YouSaid · the spoken record

Egils Levits

lines on the record: 52
first: 2019-09-24
most recent: 2022-09-24
sittings or episodes: 4
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“We will strive to make the Council more effective, accountable, coherent and transparent. Latvia supports a more just and equitable representation of Member States, especially those in Africa. The Baltic States have much to contribute to the work of the United Nations. For us, the horrors of war, occupation and harsh rule by a colonial Power are within living memory, as is the fight for liberty and restored independence and a transition to a successful, sustainable economy and the rule of law. We have no wish to dominate or intimidate anyone. We reject the idea of spheres of influence. As smaller States, we have an existential interest in effective multilateralism. Latvia will therefore continue to contribute to the work of the United Nations in a spirit of optimism and determination.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Both the coronavirus disease pandemic and current geopolitical challenges highlight the need to strengthen society’s resilience by combating disinformation, promoting media literacy and strengthening media freedom. Accordingly, Latvia is actively preparing for the upcoming eleventh Global Media and Information Literacy Week. Critical thinking skills build up our immunity to disinformation. The aggression by a permanent member of the Security Council against another Member State is undermining the basic principles of the multilateral system that we have been building for decades, a situation that once again confirms that meaningful reform of the Security Council is essential. As a firsttime candidate for membership in the Security Council in the 2025 elections, Latvia takes the responsibilities of membership very seriously.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“In that regard, I would like to highlight the areas of security and fundamental rights in the digital space, which is an integral part of our lives and has enormous potential to contribute to the sustainable development of nations. We must therefore resist attempts to turn it into a battlefield where international law is flouted and basic rights are ignored. The use of people’s data in ways that are incompatible with their human dignity, rights and security must be prevented. The Internet must be open, free, reliable and secure. We support the proposal made by the Secretary- General in Our Common Agenda (A/75/982) to agree on a global digital compact aimed at reducing the digital gap between developed and developing countries.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“For example, in Central Asia, we have been working on the promotion of clean energy technologies. The problem of global justice is particularly related to climate protection. Latvia supports the view that the greatest polluters should bear a greater burden for that protection. We therefore advocate for greater justice and solidarity regarding the global agenda. We are convinced that digitalization is one of the most important agents of change. Latvia supports innovative and proven digital solutions that promote the efficiency of public administration, public participation in decision-making and the creation of new economic opportunities.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“This year Latvia submitted to the United Nations its second progress report for the Sustainable Development Goals, highlighting the areas of education, gender equality, youth participation and international cooperation. The implementation of the 2030 Agenda is also the overarching goal of Latvia’s development cooperation policy. Over the past 30 years, Latvia has developed expertise in democratic processes, good governance, socioeconomic change and gender equality. Good governance, especially strengthening the rule of law and democracy, accounts for more than 40 per cent of all the support provided by Latvia. As a member of the Peacebuilding Commission, we are sharing our expertise in societal resilience. Joint efforts must also be continued to address the consequences of climate change, including through development cooperation efforts.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“I therefore call for the establishment of a special tribunal, whose main task would be to investigate the Russian State’s responsibility for the commission of the crime of aggression. After the war, Russia will have to pay reparations to Ukraine for damages. The tribunal could be part of an international reparations mechanism and could be established through the adoption of a resolution by the General Assembly, by another international organization or a group of like-minded States. Let me now turn to the issues of sustainable development and climate change. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is our common road map for overcoming our challenges and creating future-oriented, sustainable and inclusive policies.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Latvia will not recognize the legitimacy of those referendums, or their results, and I urge the international community to do the same. Impunity translates into an invitation to commit further crimes, and the aggressor must therefore be held accountable. The International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court have already started proceedings on particular aspects of Russia’s war against Ukraine. The European Court of Human Rights has also initiated proceedings. However, a legal gap remains. No international court has jurisdiction over the main issue — starting a war of aggression, the gravest possible violation of the Charter of the United Nations and international law.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Belarus, being equally responsible for enabling Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, is also being sanctioned. Since the beginning of the war, Latvia has spent more than 0.8 per cent of its gross domestic product on military, economic, financial and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. We stand with the brave people of Ukraine, whose heroic defence is seeing success. Today we learned that a partial mobilization has been declared in Russia, as its once-mighty army is overwhelmed. The blitzkrieg envisioned by President Putin has turned into a long nightmare. In another sign of desperation, Russia plans to hold illegal referendums in the next few days on the annexation of the occupied territories to the Russian Federation, which is in blatant contravention of both Ukrainian and international law.