The Third Committee of the UN General Assembly has adopted by consensus the resolution "Missing Persons" initiated by Azerbaijan, reads a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, Report informs.
The document numbered A/C.3/81/L.24 was adopted on November 10 at the 41st plenary meeting of the Third Committee on Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Issues within the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. The resolution was co-authored by 63 member states representing various regions of the world.
Azerbaijan first put forward this initiative in 2002, during the 57th session of the UN General Assembly, and has continued to promote it over the years.
The resolution reaffirms the obligations under international humanitarian law regarding missing persons, which, where applicable, are complemented by the norms of international human rights law.
The document calls upon states that are parties to armed conflicts to take all necessary measures to prevent persons from going missing and to determine the fate of missing persons.
The resolution also points out that cases of enforced disappearance may be linked to acts constituting a criminal offense. It emphasizes the need to put an end to impunity for violations of international humanitarian law and human rights regarding missing persons.
States are called upon to cooperate in resolving issues related to missing persons, including through the identification, mapping, and preservation of burial sites. In this context, the resolution contains the first direct mention of individual, collective, and mass graves.
The document also includes new provisions emphasizing the importance of addressing the issue of missing persons within peace and peacebuilding processes. To determine their fate, it is proposed to integrate this issue into the relevant processes.
Furthermore, the resolution expresses concern that mines, explosive remnants of war, and improvised explosive devices hinder efforts to determine the whereabouts of missing persons.
The UN Secretary-General is requested to submit a comprehensive report on the implementation of the resolution to the UN Human Rights Council and the General Assembly.
The document also provides for the convening of an informal high-level meeting of the General Assembly with the participation of relevant UN entities and observers to the General Assembly. At the meeting, it is proposed to hear the report of the UN Secretary-General, followed by an interactive dialogue.
"The adoption by consensus of the resolution on Missing Persons is compelling evidence of the shared commitment of the international community to addressing this urgent humanitarian issue," the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry emphasized.