Estonia, 2010

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.