I am pleased to address the
General Assembly. This year, I shall focus on three
pressing global matters: the progress in achieving the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), promoting
peace and security, and humanitarian affairs.
During the first decade of this millennium, the
MDGs have triggered a level of global commitment
and wide-ranging partnership that the world has never
seen before. Along the way, there have been setbacks,
of course. One thing, however, is certain — achieving
the MDGs is an attainable reality with concrete targets
and deadlines.
We have set a clear goal, but we must keep in
mind that we shall reach our objective only if we share
the weight of responsibility and all of us pull in the
same direction. The political will expressed by a
majority of stakeholders at the recent MDG summit
and in its outcome document (resolution 65/1) needs to
be implemented promptly, in accordance with the
agreed action agenda. Only five years, after all, remain.
Estonia is ready to provide continuous contributions to
the success of our common endeavour.
Estonia contributes towards the achievement of
the MDGs through focused development cooperation
policy and respective activities in our main partner
countries, one of which is Afghanistan. Alongside with
providing security through the International Security
Assistance Force (ISAF), we are carrying out long-
term health care and education projects in Helmand
province. We also offer our best practices in
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establishing standards of good governance, including
the creation of an electronic voting system for the
newly elected Parliament.
Estonia supports the transition process, including
the gradual transfer of security responsibilities to the
Afghan authorities. This process should be term-based
and irreversible, and carried out according to the
agreement reached at the ISAF meeting in Tallinn last
April. Ownership of the process on the part of the
Afghan Government is crucial in taking forward the
pledge it made at the Kabul Conference with regard to
strengthening the electoral framework. This, along with
the endorsed reform agenda, demonstrates the Afghans’
desire to develop their nation.
For my country, Estonia, the development of
information and communications technology has been
a crucial engine of economic development and
modernization throughout the past 20 years. This is
why our experts advise Governments on information
and communications technology solutions in many
parts of the world. In cooperation with the United
Nations Development Programme and the Open
Society Institute, we have established a special
academy to assist Governments in developing countries
with advice and training in electronic governance and
the use of information and communications technology
in public services. I am convinced that the more
successful we are in reducing the digital divide, the
more accelerated and more sustainable overall
economic progress will be.
I commend United Nations efforts in paving the
way towards a more efficient operational system,
especially the long-awaited outcome of the four-year
system-wide coherence negotiations. As the
implications of gender inequality affect all the
Millennium Development Goals, the consensus
agreement on establishing the United Nations Entity
for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women
(UN Women) will serve as an extra boost for meeting
those Goals.
Estonia contributes to the achievement of the
Millennium Goals through the respective United
Nations agencies, funds and programmes, and we
pledge our support to UN Women as well.
Ever since the United Nations Charter was
signed, 65 years ago, the United Nations has stood for
global peace and security. The United Nations
peacekeeping budget has increased more than 15-fold
since 1991. It is difficult to imagine the situation in
major crisis areas, such as the Sudan and the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, without the active,
multifaceted engagement of the United Nations. With
its 15 military and 12 political operations, however, the
United Nations peacekeeping force is clearly stretched
thin. We need further reforms in order to enhance the
effectiveness of peacekeeping operations and to
encourage regional actors to assume a stronger role.
Estonia contributes to the United Nations peacekeeping
budget at a voluntarily enhanced rate. We have done
this for 10 years now and will continue to do so.
The credibility of the United Nations in the
promotion of peace and security depends on the
commitment of all Member States. We all share equally
the responsibility to apply the principles enshrined in
the Charter, including the duty to refrain from any
threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or
political independence of any State.
Estonia reiterates its firm support for the
sovereignty, territorial integrity, security and stability
of Georgia, on the basis of full adherence to
international law. For the peaceful resolution of that
drawn-out conflict, it is necessary to continue the
Geneva talks in their initial format. Humanitarian
issues, in particular ensuring the safe and dignified
return of refugees and internally displaced persons, and
the question of increased access to the conflict zone,
especially for humanitarian workers and international
observers, need to be seriously addressed now.
Furthermore, the free movement of people living
within the internationally recognized borders of
Georgia must be ensured.
Without justice, efforts to ensure sustainable
peace might easily be wiped out. I would like,
therefore, to emphasize the importance of the adoption
by consensus of a package of amendments on the crime
of aggression by the Review Conference of the Rome
Statute of the International Criminal Court, held in
June 2010. Estonia strongly supports an international
criminal justice system in which an independent and
effective International Criminal Court plays a central
role.
It is also of crucial importance to support the
activities of the International Criminal Tribunal for the
Former Yugoslavia during its final years of existence.
Estonia is doing its share with respect to the
enforcement of sentences.
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Success in confronting the security challenges of
the twenty-first century, including cyberthreats,
depends on close cooperation among all States and
international and regional organizations. Estonia urges
broad cross-border and cross-sector capacity-building
in protecting critical information infrastructure, the
importance of which was highlighted in the report of
the high-level panel of experts on information and
communication technology (A/55/75). The necessity of
closer cooperation among States, between the private
sector and civil society, is critical, since during a cyber
attack all traditional security measures may be
rendered useless. I can assure you that all-
encompassing preparedness will pay off when a real
crisis strikes.
Estonia remains actively engaged in areas where
our contribution can make a difference, particularly in
humanitarian affairs and human rights issues. In this
context, I would like to draw attention to the tenth
anniversary of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000)
on women, peace and security, which must be a
stepping stone towards further action at the United
Nations, regional and national levels. Establishing
operational guidelines for the protection of women and
girls, strengthening accountability mechanisms and
enhancing women’s participation in peace negotiations
and post-conflict peacebuilding should be part of these
efforts. To this end, Estonia is finalizing a national
action plan to enhance our activities.
Estonia is a strong and principled advocate of
human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the
freedom of expression. Estonia supports the
strengthening of the Human Rights Council and its
capacity to promote and protect human rights around
the world. We aspire to join the Human Rights Council
in 2012.
Estonia has also continuously increased its
contribution to United Nations humanitarian activities,
both through work in the field and financially. The
United Nations coordination capability was crucial
most recently in Pakistan and at the beginning of the
year in Haiti, where it saved lives, and where Estonian
logistics experts have been supporting United Nations
activities on the ground for more than six months now.
Our experience has made clear the need for more
combined efforts in securing the link between relief
efforts and development work.
Estonia is concerned about increasingly frequent
violations of humanitarian principles in conflict zones.
Alas, humanitarian emblems and flags no longer
provide the shield of protection they used to. We must
step up our efforts and press for increased security for
humanitarian aid workers. After all, it is the
responsibility of Governments to ensure the safety and
security of humanitarian personnel working on their
territory.
The effectiveness of humanitarian aid and
upholding good humanitarian principles are other
concerns of ours. Advocating these principles was one
of the activities Estonia pursued during our recent co-
chairmanship of the Good Humanitarian Donorship
initiative.
Finally, I would like to underline one simple
truth. The United Nations, like any other organization,
is only as strong and effective as the political will and
commitment of its members. Big or small, we all bear
responsibility. As a member of the European Union,
Estonia firmly believes that the Treaty of Lisbon
fundamentally enhances the ability of the Union to be a
significant global actor, securing peace, stability and
prosperity for all. With our shared commitment, I
expect the vital and prominent role of the United
Nations in the global arena to be further reinforced.