Weekly Briefing, Vol. 28. No. 4 (EE) April 2020
Reflecting on the COVID-19 and getting ready for the UN SC rotating presidency
Even during this current crisis when each and every country is seemingly acting on its own, a wrong assumption on the non-existence of international relations can easily pop up to dominate the global debate. The assumption, however, does not reflect the actuality because countries keep communicating, and ‘external relations’ as a segment of governing activity is very much ‘alive’. Historically, a major conflict/crisis has always been proceeding in parallel with a more enhanced level of international cooperation. In such a context, speculatively, the post-COVID-19 world will be featured by a significantly re-developed global supply chain, a range of newly re-designed international organisations (the first in line for the total re-shuffling is, arguably, the World Health Organisation/WHO, which has dramatically failed to deliver), and, most probably, a more sounding attempt to re-configure the ‘rumbles’ of the UN-based international system. But until then and in the meantime, there is a list of more ‘down to earth’ questions to be addressed in the field, and, perhaps, the main issue is related to opening the borders.
For the economy of the Republic of Estonia as well as the region-bound cross-societal interactions, it is essential that the crisis-related current restrictions on the borders can be lifted as soon as possible. Therefore, Urmas Reinsalu (Pro Patria), Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs, was in constant communication with his colleagues in Latvia and Lithuania on the issue. Right from the commencement of the state of emergency in Estonia, it was understood that a decision on lifting the imposed restrictions will be very difficult, because it will have to be based on a commonly accepted solution. Thus far, the Prime Ministers of the Baltics have a view “to make coordinated efforts towards the goal of opening borders between the countries on 15 May”[1]. Characteristically for the moment, Minister Reinsalu, while reassuring the society about “a coordinated approach” that the Estonian Government is taking, noted that
We […] need to introduce specific measures, which would be stipulated in a relevant trilateral memorandum of understanding. We will discuss which measures should be applied to passengers from outside the Baltic States. It is also important to inform individuals arriving from other destinations about the restrictions in force in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. […] The cooperation of the Baltic States has been close and efficient throughout the crisis. […] After the discussion of health ministers […], we will meet again with the Baltic foreign ministers as well as with the Nordic and Baltic foreign ministers to discuss current restrictions in the region and the possibility of easing them.[2]
The above-described development is taking place on the background of the decision made by the Estonian Government on 25 April “that the emergency situation declared in the country will be extended until the midnight between May 17 and 18”[3]. Does it mean that the crisis is nearly over, and the ‘business as usual mode’ will be gradually reappearing in the field of internationality relations? Most definitely, it is not quite the case as yet. At the same time, it is a perfect moment for collecting a number of serious reflections on what has happened and how to move on without adopting some unnatural features for your country’s image as well as its international agenda. On 21 April, Keit Pentus-Rosimannus (Reform Party), former Estonian Minister of Foreign Affairs (2014-2015), wrote almost a programming article, reflecting on the current status quo. In general, it could be argued with only a small degree of speculation, her commentaries are very much in line with what the majority of the Estonia-wide society could make in the context of the COVID-19-associated decisions, developments, and mistakes made. Therefore, it is worthwhile citing the former Minister’s reflections extensively, since she is making the following five distinct points. Firstly, Pentus-Rosimannus notes that “[t]he trends of the spread of coronavirus have not tended to favo[u]r democracies”, and “[t]he flagships of western democracy – the U.S., the U.K., Switzerland (not to mention Italy or Spain) have had to give their consideration to accustomed freedoms, delicate feelings of their citizens, and election cycles”[4]. At the same time, the influential politician argues that “we need to be careful and cautious that governments will not use the emergency situation constraints to introduce permanent limitations on freedoms”, because “[d]emocracy cannot or should not be a synonym for incapacity”[5].
Secondly, the country’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs underscores that “[t]he EU was slow at the beginning of the crisis, so instead a ‘one for all and all for one’, an ‘everyone for themselves’ philosophy prevailed”[6]. At the same time, there were situations when a number of countries acted in “the true spirit of Europe” – for example, “Germany [was] making their own intensive care capabilities available for critically ill patients from Italy and France; France [was] donating masks and protective suits to Italy; Romania and Poland sending their doctors and nurses to Bergamo and Brescia; Austria treating intensive care patients from Italy and France in their hospitals”[7]. The main take away on the EU-associated issue, as argued, has the following two sides: “the EU needs to upgrade its capabilities to produce critical supplies” and “there is no such thing as an abstract, anonymous ‘EU’ […] [because] [t]here are member states that make up this union […] [and] [n]obody else is to blame if we are not happy with what we see in the mirror”[8].
