Implementation

In addition to the various recommendations aimed at the Council and Member States, the Secretary-General's report identifies three actions that are implicit yet fundamental to enhancing our collective efforts to bring about more effective protection for civilians. First, we must ensure a comprehensive approach to protection.

Improved compliance with international humanitarian law and human rights law will remain elusive in the absence of and full acceptance of the need for systematic and consistent engagement with non-State armed groups.

I would join the Secretary-General in urging Member States, United Nations actors, and international and non-governmental organizations to consider the issue of explosive weapons closely, including by supporting more systematic data collection and analysis of the human costs of explosive weapons use.

I remain profoundly concerned at continuing reports of attacks, including aerial bombing, carried out by the Sudanese Armed Forces in populated areas of the Jebel Marra region of Darfur. These have resulted in civilian deaths and injuries, and some 100,000 people have been displaced.

I look forward to working with the Council in the coming years in addressing protection-of-civilians concerns and issues relating to humanitarian action more broadly, as well as working with individual Member States. I also look forward to continuing the practice of bringing particular situation-specific concerns to the attention of the Council following my country missions.

I also took note of the support for improving monitoring against established benchmarks and indicators. I consider that a key gap in more successful implementation of protection measures on the ground and in reporting progress made in protecting civilians. I will report back to the Council on that in my next report.

From Chad to Côte d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo to Liberia, to Sierra Leone and the Sudan, United Nations peacekeeping missions have had a significant impact on enhancing the protection of civilian populations.

First, I welcome the support expressed for the informal Expert Group and the interesting proposals from a number of States to expand its use and increase its utility to the Council. I also welcome today's adoption of the updated aide-memoire (S/PRST/2010/25, annex).

Finally, we must ensure an accountable approach. Systematic monitoring and reporting on the impact of our efforts to improve the protection of civilians is essential. We need to assess and report on the extent to which our actions are making civilians safer. That also applies to all relevant actors, not only peacekeeping missions, as well as all relevant situations, not only those in which peacekeepers are present.

As the Secretary-General's report notes, the progress made in the last 18 months has been in the further strengthening of the Council's approach to protection. That has been embodied in the Council's thematic resolutions on the protection of civilians, on women and peace and security, and on children and armed conflict.