On 28 June, Estonia is organising a Council meeting on the protection of children and armed conflict
During its UN Security Council Presidency in June, Estonia is organising a high-level open debate on the protection of children and armed conflict. The meeting aims at assessing the impact of conflict on children in various regions across the world. The meeting will discuss the UN Secretary-General’s annual report on the topic that presents an overview of the grave violations against children in 2020 verified by the UN.
According to Estonian Ambassador to the UN Sven Jürgenson, the meeting focuses on the latest developments, in particular in light of the increased vulnerability of children due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Jürgenson added that there were differences in how conflict affected the boys and girls involved. “The UN has played an important part in the protection of children in conflict and monitoring violations against children, such as the thousands of freed child soldiers, to cite but one example. COVID-19 has shown the importance of the UN having sufficient capabilities in a given country,” Ambassador Jürgenson said.
The high-level virtual debate is led by the President of Estonia Kersti Kaljulaid. Briefers include Secretary-General of the UN Antonio Guterres, Executive Director of UNICEF Henrietta Fore, and Advocate for Children Affected by War, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador and actor Forest Whitaker. Laban Onisimus, a representative of Plan International, will also speak.
On 29 June, Estonia is organising first-ever formal meeting on cybersecurity in UN Security Council history
Cybersecurity is a main priority of the Estonian Presidency of the UN Security Council and this year’s meeting will help us make an important mark for the future. Estonia already took crucial steps last year when it held an informal meeting on cybersecurity, with 60 countries and organisations attending. We also raised a specific cyber operation for the first time at a formal Council meeting in March 2020.
According to Heli Tiirmaa-Klaar, Estonia’s Ambassador at Large for Cyber Diplomacy, the Council must stay up to date and consider the entire spectrum of threats, including cyber threats, when ensuring international security. “This spring, UN member states managed to agree on two very important consensus reports. The debate at the Security Council provides an additional chance to perpetuate the idea that existing international law and norms for responsible state behaviour apply also in cyberspace, and the UN has agreed on a global cyber stability framework, which Estonia helped establish,” Tiirmaa-Klaar explained.
The high-level virtual meeting is chaired by Prime Minister Kaja Kallas from Võru, where she is staying as part of her tour of Southeastern Estonia. UN High Representative for Disarmament Izumi Nakamitsu will brief the Council.
Both meetings can be watched online via UN WebTV: on 28 June at 8 AM and on 29 June at 8 AM.
