of Republic of North Macedonia to the UN
North Macedonia gained its independence peacefully, according to the self-determination procedures of the UN Charter underthe shadowof the bloody drama of disintegration of the former Yugoslavia andperiod of turbulent relations with its neighbors.
The Country was “forced” , setting a precedent in the history of the UN, to be admitted to the organization in 1993 under the temporary reference by which was addressed. It accepted mediation by the UN Secretary-General, through his mediators, Cyrus Vance and Matthew Nimitz, to resolve the alleged name dispute and finally resolved it with the Prespa Agreement in 2019.
During this period, North Macedonia gradually resolved all open issues with its neighbors. And since 1992, it was the first and only successful example of preventive diplomacy, in cooperation with the UN (UNPREDEP; OSCE). In that sense, the example of North Macedonia was a link between today's "New Agenda for Peace" promoted by Antonio Guterres and the original "Agenda for Peace" of Boutros BoutrosGhali.
The principles on which North Macedonia conducts its foreign policy derive from active peaceful multilateralism. On that path, for the past 30 years, it has been creating strategic partnerships (the USA, NATO and the EU, the Open Balkans initiative, etc.) and alliances that strengthen its security and democracy and define itself as a visible and active partner in the UN.
This path was not at all easy, full of self-restrain, persistence in supporting the stated principles and policies of friendship, as well as the determination to stand by them even in the times of political regression.
Those principles are an expression of the country's internal policy for building and maintaining a multicultural democracy and a permanent inclusiveness of diversity in democratic processes, protection and promotion of human rights and the rights of different cultural communities and vulnerable groups, and insisting on prevention in resolving internal disputes, and disputes with neighbors.
In that sense, North Macedonia is a serious regional actor in building and maintaining peace and good neighborly relations. The country has rich experience in creating models for resolving identity conflicts (Ohrid Agreement, Prespa Agreement, the Agreement with Bulgaria, etc.) that can and will benefit UN institutions in the exercise of their competence: preventive diplomacy and conflict prevention, negotiation of conflicts and post-conflict reconciliation.
During these 30 years of membership in the UN, North Macedonia was a member of the Human Rights Council; had the President of the UN General Assembly; led an active policy of visibility and initiatives in the areas of human and minority rights and conflict prevention, created networks of friendship and cooperation - which for a small country are crucial in international politics.
It will undoubtedly continue to strengthen its position and become active peace-making factor in the centers of international politics, such as the Organization of the United Nations.
Amb. Ljubomir D. Frckoski
New York
April 2023