– CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY –

*In accordance with Resolution 65/276 (Participation of the European Union in the work of the United Nations). 

Mr. President,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union 

We thank the Secretary-General for his recently published report on the Responsibility to Protect and the Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect for her engagement.

The EU remains committed to ensuring the comprehensive implementation of R2P. The need for each state to protect its population from genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and ethnic cleansing, and make efforts to prevent such crimes, stems from the harrowing memories of the past century’s mass atrocities perpetrated on our continent and beyond.

Our collective experience confirms what the Secretary-General underlines in his report: atrocity crimes are often preceded by serious human rights violations by state and non-state actors.

With the upcoming twentieth anniversary of the 2005 UN World Summit this September, now is the time to take stock of what has been accomplished and what remains to be done. Let our view be clear: R2P continues to be a key principle for our national and international efforts to prevent atrocities, and has helped to protect people across the world from unconscionable suffering.

To achieve further concrete results, we must advance on both prevention and on accountability.

The EU therefore urges the Security Council to act as early as possible to protect populations from mass atrocity crimes. We are concerned by the increased use of veto in the Council and encourage all UN Member States, and especially those holding veto power, to support both the ACT code of conduct regarding Council action against genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes, as well as the French-Mexican initiative on refraining from the use of veto powers in the case of mass atrocities. We also highlight possible alternative peace and security mechanisms, such as turning to the General Assembly, as pointed out in the Secretary-General’s report. Regional and international cooperation also remain key.

While some advances in military technology can bring increased precision and a reduction of civilian harm, we are concerned that recent evolutions of warfare, including the use of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, may lead to diluted human control mechanisms and increase brutality in conflict. The EU urges all parties to conflict to uphold their obligations under International Humanitarian Law, including the principles of distinction, precaution and proportionality, and exercise constant care to ensure protection for civilian populations and infrastructures. Prevention must take place in all phases of the conflict cycle.

When prevention fails, we need to make every effort to ensure that the perpetrators of atrocity crimes are held accountable. In this context, the EU reaffirms its unwavering support for the international criminal justice system, particularly to the International Criminal Court.

Let us focus on finding concrete solutions towards achieving the purpose of R2P, preserving our shared humanity, and fulfilling the international responsibility and collective promise of protecting populations from mass atrocity crimes we made in 2005. “Never again”, as promised after World War II, should be valid today in every situation where populations are at risk of atrocity crimes. We should spare no efforts to ensure that the international community rises to the task and works together on this with renewed strength. 

I thank you.