Iceland supported the amendments proposed by the European Union, which would have added further context to the text, reflecting
our common concerns about growing religious intolerance. It also would have taken budgetary constraints into consideration when it comes to the appointment of special envo…
This year we celebrate the adoption and the opening for signature of a new implementing agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). It is remarkable that, even in the current geopolitical climate, the global community was able not only to conclude the negotiations b…
I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Nordic countries — Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and my own country, Iceland.
We thank the President of the Human Rights Council for his presentation of the report of the Council (A/78/53 and A/78/53/Add.1), which invites us to reflect…
I have the honour, on behalf of Iceland, as current Chair of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, and Ireland, as the previous Chair, to introduce draft resolution A/77/L.65, entitled “Cooperation between the United Nations and the Council of Europe”. I would like to thank Member Sta…
At the outset, let me thank Vanuatu and other core group members for this important initiative and the constructive approach that they took to the negotiations on the text of resolution 77/276.
Iceland became a sponsor of the resolution in recognition of the fact that climate change is the defining…
Let me start by thanking the global humanitarian community for staying the course and delivering life-saving services while facing
ever-increasing challenges. That applies especially to locally recruited humanitarian personnel. I would also like to take this opportunity to urge all parties in situa…
“Life is bacalao.” So spoke Salka Valka, the strong female lead of a cherished novel by the Icelandic Nobel laureate Halldór Laxness. Salka Valka is a great novel, which touches upon rapid developments of Icelandic society in the twentieth century. It is about love, other demons and so much else.
H…
Today’s meeting marks a critical milestone in the global fight against trafficking in persons. Trafficking in persons, including forced labour and slavery, is a serious form of organized crime, a grave violation of human rights and a challenge to sustainable development. Most of its victims are wome…
I have the honour to introduce a pre-recorded statement by His Excellency Mr. Gudlaugur Thór Thórdarson, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Development Cooperation of the Republic of Iceland.
A pre-recorded video statement was shown in the General Assembly Hall (annex I and see A/76/3…
“The ocean, the blue ocean, captures the mind; what lies beyond the far horizon?”
Those lines from a classic Icelandic poem come to mind when looking back at the year 2020. Ocean affairs have always captured our minds, but at the beginning of the year no one could have foreseen the coronavirus dise…
I have the honour to introduce a pre-recorded statement of His Excellency Mr. Gudlaugur Thór Thórdarson, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Development Cooperation of the Republic of Iceland.
Surrounded by the sea, throughout their history Icelanders have based their existence, to a great extent, on ocean-related activities. The sustainable use of living marine resources is the basis of our prosperity. Robust and healthy marine ecosystems are central to our foreign policy, and this past …
Iceland thanks the President of the Human Rights Council for his briefing on the Council’s report (A/74/53 and A/74/53/Add.1), which invites us to reflect upon the functioning and work of the Council.
Iceland is a strong supporter of multilateral cooperation and the United Nations. We believe that …
