UNGA79 First Committee
Thematic Debate on Other Disarmament Measures and International Security
Statement delivered by H.E. Rein Tammsaar, Permanent Representative of Estonia to the UN
New York, 25 October 2024
Thank you, Chair
Estonia aligns itself with the statement of the European Union. In addition, we would like to highlight the following points in our national capacity.
In today’s increasingly interconnected world, the security challenges we face have evolved rapidly. We are witnessing the growing potential of cyberattacks posing serious risks to national and international security. Preventing and managing threats to international peace and security, including threats deriving from malicious use of cyberspace, is of utmost importance to Estonia.
Chair,
Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion against Ukraine has showcased how cyber operations are employed together with kinetic warfare and are now part of the modern armed conflicts. Russia has conducted cyber operations against Ukrainian governmental authorities, local authorities, the security and defense sector companies and critical infrastructure, which constitutes a violation of the International Humanitarian Law. We strongly condemn all kind of malicious cyber operations conducted against Ukraine or any other sovereign state.
We believe that the same principles that govern international security must apply to cyberspace. International law, particularly the UN Charter, international human rights law, and international humanitarian law serve as the foundation for responsible state behavior in the digital domain.
Chair,
We value the work of the Open-Ended Working Group on ICTs. Despite the challenging geopolitical situation, the third annual progress report adopted by consensus underscores the increasing interest of the UN Member States to deepen the discussions on the framework of responsible State behavior. We continue to support the establishment of an inclusive, single-track and action-oriented Programme of Action after the end of the current Open-Ended Working Group in 2025 and appreciate the upcoming sessions offering opportunities to collectively shape the Programme of Action.
We would like to reiterate the importance of harnessing the expertise of the multistakeholder community. We value the opportunities for the meaningful, regular and substantial participation of the private sector, civil society and academia during the First Committee and Open-Ended Working Group discussions.
Estonia also sees substantial value in the UN Security Council serving as a venue for sharing information on existing and future cyber threats, as well as raising awareness on the strategic implications of cyber security. We commend the Republic of Korea for re-introducing cybersecurity discussions to the UN Security Council during their Security Council presidency in June.
Chair,
Recently, Estonia attributed cyberattacks to Russia’s military intelligence unit 29155. The cyberattacks were launched in 2020 against Estonian national security systems and also against other UN Member States. I stress that the decision to attribute the cyberattacks to Russia was taken after a long and extensive investigation in cooperation with international partners. With this step we send a clear signal to everybody that cyberspace is not a lawless “grey zone” and that international law applies regardless of the weapon used in an attack. Estonian remains a strong advocate for responsible behavior of states in cyberspace.
To prevent future attacks in cyberspace, we must strengthen international cooperation and capacity-building efforts. We call on all states to collaborate, share knowledge, and assist each other in building cyber resilience.
I thank you