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Russia is preventing Ukrainian-grown food from reaching the world market. Russia is also using its position in the energy market to exert pressure. High energy prices sustain high levels of global inflation, which most dramatically affects the world’s most vulnerable populations. Russia continues to spread false narratives about the causes of the global food, fuel and financial crisis. Those lies must be debunked. Russia alone is responsible for the crisis. We, the law-abiding States Members of the United Nations, are responsible for supporting Ukraine’s self- defence and stopping the aggressor. Russia’s ability to finance its war on Ukraine must be limited. Global sanctions in the areas of finance, trade, transport and energy, as well as restrictive measures against individuals and legal entities, must be maintained and strengthened.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine is a threat to global security and stability. In the twenty-first century, Russia is maintaining a nineteenth-century ideology of imperialism, colonialism and racism. Russia invaded Georgia in 2008. It illegally annexed Ukraine’s Crimea in 2014. It has used increasingly aggressive rhetoric towards other neighbouring countries. Those are all manifestations of its imperialist and colonial ambitions. Denying another nation’s right to exist and promoting the idea of the supremacy of Russians and their special missionary role in the world are all contemporary expressions of racism, which is exactly the opposite of what the United Nations stands for. Russia’s war in Ukraine has caused a humanitarian disaster. One third of the people of Ukraine have been forced to leave their homes.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“I confirm Latvia’s readiness to cooperate constructively with the President of the General Assembly. Our agenda is full and still growing. In the words of George Orwell, “Contrary to popular belief, the past was not more eventful than the present”. Let me focus today on a few fundamental themes. My first theme is about upholding international law, which is the basis for world peace and the order established by the Charter of the United Nations. At the core of that order is respect for the sovereignty of States and a prohibition on the use of force. Starting a war of aggression is the gravest possible threat to our world peace order. Nevertheless, for seven months, Russia has been waging an unprovoked and unjustified war against a sovereign United Nations Member State, Ukraine. Let me stress that this is not just a regional security issue.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“The need for an effective United Nations is now greater than ever.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“In order to meet the challenges of the modern age, the United Nations and the Security Council must show willingness to change and implement long-overdue reforms. As a member of the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency group, Latvia advocates for greater openness in the Security Council. Latvia would strongly support the beginning of text-based negotiations on Security Council reform. The reform should ensure more equitable representation from African, Latin American and Eastern European countries. It is in the interests of every State to defend an international system based on rules and rights in order to maintain global security and sustainable growth. The United Nations is at the heart of multilateralism and the rules-based international order. No State is big enough to solve the complex challenges we face today alone.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Latvia has also made a practical contribution to global peace by sending 158 experts to participate in eight international missions and operations around the world. We are determined to continue contributing to peacebuilding processes by actively participating in the Peacebuilding Commission in 2022. Latvia has shown that it can effectively contribute to solving global security challenges. Therefore, Latvia aims to become a non-permanent member of the Security Council for the 2026 to 2027 term. A new generation has grown up in the past 30 years. In Latvia, like elsewhere, youth are deeply concerned about the climate crisis and disinformation. They want to build inclusive societies where people of all generations, backgrounds and communities can feel included not only formally, but also in practice.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Furthermore, the frozen conflicts in the Moldovan territory of Transnistria and the Georgian territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia should be resolved in accordance with international law and with full respect for the territorial integrity of Moldova and Georgia, respectively. A few days ago, on 17 September, we marked 30 years since Latvia, together with Lithuania and Estonia, returned as full members of the international community and joined the United Nations. For 30 years, Latvia has clearly demonstrated its commitment to democratic values and respect for international law. Our experience in strengthening statehood, the rule of law and good governance allows us to better understand similar efforts elsewhere.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“At the same time, Latvia, in cooperation with its non-governmental organizations, provides humanitarian assistance to people who have become hostages of the Lukashenko regime. The crisis in Belarus can be resolved only by new, free and fair presidential elections in the presence of international observers. Meanwhile, Russia’s military intimidation campaign against Ukraine continues. That confirms the need for the international community to support Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Latvia sees the newly established international Crimea Platform as a valuable format for keeping the issue of Crimean de-occupation on the international agenda. We call for the widest possible engagement of the international community in the Crimean Platform.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“The rights of women and girls will be high on our agenda as Latvia serves as Vice-Chair on the Bureau of the Commission on the Status of Women for the next two sessions. Over the past year, Latvia has also closely followed the dramatic developments in neighbouring Belarus, where public efforts to decide on the future of the country are still being brutally suppressed. Latvia strongly condemns the actions of the Lukashenko regime against Belarussian civil society, independent media and journalists. It has even gone so far as to hijack an international flight. Belarus exploits and puts vulnerable people from different regions of the world at great risk in an effort to create targeted, intensive migratory flows to Lithuania, Latvia and Poland in order to destabilize Europe. We have a duty and a right to protect our national borders.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“With regard to the Sustainable Development Goals, we are especially committed to promoting peace, justice and good governance. Good governance is crucial in terms of respect for all human rights, democratic principles and the rule of law. Therefore, in its development cooperation, Latvia is focusing on public administration, the rule of law, gender equality and environmental protection. Now more than ever, human rights need to be a strategic priority for the United Nations. Over the past year, we have witnessed negative developments with regard to basic human rights and security issues — for example, in Myanmar and Tigray. New tragedies in Afghanistan are now unfolding before our eyes. Taking into account the latest developments, we are especially concerned about the security of Afghan women and girls.