75th Session of the United Nations General Assembly
UN Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations 2021 Resumed Session
Statement by Estonia
August 30, New York
Dear Chairperson,
Estonia fully aligns itself with the statement to be delivered by the European Union and has the honour to add following:
We strongly support the participation of civil society organizations in the work of the United Nations and ensuring them a voice in the UN system. The breadth of views, experience and capacity they bring is crucial if our aim is to reach the objectives set here at the UN.
We however recall, yet again, that the current accreditation for civil society continues to lack transparency, objectivity and efficiency. We believe that the Committee can do better in fulfilling the mandate it has given. Its working methods should not lead to repetitive and unjustified delays to applications or be used as an unsurmountable barrier. We reaffirm the principles set forth in ECOSOC resolution 1996/31 and our view that the Committee should uphold these.
Estonia shares the view clearly expressed by many states and NGOs that the interaction with NGOs is an essential and beneficial element of this committee, allowing for a direct and open interaction contributing to the work of the committee. We therefore also concur on the need to explore all options to facilitate the participation of NGO-s from across the world at the session, including via the digital tools at our disposal.
We look forward to work constructively with the other members of the Committee and with its distinguished Chairperson to address these concerns.