Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said Indonesia would raise the theme “Advancing Sustainable Peace”, which is in line with the previous year’s theme “Investing in Peace”.

The minister said the advancement of peace needed constant effort and attention.

“Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which has taken up most of our energy and attention, let’s not forget to continue advancing peace because peace remains essential to our success in handling the pandemic and accelerating economic recovery,” Retno said during a press briefing on Thursday.

Indonesia began hosting the UN forum last year after it was elected a nonpermanent member of the UNSC.

The membership, which lasts until Dec. 31, 2020, marks Indonesia’s fourth time on the council, following stints from 1973 to 1974, 1995 to 1996 and 2007 to 2008.

Indonesia is scheduled to host three events during its second presidency. The first meeting on Aug. 6 will discuss the UN secretary-general’s inaugural report on combating terrorism and cross-border crime.

The second meeting on Aug. 12 will discuss challenges to achieving sustainable peace and seek to unify efforts to attain it during the pandemic. The third meeting, scheduled for Aug. 26, will focus on protecting civilians from cyberattacks.

Authorities have recorded an increase in cyberattacks against public facilities, including hospitals and airports, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Indonesia will also run at least 14 meetings to discuss peace efforts in various parts of the world, including a strategic report on the Islamic State group as well as the extended mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM).

The recent death of an Indonesian peacekeeper from a surprise attack in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has highlighted the vulnerability of serving in UN peacekeeping operations.

An Indonesian Military (TNI) officer died on Tuesday while another remains in intensive care after their convoy was ambushed by rogue militia allegedly from a neighboring country, which sparked a review process by Indonesia on the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO).

According to a TNI situation report, an engineering company comprising 12 personnel and escorted by a battalion from Malawi was ambushed late Monday around 20 kilometers from the city of Beni in North Kivu province, just as they were returning to the central operation base.

Retno said Indonesia would strive to issue two documents during the presidency. The first document will focus on adjusting approaches to handling people allegedly involved with terror groups through the prosecution, rehabilitation and reintegration approach.

“The UNSC won’t only focus on law enforcement, but also attempts to rehabilitate and reintegrate former terrorists into society,” said Retno.

The second document will focus on women peacekeepers, as Indonesia seeks to encourage greater participation of women in peacekeeping efforts as well as the integration of gender perspectives into the UN’s peacekeeping missions.

Indonesia has advocated for women’s participation in peace processes with an aim to increase the deployment of female peacekeepers to more than 3 percent at present.

Out of the 2,852 military and police officers Indonesia has deployed to nine UN peacekeeping operations around the world, only 159 are women.

During the country’s first UNSC presidency last year, the government specifically raised the issue of the safety and security of peacekeepers through training and capacity building.

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