Press release
Minister Coveney to speak on Ireland’s Security Council Membership at the IIEA
From Department of Foreign Affairs
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Foreign Affairs
Published on
Last updated on
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Simon Coveney, will speak today to the Institute of International and European Affairs on ‘Ireland and the UN: reflecting on Ireland’s term as an elected member of the UN Security Council,’. There will be a Q&A after the speech. The event will take place in-person, in the premises of the IIEA on North Great George’s Street, and will also be streamed on Zoom.
Members of the media are invited to participate by registering with the IIEA here: [external-link https://iiea.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN-bMxYqeYQ5OyvD9M10N2iA | https://iiea.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN -bMxYqeYQ5OyvD9M10N2iA ]
Speaking ahead of the event, Minister Coveney said:
"This has been Ireland’s fourth term on the UN Security Council. We stood for election because we wanted to help the Security Council to fulfil its critically important mandate: the maintenance of international peace and security. Looking back over the past two years, I feel a great sense of pride at what Ireland has achieved as an elected member.
"We have demonstrated strong leadership, particularly on the humanitarian crisis in Syria; the conflict in Ethiopia; the human rights situation in Afghanistan; supporting accountability and the fight against impunity; and strengthening UN peacekeeping and peacebuilding. We have pushed for the role of women to be at the heart of the Security Council’s work; highlighted the links between conflict and hunger; and led work on Climate and Security.
"We will be active until our very last day, working on the basis of the same principles that have guided us since we took up our seat; Building Peace, Strengthening Prevention, Ensuring Accountability. As we leave the Council, we look forward to maintaining our international engagement as we face the challenges ahead."
The event is part of the IIEA’s Global Europe series, supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Ireland has been an elected member of the United Nations Security Council for a two-year term, which began on 1 January 2021 and ends on 31 December 2022.
Further information about Ireland’s Security Council term can be found on ireland.ie/en/un and ireland.ie/un/newyork
Evie McCullough, IIEA Communications Manager, evie.mccullough@iiea.com M: +353 87 737 0157