Estonia in UN

Estonia’s membership in the UN bodies

• UNICEF Executive Board 2024-2026
• Member of the UN Refugee Agency’s Executive Committee (UNHCR ExCom) since 2007, membership termless

Estonian experts in UN Expert Groups

• Kersti Kaljulaid (former President of the Republic of Estonia) – Co-Chair of the High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession, 2023-…
• Marina Kaljurand – Member of the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters, 2020-…
• Toomas Hendrik Ilves (former President of the Republic of Estonia) – Member of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) Leadership Panel, 2022-2024
• Marianne Mikko – elected member of the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), 2023-2026
• Andres Parmas – member of the Board of Directors of the ICC Trust Fund for Victims (TFV), 2022-2024
• Katariina Viik – member of the Group of Experts for the Third Cycle of the Regular Process for Global Reporting and Assessment of the State of the Marine Environment including socio-economic aspects (Regular Process), 2021-2025
• Marko Künnapu – Member of the Bureau of the Ad Hoc Committee to Elaborate a Comprehensive International Convention on Countering the Use of Information and Communications Technologies for Criminal Purposes, 2021-…
• Mari Amos – Vice-Chair of the Group of Governmental experts on torture-free trade, 2021-…

 

Estonia’s main upcoming candidacies

• Vice-President of the UNICEF Executive Board 2025
• Chair of the Committee on Information 2025-26
• UN Human Rights Council 2026-2028, elections 2025
• Executive Board of UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS 2026-28, elections 2025
• UN Women Executive Board 2027-2029, elections 2026
• Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (CNGO) 2027-30, elections 2026
• Chair of UNGA Third Committee during the 83rd session, 2028-29, elections 2028
• Committee on the Status of Women (CSW) 2031-2035, elections 2030
• Elected member of the UN Security Council 2050-2051, elections 2049
• UN General Assembly President 2052, elections 2052

 

Most important recent memberships

• UN General Assembly Vice-President for the 78th session, 2023-2024
• Member of UNESCO Committee for the Second Protocol of the 1954 Hague Convention, 2019-2023
• UN Security Council, elected member 2020-2021
• Member of the UN Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (CNGO), 2019-2022
• Member of the UNICEF Executive Board, 2020-2022
• Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), member 2017-2021
• Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), member 2020-2021
• Bureau of the Regular Process for Global Reporting and Assessment of the State of the Marine Environment, including Socioeconomic Aspects (Regular Process), member 2016-2020 (Law of the Sea)
• Vice-Chair of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), 2018-2019
• Vice-Chair of the Fifth Committee, UNGA73
• Rapporteur of the Second Committee, UNGA73
• Chair of the Second Committee, UNGA72
• Vice-Chair of the First Committee, UNGA72
• ECOSOC, member in 2015-2017
• Vice-Chair of ECOSOC, UNGA70
• UNESCO Executive Board, member 2013-2017
• Peacebuilding Commission, member 2017
• President of UNICEF Executive Board, 2016
• UNICEF Executive Board, member 2014-2016
• Member of UNESCO World Heritage Committee (WHC), 2009-2013
• Member of UNESCO Committee for Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), 2007-2010

 

Most important recent memberships of Estonian experts

• Kersti Kaljulaid (former President of the Republic of Estonia) – Co-Chair of the High-Level Steering Group for Every Women Every Child (EWEC), 2018-2021 and Global Advocate for Every Woman Every Child (EWEC) 2021-2023
• Urmas Lee – member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) Financial Committee, 2020-2023
• Tõnis Saar – UN Committee on Contributions (COC), member 2016-2018 and 2019-2021
• Marina Kaljurand – Secretary General’s High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation, member 2018-2019
• Marina Kaljurand – UN Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on Developments in the Field of Information and Telecommunications in the Context of International Security, member 2014-2015; 2016-2017
• Sten-Erik Soosaar – member of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), 2020-2022
• Linnar Viik – UN Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on Developments in the Field of Information and Telecommunications in the Context of International Security, member 2009-2010; 2012-2013
• Henn Ojaveer – UN World Ocean Assessment Expert Group, member since 2014
• Mati Raidma (since 2001), Argo Parts (since 2003), Jevgeni Jutkevitš (since 2004) – UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) members
• Mari Amos – UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (OPCAT / SPT), member of expert panel 2015-2018
• Oliver Loode – UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues UNPFII), member 2014-2016
• Ivi Normet – World Health Organization (WHO) Standing Committee, member 2013-2015
• Georg Martin – UN World Ocean Assessment Expert Group, member 2011-2014
• Ivar Tallo – UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Senior Programme Officer of the e-governance programme in 2007-2009
• Mati Raidma – UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) Advisory Group alternate member in 2006–2009
• Anne-Marie Riitsaar – High Level FMCT (Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty) Expert Preparatory Group
• Hannes Astok – United Nations Development Programme, advisor on e-governance in 2017
• Aivo Adamson – United Nations Development Programme, advisor on e-governance in 2018