Embassy of Ireland attends Riga Conference
News
01 November 2022Director Elizabeth McCullough as part of a panel at the Riga Conference
The Embassy of Ireland took part in the Riga Conference organised by LATO, the Latvian Transatlantic Organisation which took place from the 20th to the 22nd of October. As part of the event, the Embassy hosted Director Elizabeth McCullough, head of Ireland’s UN Security Council Task Team in a panel titled “A Seat on the UN Security Council – Is it worth it?” The Panel discussed Latvia’s bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the term 2026-2027 and Ireland’s experience as a non-permanent member of the Council for the term 2021-2022.
Director McCullough spoke the practicalities of working as a non-permanent member of the Council including the work on the large number of files that the Security Council are responsible for, relationship building amongst members of the Council, and the limits that non-permanent members must work within during their relatively short period of time spent on the Council.
Ambassador Friel and Deputy Head of Mission, Chris Boyle also attended a number of other enlightening panels over the course of the weekend covering a broad array of topics from the war in Ukraine, Sanctions against Russia, the militarisation of the Arctic, and political developments in Belarus.