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Latvia is committed to meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and has adopted an ambitious development strategy that aims to minimize carbon production. There is a need to make greater use of innovative technologies for the prudent and sustainable use of natural resources. Latvia continues to expand its experience in sustainable forest management using digital technologies. In the coming years, we will continue to pay special attention to the issue of clean water in a national, regional and global context. Latvia has a long coastline. We can share our accumulated knowledge about monitoring and combating marine pollution. Latvia is also actively involved in the Group of Friends to Combat Marine Plastic Pollution.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Latvia is also proud of its Riga TechGirls project, which offers women a chance to improve their digital skills and more opportunities in the digital sphere. We are happy to share that experience with others through the United Nations system. Latvia supports the Technology Facilitation Mechanism to identify how science, technology and innovation can best contribute to delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals. There is an urgent need to reach our common goals on the environment, climate change and renewable energy. The twenty-sixth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, to be held in Glasgow later this year, will be an important milestone.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“It takes time for public opinion and legal consciousness to mature. Today we are grateful to them for raising the alarm early. Looking ahead, I consider protecting the autonomy of human thought to be the most important task for legal policy in the coming decades. We must also ensure that the digital transformation is inclusive of all countries and all people, while bridging the current digital divide. Another important aspect for Latvia is the preservation of linguistic diversity and the use of small languages in the digital age. Latvian digital technology companies are developing a high-quality machine translation programme for small languages using artificial intelligence. That will help to safeguard linguistic diversity in the digital age.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Therefore, in parallel with technological developments, we must work actively to define new legal principles. On the one hand, those principles should help us make the best use of opportunities and, on the other, avoid risks and damage to human rights and freedoms. In recent years, we have seen innovations that, through global social platforms and increasing use of artificial intelligence, make it possible to influence and manipulate human thoughts and actions more effectively. Human autonomy and the free will of people are thereby endangered. The main challenge for the democratic world in the coming decades will be whether artificial intelligence or humans control decisions. When individual scientists and environmental activists began to express concerns about climate issues in the 1990s, few listened to them.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Efforts at the United Nations level need to be strengthened. Latvia was one of the first countries in the world to develop several digital solutions that were important in elaborating a sustainable response to the pandemic. Due to the fact that almost every corner of Latvia has access to high-speed Internet, many people have used those solutions during the pandemic to change their habits and shape their daily lives. They contribute, inter alia, to the convergence of quality-of-life and income levels between urban and rural areas. In many cases, digital solutions have reduced the need to commute, which helps to limit emissions. At the same time, we must bear in mind that digital transformation and artificial intelligence pose new risks. Also, security threats in cyberspace are increasing.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“The lines between the freedom of speech, accountability and censorship are thin and fragile. The freedom of expression, as a universal human right, can be limited only in extreme cases. Such limitations should not be managed by global Internet platforms. Instead, in democratic societies, that function should be exercised only by democratically mandated institutions. At the global level, combating disinformation effectively requires even closer understanding and cooperation in international organizations. Latvia was one of the initiators of the General Assembly resolution on the promotion of media and information literacy at the global level adopted during the previous session (resolution 75/267). We will continue to use our expertise in combating disinformation to provide support to partners.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Latvia has sent vaccines to its closest neighbours as well as to friends in Africa and Asia. We plan to continue to share vaccines, including through the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility mechanism. The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted the need to continuously strengthen the resilience of countries and societies, as well as the vulnerability of our societies to all kinds of disinformation. Latvia’s response to combating disinformation is based on strengthening public resilience by raising awareness on disinformation, strengthening independent and pluralistic media, involving civil society and teaching media literacy. Combating disinformation, which causes serious harm to society, while protecting and strengthening the freedom of expression and data privacy in the digital world is an extremely complex challenge.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“Let me begin by congratulating the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Maldives, Mr. Abdulla Shahid, on taking up the honourable position of President of the General Assembly at its seventy-sixth session. I can assure him of Latvia’s full cooperation. I also warmly welcome the appointment of Antonio Guterres, as Secretary-General, for another term. The Secretary-General has made considerable efforts to strengthen the effectiveness of the United Nations system. The new report by the Secretary-General, Our Common Agenda, provides us with a vision and choices for the future. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has not yet been overcome. The current global challenge is to achieve the widest possible vaccination, as soon as possible. Latvia is providing support to increase the availability of vaccines worldwide.”
