Justice, Rule of Law and Security Sector Reform

So why is the reality on the ground so often dismal compared to the progress in policy and doctrine? The fundamental reason is as obvious as it is challenging. It is the lack of respect for international humanitarian law by State and non-State actors. That, coupled with the prevailing culture of impunity, is the main cause of the human suffering we are witnessing. Various factors compound that challenge.

Since the Security Council's adoption of resolution 1265 (1999) and other relevant resolutions, the protection of civilians has remained a major issue in the Council's work. While we note the progress made, it needs to be said that events on the ground show that more attention has to be paid, especially as regards the full implementation of the resolutions adopted to protect civilians caught in conflict situations.

In conclusion, Ghana wishes to encourage greater participation by the international community in the work of regional organizations in order to strengthen the capacity of such bodies to enhance their protection of civilians and ability to intervene in conflicts. We also stress the need to prosecute and punish perpetrators as a deterrent to crimes committed with impunity.

To conclude, let me briefly touch upon the need to fight impunity. This past summer, the Security Council adopted a presidential statement on children and armed conflict (S/PRST/2010/10), which called for increased exchange of information on persistent perpetrators between the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict and relevant sanctions committees of the Security Council.

We should recall that the primary responsibility for the protection of civilians belongs to States. Therefore, it seems to us essential to strengthen their capabilities in order to enable them to better respond to that obligation.

Gabon invites the Council to continue its reflection on those two issues. The fight against impunity is another area where there are clear shortcomings and where Governments should work harder to avoid giving legitimacy to the crimes that are committed. It is true that, in some places, timid initiatives have been taken and, in many countries weakened by crisis, the rule of law is still in its early stages.

Recent months have brought important developments on two points: peacekeeping operations and the fight against impunity.

France welcomes the content of our presidential statement, which indicates the progress made by international justice and application of the Rome Statute, as confirmed at the Kampala Conference. We welcome the intervention of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in Guinea, where it is contributing to efforts to prevent crime at this historic time for Guineans.

As for the fight against impunity, France welcomes the publication of the mapping report of the Secretary-General on crimes committed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1993 to 2003. We commend the resolve of the authorities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to prosecute the perpetrators of the abuses committed at that time and of those committed today.

Despite all the efforts exerted by the United Nations, including the Security Council, civilians around the world are still suffering in massive numbers. The measures adopted so far have proved to fall short of addressing the wider implications of attacks against civilians, their impact on international peace and security and their humanitarian impacts.