Credit: Diplomatic Times / United Nations world headquarters in New York
DIPLOMATIC TIMES STAFF
LATVIA officially took over as president of the UN Security Council Monday for the month of November with a focus on the implications of artificial intelligence (AI) for international peace and security. Latvia’s Ambassador to the UN Sanita Pavļuta-Deslandes will serve as president of the Security Council for November. It is the first time in its history that Latvia will assume the rotating presidency of the powerful Security Council. Latvia also pledged to keep Russia’s war with Ukraine high on the global body’s agenda during November. Ambassador Pavļuta-Deslandes laid out the November Lativia Security Council Programme during a press briefing with reporters at UN world headquarters in New York.
As the signature event of its presidency, Latvia plans to convene a high-level open debate November 24 on emerging technologies and security under the “Maintenance of international peace and security” agenda. AI’s influence on military operations continues to grow. Ambassador Pavļuta-Deslandes told reporters that Security Council initiatives regarding AI is not about regulating the technology but “is specifically focused on peace and security aspects.” She said the Security Council will focus on how emerging technologies affect peace and security in terms of threats to the protection of civilians, peacekeepers and media workers.
Latvia has been a firm strong supporter of Ukraine in its war with Russia.
“We are making every effort to ensure that Russia’s war in Ukraine remains high on the UN Security Council’s agenda, to prevent the normalisation of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, to counter Russia’s propaganda and lies, and to explain Russia’s imperialist aims and their global consequences to the international community,” Pavļuta-Deslandes said in a recent statement.
During Monday’s press briefing, the Latvian ambassador hinted there could be Security Council meetings concerning Russia’s targeted attacks on critical energy infrastructure in Ukraine during the winter and cargo vessels in the Black Sea that endanger international food security. “These attacks are impacting not only the situation of the civilians in Ukraine. It is also directly impacting the situation with food security across the globe because we have seen deliberate targeting of grain infrastructure inputs, deliberate attacks against civilian commercial shipping in the Black Sea,” Pavluta-Deslandes said.
The Security Council will also hold briefings on Somalia, Sudan/South Sudan, Libya, and the Middle East.