2021-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 76 (2021)
“We are always ready to share our rich experience of regaining democracy and freedom. VIII Conclusion Mr President, I sincerely hope that this time next year we can all meet again in person. Until then, let us use this unusual time wisely. Mobilized by the shared suffering during this pandemic, let us make renewed efforts to forge peace and a sustainable way of life, for the good of all humanity. Thank you!”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“VII Belarus We also follow with great concern the events in Belarus, especially in view of the brutal repressions that followed the presidential elections on 9 August. We call for new, democratic and transparent elections and an end to the repression of peaceful demonstrators. Latvia is currently providing medical treatment to several victims of the repressions. We also call on Russia to desist from any further interference in Belarus, so that its people can decide for themselves the future of their state. The women of Belarus especially have shown great strength and courage. Svetlana Alexievich, laureate of the 2015 Nobel Prize for literature, speaks of “thirst for changes, thirst for new life, thirst for honesty”. In Latvia we still remember such thirst 30 years ago.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“In short — it is a general problem of humankind to find rational solutions to the challenges of our time. These threats should be taken seriously both on the national and international level. VI Distortion of history Mr President, Concerning the wider phenomenon of disinformation, I would like to address one example. Russia’s increasingly revisionist approach, especially in the context of World War II events, is unacceptable. Russia makes continuous attempts to turn history into a disinformation tool. This goes hand in hand with continuing restrictions on democracy and free speech. We call for an independent, international investigation into the recent poisoning of opposition leader Alexey Navalny. The perpetrators of this crime must be held accountable.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Technology companies and social media platforms need to be more accountable for addressing online disinformation. Social media is not merely a platform where people and diverse information meets. The technology, the algorithms, the business models that drive the advertising market and attention economy all play a large part in the distribution of disinformation. Our priority must be to protect both privacy and freedom of expression in the digital domain. The exponential increase of misinformation, disinformation, fake news and hate speech in recent years is dangerous not only in the context of the pandemic. It is a general threat to world peace, it is a general threat to efforts to solve global issues such as climate change and environmental pollution.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“It is critical that states counter misinformation and provide access to free, reliable and science-based information through free media. This is a universal human right that we must respect and help each other to exercise. Latvia has credible expertise and can contribute to this end. In June at the United Nations, Latvia together with a cross-regional group of 130 countries called for action to fight misinformation and disinformation, or the so-called “infodemic”, in the context of COVID-19. The statement complements the “Verified” campaign announced by the UN Secretary-General, as well as the UNESCO response to this negative trend. Free, objective and pluralistic media play an indispensable role in informing the public during the ongoing pandemic.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“By resolving the legal framework and investing in technologies that factor in respect for privacy, I believe we can create human-centred technologies with much bigger potential. We all need to address this challenge together, at the national, regional and global level, with full respect for fundamental human rights and freedoms. I want Latvia to be a global role model for a human-centred multilingual digital economy, to support developing economies in going digital, and at the same time to elaborate digital standards for the respect of privacy and to promote them internationally. V Infodemic Mr President, Latvia is concerned that among other negative consequences, COVID-19 has created a breeding ground for misinformation, disinformation, fake news and hate speech.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“Latvia was also among the first to introduce e-parliament, where a Parliament can fully function remotely — propose new legislation, debate and vote on laws - relying on the secure digital identity of every member of Parliament. Mr President, “Recover better” also means that in going digital, we must take even greater care with data collection and use, especially in regard to privacy. When governments, international companies and other entities digitally collect more information about a person than he or she is aware, this creates a considerable threat to personal freedom. It also makes a person much more vulnerable to manipulation. To be more concrete and direct - digital tracing and profiling, which are very difficult to evade, endanger a person’s fundamental freedom. This is a serious challenge for society.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“I am convinced that to “recover better” means a green, digital and inclusive recovery. We urgently need to strengthen our efforts to address climate change, to tackle the loss of biodiversity and to protect the environment. We should promote more sustainable consumption and production patterns. Latvia has joined the Group of Friends to combat marine plastic pollution. We stand ready to work together to address this challenge and to share the Baltic Sea region perspective. During the pandemic Latvia quickly introduced digital solutions and tools in order to continue education and all democratic processes remotely. Latvia was amongst the first countries to develop a national mobile application “StopCovid”, successfully balancing effectiveness of contact tracing with respect for privacy.