Danish statement during UNGA Debate on Responsibility to Protect

Mr President,

We align ourselves with the statement from the EU and the Group of Friends of R2P.

Let me begin by thanking the Secretary-General for his report. We appreciate the opportunity to comment on this important issue today and reaffirm our firm commitment to the Responsibility to Protect.

In 2005, all UN Member States agreed on the international community’s responsibility to protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity. All UN Member States promised that “never again” should these crimes go unpunished. This promise is more relevant now than ever. Denmark is determined to live up to this promise by working with the international community to prevent and respond to atrocities.

This year, the debate takes place at a time when one UN Member State and Member of the UN Security Council has invaded another UN Member State. Russia’s invasion against its sovereign and independent neighbour, Ukraine, has once again reminded us of the importance of a swift and solidary response to international atrocities.

Mr President,

We welcome this year’s report by the Secretary-General and reaffirm our full support to the UN Office on Genocide Prevention and R2P. We would also like to take this opportunity to welcome the new Special Adviser on R2P, Mr George Okoth-Obbo. We look forward to co-operate closely with the Special Adviser.

Mr President,

This year’s report focuses on the special needs of and impact on children and youth in the contexts of atrocity crimes. The report provides numerous examples of how atrocity crimes affect children and youth and how States can protect children and youth from the impacts of atrocity crimes, which disproportionally affect children and youth.

The report’s recommendations on how to protect children and youth from atrocity crimes are particularly useful, namely the importance of early warning and accountability for atrocities against and affecting children and youth. As the report rightly concludes, it is pivotal for the effective implementation of the Responsibility to Protect that we ensure accountability for the perpetrators of atrocities against children and youth.

We welcome the report’s focus on the importance of accountability. We recall that States have the primary responsibility to investigate and prosecute international crimes committed within their jurisdiction. Denmark also strongly supports the International Criminal Court. The situation in Ukraine clearly demonstrates the central role of the Court in the fight against impunity. Ending impunity is crucial for the effective implementation of the Responsibility to Protect principle.

Mr President,

The report rightly mentions what atrocities affects children, and what measures States could take to address this. These crimes are real. They are being committed as we speak. But, the report does not identify where, making it a challenge to address these situations. It is incumbent upon all of us, as the international community, to assist in vulnerable situations and to protect our children from atrocity crimes. To this end we welcome the recommendation of the report on co-operation between States, organisations and institutions collecting data on specific risks.

We urge the Secretary-General and the Office to strengthen their efforts to provide Member States and the UN organs with timely and continuous advice on specific situations and how to implement the three pillars of the Responsibility to Protect principle. This includes advice and analysis of country situations. We also urge the Office to regularly update Member States on concrete initiatives, for example on the role of religious leaders and hate speech. This will increase the effective implementation of principle of the Responsibility to Protect to ensure concrete action and spur co-operation among States and civil society organisations.

Mr President,

As we participate in this debate today, men, women, and children are suffering indescribable atrocities. When national authorities fail to protect their populations, or is prevented from doing so by another State, we call on the Security Council to take timely and decisive action to prevent atrocity crimes pursuant to the UN Charter. We also call on the Members of the Security Council to consult with the Office and to apply the UN Framework of Analysis for Atrocity Crimes to help identify the drivers of atrocity risks.

The adoption of the veto-initiative is a welcome step to enhance the transparency and accountability of the Council when a veto is cast. We further encourage all UN members to join the ACT Code of Conduct and the French-Mexican initiative on the use of veto in case of mass atrocities.

At the end of this debate, we will take action on the draft resolution on the Responsibility to Protect. We call on all States to support the draft resolution. This organisation was born from the ashes of the Second World War and the promise to protect future generations from atrocity crimes. Until that promise is fully kept, we believe that we should continue to consider and discuss R2P and its implementation. Now more than ever.