Estonia holds UNICEF's 2026 presidency
Estonia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Rein Tammsaar, has been elected President of the Executive Board of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
Tammsaar was elected on Monday and the appointment accompanies Estonia's holding of the UNICEF presidency throughout 2026.
"Protecting human rights has for many years been an integral part of Estonia's foreign policy. We consistently follow this principle in our work at the United Nations and within its executive bodies," Tammsaar said in a statement.
Estonia is a rotating member of the UN Human Rights Council until the end of 2028, and Tammsaar said children's rights are one of Estonia's priority issues.
Estonia is honored to assume the Presidency of the @UNICEF Executive Board in 2026 from TJ . Our focus: advancing children's rights & promoting innovation in education, including the responsible use of digital solutions & AI, to improve opportunities for children worldwide. pic.twitter.com/x1KhttYQS3
— Estonia in UN | #StandWithUkraine (@EstoniaUN) January 12, 2026
"In my role as President of the UNICEF Executive Board, I will pay particular attention to innovation in education, including the responsible use of artificial intelligence to improve the accessibility and quality of education," he added.
Tammsaar cited Estonia's experience as a digital state and said technology can improve lives and education.
UNICEF is one of the UN's central subsidiary bodies. It has the mandate to protect and promote the rights, health, education, and well-being of children in more than 190 countries and territories.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Helen Wright