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“The substantial contribution of smaller countries to international peace and security is currently being demonstrated by our northern neighbour Estonia, as it holds a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council. Latvia, too, hopes to assume this honour and responsibility for the term 2026-2027. IV Recovery from the pandemic Mr President, Latvia supports the UN Secretary-General’s call to “build back better” from the pandemic. As a member of the UN Economic and Social Affairs Council (ECOSOC) Latvia will continue to advance the “recover better” agenda. The implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement must remain at the centre of our recovery efforts. Faster recovery will require good governance and respect for human rights and gender equality.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“The world will see fewer conflicts and threats to peace if people sense they are treated justly. Every state is responsible for respecting this order. The United Nations, too, must make every effort to ensure that this order is respected, both by large and small states — nowadays not only in the analogue world, but also the virtual world created by modern technologies. Therefore, the United Nations should actively use all instruments, including diplomatic efforts and peace-keeping missions, to find just political solutions to today’s complex and protracted conflicts throughout the world. Concerning one important aspect of justice, Latvia remains strong in its support of the Women, Peace and Security agenda, in recognition of the close link between global security and equal participation of women.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“This role should be fulfilled effectively, and lessons must be learned to be better prepared for future challenges. Latvia quickly responded to the global appeal of the UN Secretary-General by contributing to the Global Humanitarian Response Plan for COVID-19 through the World Health Organization. Furthermore, Latvian scientists participate in the global efforts to develop an effective vaccine against the virus, so that we can return to normality. III Global security Mr President, Effective multilateralism remains the most essential tool for maintaining the international rules-based order and security. The rules-based order is the foundation for global justice and peace. The main purpose of international law is to ensure respect for fundamental human rights and state sovereignty.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“I Introduction Mr. President, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I congratulate you, Mr. Bozkir, on assuming the post of President of the current session of the United Nations General Assembly. I assure you of Latvia’s cooperation as you guide the work of this essential body in the coming year. II Multilateral response to Covidl9 pandemic Mr. President, We meet in virtual form because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused unprecedented global upheaval in our generation. While each country has taken measures to prevent and control the spread of the pandemic at home, no country can overcome it on its own. The United Nations and its agencies, notably the World Health Organization, are crucial in coordinating and providing a global response.”
2020-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 75 (2020)
“I am gratified that Latvia now has the freedom to enjoy those principles within its borders and the responsibility to uphold those principles across the globe.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“The Baltic Way and the fall of the Berlin Wall marked the end of the Cold War. Latvia was finally able to join the United Nations. We have actively used the opportunities provided by multilateralism through this unique global body, and my country and people have experienced impressive change over the past 30 years. I believe that the United Nations, too, can adapt to resolve the global challenges of today. Let us use the run-up to its seventy-fifth anniversary to make the United Nations more purposeful and valued by working with renewed determination on its own reforms, notably that of the Security Council. The United Nations must evolve if it is to stay effective. All the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations are as relevant today as they were 74 years ago, when it was adopted.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2018, Latvia is one of the few countries in the world that has closed the gap in terms of both health and survival and in educational attainment, and it is above the 80 per cent milestone for economic participation and opportunity. Through bilateral development cooperation programmes, Latvia is contributing to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly in the European Union’s eastern areas and Central Asia. We share the lessons we learned through our own transition to a democratic State, based on the rule of law. Thirty years ago, 2 million people joined hands to make a 600-kilometre-long human chain through Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania called the Baltic Way, to demonstrate our wish for freedom.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Latvia remains a strong advocate of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with a view to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals both nationally and globally. The Sustainable Development Goals have changed the way we plan our own long-term national development strategy. At the national level, we are focused on two main directions — promoting an innovative and eco-efficient economy and reducing inequalities. I believe that ensuring gender equality and women’s empowerment is not only the right thing but also the smart thing to do from an economic perspective. Latvia is showing leadership in this area.