Implementation

I would like to emphasize the resolve and commitment of the Government of Colombia to protect civilians in armed conflicts and to guarantee their rights throughout the world. We are convinced that respect for the life and integrity of all people is the foundation of democracy.

Colombia reaffirms its commitment to the Cartagena Action Plan adopted at the Second Review Conference of States Parties to the Mine Ban Convention in December 2009. Colombia also supports the initiative of the Secretary-General concerning the establishment of indicators for assessing progress in protecting civilians in the context of peacekeeping operations.

Thirdly, in order to ensure the effective protection of civilians, the various United Nations bodies and agencies must ensure a synergetic division of labour, with a clear focus on the effective implementation of existing commitments.

Secondly, in strengthening the protection of civilians, attention should be paid to addressing the root causes and symptoms of conflict. The deployment of United Nations peacekeeping operations alone cannot offer a fundamental solution to the protection of civilians. The Security Council should prioritize preventive diplomacy in order to prevent and mitigate conflict.

First, the protection of civilians in armed conflict must be strengthened in line with the Fourth Geneva Convention, international humanitarian law, and the principle of respect for State sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity as enshrined in the United Nations Charter. National Governments bear the primary responsibility for protecting their own citizens.

We also acknowledge the importance of including civilian protection as a component of the mandates of peacekeeping operations, including clear guidelines and intervention standards to effectively implement that aspect of the mission. That must be done without prejudice to the primary responsibility of host Governments to protect their own civilians.

Chile welcomes both the normative measures that have been adopted and practices on the ground itself aimed at preventing and attenuating the effects of violence against civilians in armed conflict, as pointed out by the Secretary-General in his report. Chile also commends the establishment in the Security Council of the informal Expert Group on the Protection of Civilians. We appreciate its excellent work.

Ten years after the adoption of Security Council resolutions 1265 (1999) and 1296 (2000), the linkage between civilian protection and the maintenance of international peace and security has been firmly established.

In that regard, we applaud ongoing efforts to put in place an effective monitoring mechanism to report to the Council instances where humanitarian access is deliberately delayed or denied.

In addition, protection considerations should ultimately inform decisions to drawdown or withdraw United Nations peacekeeping personnel, as well as decisions on how resources are allocated. But, protecting civilians is not just a job for military personnel. For all United Nations actors on the ground, both civilian and military, protection strategies should be clear, concrete and measurable, drawing on clear indicators and benchmarks.