UNSC Arria Formula meeting on the missing in Syria
Statement of the Republic of Estonia, delivered by the Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Ms. Katri Lõhmus
New York, 21 July 2026
Excellencies,
Estonia aligns itself with the statement of the European Union and the statement of the Global Alliance for the Missing.
We thank Colombia, Denmark, Luxembourg and Syria for organising the meeting, and the briefers for their valuable insights.
For decades, the Syrian people have suffered systematic repression, enforced disappearances, unlawful killings, arbitrary detentions, and other violations. Despite the fall of the Assad-regime, hundreds of thousands of Syrians continue to live in uncertainty about the fate and whereabouts of their loved ones. Their suffering is not over before they know the truth. The search for missing persons is therefore urgent.
Estonia commends the work of all entities that are working tirelessly to find answers to the families and close ones of thousands of missing persons. We strongly support a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned process, led by the National Commission for Missing Persons. We emphasise that this is a collective undertaking. Strong cooperation with international actors, including the Independent Institution on Missing Persons (IIMP), the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM) and the Commission of Inquiry (COI), accelerates the progress toward the shared goal.
Clarifying the fate and whereabouts of missing persons is a humanitarian imperative. Estonia’s support to Syrian humanitarian crisis has been more than 12.6 million euros since 2011. We have funded the activities of ICRC, UNICEF, UNHCR, OCHA, IOM, and WFP. In addition, Estonian NGOs are improving the education and livelihoods of IDPs and Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries, including helping to develop young people’s digital skills. Estonia remains steadfast in its commitment to international humanitarian law and we welcome Syria’s entry to the Global Initiative to Galvanize Political Commitment to International Humanitarian Law.
While the mandate is humanitarian in nature, the impact of establishing the truth reaches far beyond humanitarian sphere. It is an essential element of transitional justice, which, in turn, is a key component of national reconciliation and lasting peace. For transitional justice, it is equally important to guarantee non-recurrence and address accountability.
While significant challenges persist, Syria has demonstrated its commitment to address them and the international community must maintain its support to ensure that their endeavor succeeds.
Thank you.