Statement by Permanent Representative of Slovenia to the United Nations Samuel Žbogar at the UNSC meeting on the protection of civilians in armed conflict

Thank you Mr. President.

I want to join colleagues in thanking Denmark for the skillful and effective guidance of the Council in March and we congratulate you, Mr. President, for assuming the Presidency of the Council in April. You can count on our cooperation.

Mr. President,

We would like to thank Assistant Secretary-General Msuya, Under-Secretary-General Michaud and Executive Director Mr. Lee for their valuable input. We heard them and we will be following up on their recommendations and their requests. I also want to welcome the representative of Switzerland in the Chamber.

Last year was the deadliest year ever for humanitarian workers. The deadliest year for women and men who choose to help others survive the hardest periods of their lives. The ones who run towards the danger when the rest is escaping. The ones who choose to provide hope for better civilians they remain the only face of humanity left. Humanitarian workers are left to pick up the pieces when political solutions evade us. Assistant Secretary Msuya rightly pointed out that there is no lack of legal protection for humanitarian workers, but there is lack of political will. Absence of proper reaction to violations in one conflict lead to dangerous trends in others. Or to quote the President of the ICRC Spoljaric Egger from this Chamber last September, quote: “One conflict informs the other; boundaries are pushed into the zone of the acceptable; and more human suffering follows”, end of quote.  

Ms. Msuya asked us, what the Council is going to do given the unprecedented number of humanitarian workers being killed. So let me try to outline the answers from Slovenia.

First, our collective commitment to peace and security must be guided by a renewed respect for and implementation of international law. Not by a group of countries, not by majority of the countries but by all of us. By all 15 of us and by all 193 of us. Slovenia joined the global initiative on international humanitarian law launched by the ICRC to reverse the erosion of respect for international humanitarian law.

As we have done time and again, we underline the respect for the protected status of humanitarian workers, facilities, and operations under international law. Intentionally directing attacks against personnel involved in a humanitarian assistance mission is a war crime and must be prosecuted accordingly.

Second, humanitarian workers need to be protected. They should not be terrified to work. In two weeks, since the resumption of hostilities in Gaza, the number of attacks on humanitarian workers has been staggering: a UN guesthouse, ICRC, MSF and FAO guesthouses and Nasser hospital. All under protection, all under fire. Palestine Red Crescent Society emergency teams missing and UNOPS and UNRWA workers killed.

Slovenia condemns all attacks on all humanitarian, medical and UN personnel as well as on all journalists and media workers.

And lastly, as stressed by the briefers, we cannot emphasize enough the need to end impunity and ensure accountability for killings of humanitarian workers. Each of these deaths demands comprehensive investigation – transparent, impartial inquiries that lead to changes in policy, to accountability for perpetrators, and to guarantees of non-repetition. The results of investigations should be shared with the Council.

Mr. President,

Let me end this statement by welcoming the recommendations put forward by the Secretary General in his latest report on UNSCR 2730 and call on all member states to support them.

We thank France for organizing this briefing and suggest the Council addresses aspect of protection of humanitarian workers in country specific settings following attacks on them more regularly.

Thank you.

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