"It is essential that the Security Council consistently maintain its focus on the protection of civilians and persistently reiterate its demand that all parties to armed conflict comply fully with their obligations under international humanitarian law," Azerbaijan's Permanent Representative to the UN Yashar Aliyev said at a meeting of the UN Security Council on "War in Cities: Protection of Civilians in Urban Settings," Report informs.
Aliyev stated that the concept note (S/2022/23) raises a number of questions to guide discussions at this meeting, in particular as to how the Security Council can better use the tools at its disposal to prevent and respond to the challenges caused to civilians in urban warfare and how States can improve respect for international humanitarian law. First and foremost, ensuring full compliance with international humanitarian law is the central challenge and key objective in all armed conflicts. Wrongs left unpunished often act as a catalyst for the resurgence of conflicts and the commission of new crimes."
According to him, as the Secretary-General underlined in his report, what is needed urgently is the political will to respect the rules and implement good practices, as well as to prosecute perpetrators and ensure reparations for victims, bearing in mind that accountability for serious violations must be systematic and universal.
"The role of humanitarian actors is indispensable. It is important that their engagement in conflict and post-conflict situations be exclusively humanitarian in nature, not misused for political purposes and carried out in conformity with the principles of neutrality, impartiality and consent of the affected country, while fully respecting the sovereignty, territorial integrity and national unity of States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations," the diplomat said.