Slovenia became a member of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) at the start of the year. This three-year membership is Slovenia's first of the body, which coordinates economic, social and environmental aspects of sustainable development.

As ECOSOC member, Slovenia will promote the implementation of 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, focusing above all on social inequality and human rights, building resilient societies and water for sustainable development, the Foreign Ministry said on 6 January.

Slovenia will also advocate for the right to a healthy environment and gender equality, rights of women, children and the elderly, and for a stronger role of youth.

It will also focus on developing countries, including the least developed and developing small island countries, through development cooperation programmes and humanitarian aid.

The country announced its candidacy for ECOSOC in 2017 and was elected in July 2022. Made up of 54 member states, ECOSOC is one of the UN's key bodies. It cooperates with over 1,600 NGOs.

ECOSOC is a link between a number of UN bodies, regional economic and social commissions, as well as specialised agencies, programmes and funds aiming to implement development commitments.