Thank you, Secretary of State, Blinken, Special Representative Fellin and other distinguished guests for providing an important opportunity for us – Allies and Partners – right at the start of the Summit to reaffirm our commitment to advancing the Women, Peace and Security agenda.

Tomorrow we will endorse NATO’s very impressive – and I would say progressive – WPS Policy. Thanks to everyone involved, at the Headquarters in Brussels, in the respective capitals and from civil society, for your solid work. 

Iceland has for years been a strong proponent for the Women, Peace and Security Agenda at NATO, globally and at home. Even as we face mounting challenges on the global stage, or perhaps particularly because of that, we cannot lose sight of this important agenda.

At critical times, when so much is at stake, it is vital to mobilize all available human capital, both men and women. This is equally important for economic growth, as well as deterrence and defence.

And here we have a lot to learn from our Ukrainian friends.

Ukrainian women are at the frontlines of the war, assuming increasingly crucial roles. They are making a significant contribution to the defence of Ukraine today, and tomorrow, and building the resilience for Ukraine to prevail. They are leading humanitarian relief efforts, taking up key positions in the administration, and playing a vocal role in Ukraine´s civil society.

We need to listen attentively to the voices of Ukrainian women and support them on their terms.

I am therefore pleased to announce Iceland’s contribution of 500.000 EUR to the CAP trust fund to provide Ukrainian women with critical body armours, uniforms and boots. Providing them with the appropriate equipment is both essential for their protection on the battlefield, as well as an important step in modernizing Ukraine’s future force.

And this last point is key: Bringing women on board is not only a women’s rights issue. It brings benefits to the whole of society – and to our collective security.

We in Iceland know this, the Ukrainian society knows this. It is not about waiting for the time when you can afford focusing on WPS, Gender Equality or Women’s empowerment. You become stronger because you focus on those points.

Distinguished Guests, 

The WPS Agenda, is a reflection of our values. When women’s rights are faced with a backlash around the world, it is especially important to continue promoting gender equality and inclusivity.

The endorsement of NATO’s new WPS policy tomorrow comes timely, and is essential in the context of the current security environment we are facing at NATO. 
NATO, as our leading security organization, has a unique role to play in advancing the WPS agenda, across all three core tasks integrated in our Strategic concept. 

We have taken important steps at NATO in recent years – recognizing that gender perspectives should be at the centre of our efforts and not of a secondary importance. 

The new WPS Policy provides a strong foundation. However it is the implementation of the policy and the upcoming Action Plan that will matter the most. 

We need to put the issue at top of our agenda, as a leadership issue, both at NATO and back home with focus on sustainable resources, meaningful representation, gender mainstreaming and strong accountability. 

So, let’s move forward with ambition on Women, Peace and Security. Both for us as an Alliance, and for Ukraine, and for the whole world. Now is the opportunity to demonstrate that NATO can be a real champion of Women, Peace and Security.