UN Security Council Open Debate „Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict“
Statement delivered by Ms. Katri Lõhmus, Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., of the Mission of Estonia
20 May 2026, New York
President,
Estonia aligns itself with the statements delivered by the European Union, the Global Alliance for the Missing and the Group of Friends of Action on Conflict and Hunger.
Year after year, we hear horrifying numbers of humanitarian workers killed while delivering lifesaving assistance. In the past three years, more than 1000 humanitarian workers have been killed, many despite clearly marked equipment and vehicles. This demonstrates that systematic violations of international humanitarian law continue to be used as a deliberate war tactic.
2025 was another deadly year also for the press. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, at least 104 journalists and media workers were killed amid armed conflict. As the Director General of the Reporters Without Borders stated, this was no accident, they were targeted for their work. Estonia strongly condemns all attacks against civilians, including journalists and humanitarian workers, and calls for accountability for all violations.
As the President of the UNICEF Executive Board Bureau, Estonia remains deeply concerned about children affected by armed conflict and works toward improving their situation across the globe. With over 15 million children in need for humanitarian assistance, the situation in Sudan remains catastrophic. We commend UNICEF, OCHA, UNFPA and other partners for their efforts to alleviate the situation. We are alarmed by the scale of suffering of civilians in Gaza, where more than 64 000 children have been killed or injured since October 2023 and the entire population is facing acute food insecurity. We are also extremely concerned about the demolition of schools across the West Bank. In Lebanon, at the height of the recent escalation, around 370 000 children were displaced in just three weeks – an average of 19 000 children per day.
In Ukraine, children have been the first victims of Russia’s war of aggression and deliberate attacks on the civilian infrastructure. More than one third of Ukrainian children remain displaced, essential services are disrupted and children continue to be killed and maimed every day. We repeat our call on Russia to end its war of aggression against Ukraine.
We call on all states and armed groups to respect and abide by international humanitarian law. Protection of civilians is not optional; it is a moral and legal duty.
We note the positive developments in Syria and share the hope that Syria will become a success story. Yet, Syria is an isolated case that gives us a ray of hope, yet the alarming funding crises can limit the progress worldwide. In this challenging context, Estonia reiterates its support to the humanitarian reset process led by USG Tom Fletcher and calls on all UN agencies to implement it.
President,
Humanitarian crises cannot be resolved without addressing their political dimensions. The only lasting solution to ensuring the Protection of Civilians is diplomacy, accountability and prevention.
Thank you.