From New York, Omar Hilal Calls for Collective Responsibility to Protect Peoples from Atrocities
Omar Hilal, Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Co-Chair of the Friends Group on the Responsibility to Protect, urged the necessity for collective and effective action to prevent atrocities against humanity during the annual discussion of the United Nations General Assembly held Wednesday in New York.
In his speech on behalf of the group comprising 54 countries and the European Union, the ambassador affirmed that the commitment to protect peoples from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity is a shared pledge among all member states of the United Nations since the 2005 World Summit.
Hilal highlighted the progress made in understanding the factors contributing to these crimes, calling for a focus on policies and structures that empower crisis prevention and response efforts, along with the need to mobilize political will. He stressed that the responsibility to protect should be a central theme in joint efforts to enhance peace, security, human rights, and development, while ensuring respect for international humanitarian law.
The ambassador addressed the “UN 80” initiative, which aims to enhance the organization’s effectiveness in tackling current challenges, noting that the principles of peace, development, and human rights must remain at the core of its priorities to address the root causes of conflicts and meet humanitarian needs.
For his part, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in his annual report, warned of new threats arising from the military use of modern technologies and the proliferation of advanced weapons, emphasizing that protecting peoples from horrific crimes is a moral necessity before it becomes a legal principle.
Meanwhile, the President of the United Nations General Assembly, Csaba Kőrösi, expressed concern over the repeated failures to prevent atrocities, particularly in light of the ongoing conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, and Myanmar, asserting that laxity in upholding international law and the Security Council’s inaction undermine the credibility of the international community.
Kőrösi called for tangible action from member states to strengthen prevention mechanisms and make the protection of peoples central to national and international policies, stressing that protection is a practical responsibility that requires a collective commitment.