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“A major solution for mitigating climate change that aligns closely with Latvia’s own experience is sustainable forest management, which provides continuous carbon sinks and sustainable forest products that can replace fossil-based materials, thereby reducing emissions. Forest coverage in Latvia has almost doubled since the first half of last century, and we are committed to sustainable forest management for our current and future generations. Meanwhile, our civil society is also making efforts. On World Cleanup Day, 21 September, individuals young and old planted trees all over Latvia as a contribution to our sustainable future, building on a long-standing volunteer tradition in my country to promote a clean environment.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“I am proud that Latvian information technology companies are willing to take up the challenge and have joined the green pledge launched by our neighbour Estonia. Latvia is committed to the goals of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. In Latvia, we have reduced our greenhouse-gas emissions by almost 60 per cent compared to our 1990 levels, but we understand that it is not enough, and we therefore support climate neutrality as a goal for the future. We are currently working on an ambitious low-carbon development strategy that will enable Latvia to reach climate neutrality by 2050. Earlier this year, my Government approved a national climate change adaptation plan for 2030. It sets out concrete actions on adaptation to be implemented in the near future.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“We believe that the report of the Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation, The Age of Digital Interdependence, and the Secretary-General’s Agenda for Disarmament, which addresses key technology security concerns, are a useful stimulus for a more intensive exchange of ideas in this area. The climate, too, is global. Climate change must be tackled at the international, State and individual levels. We must collaborate across borders to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change. The empowerment of young people can play an important role in climate action, as we recently witnessed at the Youth Climate Summit. Technologies also have a leading role to play in healing our planet. Innovations, combined with computing power and connectivity, enable us to become more effective.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Our data can easily become a threat to our freedom and privacy. When we feel that we are being observed, we often adjust our behaviour and speech. The potential risks to the independence of our thoughts and actions will only grow in the coming years, given the rapid development of artificial intelligence. We must not allow artificial intelligence rather than humans to take legally binding decisions. Humans must retain control. The United Nations must therefore actively promote the discussion of personal data protection in cyberspace, especially the ethical and legal standards for the collection and use of personal data. We need an intensive public discussion of risk reduction at the national, regional and global levels. The international level is essential, since cyberspace is global.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“While there can be no doubt that digital technologies have brought humanity progress, we must be careful to prevent them from being used maliciously. There can be no excuse for unintended or unexpected consequences that undermine our societies. Technologies must be developed with greater responsibility and accountability. We must be aware of the impact of technological advances on human communication and connectivity. Vast amounts of personal data are being collected every second of every day by both State and non-State actors. Our private communications, our health, location and movements can be constantly monitored. In recent times the use of facial recognition has been increasing, and we are coming under constant surveillance. Yet the rules governing the ownership, authorization and protection of that data are opaque to say the least.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“We will therefore strongly support the consolidation of those principles in international law. Nowadays, violations of international law are committed not only with direct military force but increasingly through disinformation, cyberattacks, economic influence, energy pressures and interference in electoral processes. Given that such hybrid threats do not recognize national borders, no country is immune. The United Nations can and must be a significant global player in promoting peace, security and stability in cyberspace. Latvia is ready to participate actively in relevant discussions and share its experience in promoting responsible behaviour in cyberspace and boosting institutional and individual resilience to malicious intent.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“For example, over the past year we are proud to have presided over the fifth Conference of States Parties to the Arms Trade Treaty. The multilateral order also demands that territorial integrity and sovereignty, as enshrined in the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, be respected by all States Members of the United Nations. In that regard I should point to Russia’s open disrespect for the principles of international law, as its violations of the territorial integrity of Ukraine and Georgia continue. Such brazen disregard for international law must not be accepted as a new normal. Latvia’s experience shows that the rule of law, like democracy and respect for human rights, is an important catalyst for a State’s successful development.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“I was therefore pleased earlier today to deposit Latvia’s declaration joining the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice as yet another sign of our strong commitment to the rule of law and a rules-based international order. A strong multilateral, inclusive and rules-based international order is essential to the maintenance of global peace and security. It must be our joint responsibility to defend and strengthen it. The United Nations is and must remain the central forum for multilateralism and a rules-based global order. Experience shows that our goals are best achieved through cooperation in multilateral forums. With that aim, Latvia is actively seeking opportunities to contribute to a more peaceful and just world.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)