Thirdly, on the economic side, Pentus-Rosimannus detect more questions than answers: “[i]f and how much money is given directly to people, or are middlemen again at the centre of the government responses?” or, for example, “[h]ow are these middlemen going to act?”; however, she argues that “at least few states have listened the experts’ suggestions to give money directly to people, not to the banks, or to the middlemen”[9]. Fourthly, keeping in mind that the former Minister represents the largest oppositional party in the Riigikogu, a political call is made for the Estonian Government to be “using this crisis for necessary structural reforms which would help to make the country more resilient to future crises”[10].
Fifthly and finally, Pentus-Rosimannus underlines the fact that the pandemic-generated crisis “reminded us how interconnected the world is”, while giving a chance to witness “how the air has become more breathable, the water cleaner, in many of the most polluted places in world”[11]. The argument that is made out of this observation is on boosting innovative practices, since we have now an opportunity to adjust behavioural patterns “for good, permanently using cleaner tech and science”[12]. Most probably, Estonia would prefer offering its leadership in the process converting a range of innovative practices into an every-day reality. From May 2020, the country is to be holding the UN Security Council’s rotating presidency, and this is, perhaps, the highest international framework where Estonia can highlight a number of important issues for the world. Apart from many other problematic matters, the crisis has prioritised the issue of cyber security, since many practices have entirely gone to be ‘residing’ on cyber platforms, solidifying a new normal’s existence within cyber domains. For many interactions, there will be no way back to the previous ‘life’.
Contextualising this discussion with Estonia’s current status within the UN, President Kersti Kaljulaid noted that the country, holding the UN Security Council presidency, can highlight “the issue of cyber threats, […] in which Estonia set a precedent”[13]. In one of her latest TV interviews, for Välisilm, the President extensively enlightened the audience about what is planned:
We do n[o]t even have to look only at May, as our presidency. We promised our constituents that we would surely bring cyber threats and cyber attacks to the UNSC. […] It may sound unbelievable, but there had been no such discussion [on cyber security]. Then the opportunity offered itself. In the first months of [Estonia’s] membership, a cyber attack took place against Georgia, so Estonia, together with the U.S. and the U.K., took it to the UNSC, and for the first time in world history, this was taken on by the security council. […] And it is possible to move on from here. Now, even in the course of our presidency, cyber threats are one of the topics. There is to be a discussion on them on May 22. As we know, international law is becoming a precedent, and it is a precedent set by Estonia, as it promised. A lot of people smiled and said that maybe you can set an agenda, and look what came out.[14]
In the course of challenging the COVID-19, a crucial month has not been wasted. At the same moment, it is even more crucial for the international community of nations to learn plenty from this devastating crisis and reflect on what the world has been thought in the most comprehensive way.
[1] ‘Baltic foreign ministers continued talks on opening borders’ in Välisministeerium, 8 May 2020. Available from [https://vm.ee/en/news/baltic-foreign-ministers-continued-talks-opening-borders].
[2] Urmas Reinsalu as cited in ‘Baltic foreign ministers continued talks on opening borders’.
[3] ‘Estonian government extends emergency situation until midnight of May 17’ in The Baltic Times, 1 May 2020. Available from [https://www.baltictimes.com/estonian_government_extends_emergency_situation_until_midnight_of_may_17/]
[4] Keit Pentus-Rosimannus in ‘Keit Pentus-Rosimannus: Five thoughts about the crisis’, ERR, 21 April 2020. Available from [https://news.err.ee/1080437/keit-pentus-rosimannus-five-thoughts-about-the-crisis].
[5] Pentus-Rosimannus.
[6] Pentus-Rosimannus.
[7] Pentus-Rosimannus.
[8] Pentus-Rosimannus.
[9] Pentus-Rosimannus.
[10] Pentus-Rosimannus.
[11] Pentus-Rosimannus.
[12] Pentus-Rosimannus.
[13] Kersti Kaljulaid in ‘President: Estonia set cyber threat precedent on UNSC’, ERR, 5 May 2020. Available from [https://news.err.ee/1085703/president-estonia-set-cyber-threat-precedent-on-unsc].
[14] Kaljulaid.