UN Security Council High-level Open Debate on “Leadership for Peace”
Statement delivered by H.E. Mr Alar Karis, President of the Republic of Estonia, on behalf of Estonia and Lithuania
25 September 2024, New York
Mr President,
Mr Secretary General,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of Lithuania and Estonia.
I address this esteemed gathering today with a heavy heart.
The promise of peace – enshrined in the very foundation of this organisation – remains distant for too many.
Entire regions are devastated by conflict, climate crises, deepening inequalities, and rising extremism, leaving millions displaced and communities shattered. Without the effective UN challenges mount and chaos spreads.
For decades, we have entrusted the United Nations to provide a layer of protection a world need. Yet the realities expose the limitations of its current structures.
This failure is painfully evident in Ukraine, where a permanent member of this Council has flagrantly and repeatedly violated international law, including by deliberately targeting civilians and critical infrastructure.
Russia sits at this table, while engaging in arms deals with Iran and DPRK that defy this Council’s own resolutions, and abuses its veto privilege to evade any accountability.
The international community’s response to Russia’s aggression as well as to all acts of terror and war will define our collective future. It should be the concern of the international community, if we allow the powerful to act with impunity. After this, who can feel safe and secure?
Distinguished colleagues,
We need a Security Council that is effective in addressing the key challenges of the 21st century – whether conflict and security, climate change, cybersecurity or global inequality.
There are steps we must take to fulfil the main responsibility and accountability of the Security Council to maintain international peace and security. Let us start by enforcing all provisions of the Charter – why the aggressor is voting on resolutions regarding the aggression they are part of?
We must improve the working methods of the Security Council, and the veto power should be limited.
We strongly back the French-Mexican initiative on veto restraint and the Code of Conduct by the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency group. The “Veto Initiative” is good, we now need to discuss how we can take it further and strengthen the role of the General Assembly.
Excellencies,
We all just pledged at the Summit of the Future, to work in solidarity to prepare for whatever there is to come and to build a better future.
Our vision for this is clear: a United Nations where the principles of peace, sovereignty, and human rights are not merely words, but guiding forces.
We owe it to the millions suffering in war zones, and to future generations, to be the leaders who had the courage to admit the hard truths and rectify our course. Our task is to take this organisation to where it must be – at the core of providing the international stability and security.
Thank you.