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a day ago
- Politics
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Responsibility To Protect: An Unfulfilled Promise, A Ray Of Hope
25 June 2025 Addressing the General Assembly, António Guterres said that the world is witnessing more armed conflicts than at any time since the end of the Second World War. ' Too often, early warnings go unheeded, and alleged evidence of crimes committed by States and non-State actors are met with denial, indifference, or repression, ' he told Member States on Wednesday. 'Responses are often too little, too late, inconsistent, or undermined by double standards. Civilians are paying the highest price.' The pledge The Secretary-General's address marked two decades since the 2005 World Summit, where global leaders made an unprecedented commitment to protect populations from the atrocity crimes of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity. Known as the Responsibility to Protect, or R2P, the pledge affirmed that sovereignty carries not just rights, but responsibilities – foremost among them, the duty of every State to safeguard its own people. When national authorities manifestly fail to do so, the international community has a duty to act – collectively, timely and decisively – in accordance with the UN Charter. An unfulfilled promise 'Two decades on, the Responsibility to Protect remains both an urgent necessity, a moral imperative and an unfulfilled promise, ' he said. He cited worsening identity-based violence, deepening impunity, and the weaponization of new technologies as compounding threats to populations around the world. 'No society is immune from the risk of atrocity crimes,' Mr. Guterres continued. A ray of hope The Secretary-General also presented his latest report on the Responsibility to Protect, reflecting on two decades of progress and persistent challenges. It draws on a global survey showing that the principle still enjoys broad support – not only among Member States, but also among communities affected by violence. ' Communities see it [R2P] as a ray of hope, ' he said, ' but they also call for effective implementation at all levels. ' Mr. Guterres emphasised that prevention must begin at home: with inclusive leadership, the protection of human rights and the rule of law. And it must be supported worldwide through multilateral cooperation and principled diplomacy. ' No society is immune from the risk of atrocity crimes, ' he said. '[Prevention] must be supported globally – through multilateral cooperation, principled diplomacy, and early and decisive action to effectively protect populations.' Flashback: 2005 World Summit and the birth of R2P The Responsibility to Protect was adopted by consensus at the 2005 World Summit – at the time, the largest-ever gathering of heads of state and government. The Summit also established the Peacebuilding Commission to support post-conflict recovery and the Human Rights Council to uphold human rights. The R2P principle is built on three pillars: the State's responsibility to protect its population; the international community's role in assisting States in this effort; and the duty to take collective action when States manifestly fail to protect their people. Since its adoption, R2P has helped shape international responses to atrocity crimes, guided UN operations, and informed preventive efforts through national, regional, and multilateral mechanisms. Keep the promise Yet the gap between principle and practice remains a central concern – one the Secretary-General is urging the international community to close. ' Let us keep the promise, ' Mr. Guterres said. ' Let us move forward with resolve, unity, and the courage to act. '
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7 days ago
- Politics
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UN Peacebuilding Commission ‘more Needed Than Ever' Amid Rising Conflict
20 June 2025 They shared their experiences at an event this week at UN Headquarters to mark 20 years of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC). The intergovernmental advisory body supports countries emerging from conflict in areas such as governance, justice, reconciliation, institution-building and sustainable development. Pain and promise ' Liberia's story is one of pain, but also of promise,' Ms. Johnson-Sirleaf said in a video message. 'A nation once brought to its knees by protracted conflict now stands as a testimony to what is possible when national will is matched by international solidarity.' In August 2003, the Liberian Government, two rebel groups and several political parties signed a peace accord in Accra, Ghana, after 14 years of civil war. Building a new Liberia 'Knowing that Liberia could not return to what it was, we had to construct a new nation based on new governance structures of inclusion, transparency, justice and hope,' said the former President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Critical institutions such as the Central Bank, the judiciary, the anti-corruption commission, and even civil society organizations, had to be restructured or built from the ground up. And women played a central role in peace efforts by leading advocacy, mediation and community rebuilding. 'Importantly, also, Liberia's path to peace could not be walked alone,' she said. Ms. Johnson-Sirleaf pointed to the essential role played by the international community through the UN and its peacekeeping Mission UNMIL, regional bloc ECOWAS, the African Union, the European Union, and other entities. 'A work in progress' She also expressed gratitude to multilateral and bilateral partners – including the PBC – whose technical, financial and moral support laid the foundations for the peace enjoyed today. 'Liberia's peace remains a work in progress,' she said. 'We still face challenges -economic fragility, governance bottlenecks and the aspirations of a youthful population seeking opportunity. But we have also come a long way.' The PBC has backed peacebuilding efforts in more than 30 countries and regions, for example supporting democratic transition in The Gambia and collaborating with Timor Leste to advance stability. Its 'intervention and decisiveness at a critical juncture is not only manifestly historic but serves as a cardinal reference point for preventive diplomacy and international solidarity,' said Gambia's Foreign Minister Mamadou Tangara. Conflicts on the rise Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, remarked that the event was being held at a time when conflicts are becoming more numerous, more protracted and more complex, and as negotiated settlements are becoming even harder to achieve. ' Against this backdrop, the role of the Peacebuilding Commission remains critical and more needed than ever,' she said. She highlighted the Pact for the Future, adopted by UN Member States last September, which recognizes the central role of civil society, women and youth, and the value of UN partnerships with regional organizations and international financial institutions. 'Crucially, the Pact decided on the strengthening of the Peacebuilding Commission,' she said. 'Our task is to translate this ambition into practical progress.' Still relevant today Ms. DiCarlo said the PBC 'should be equipped, strengthened and empowered to assist interested Member States to develop and implement national strategies for prevention and peace building.' It should also have more systematic and robust links to other UN bodies and processes, such as the Security Council, and engage more deeply with regional organizations, international financial institutions and other key partners. 'The Commission is no longer a new institution, but its relevance and potential are undiminished at a time of increasing need. We must equip it to invest to deliver fully on its mandate.'
