The United Nations Security Council held a debate on Protection of Civilians in armed conflicts on Thursday 23 May 2019. The meeting was chaired by the Indonesian Foreign Minister, Honorable Mrs Retno L.P. Marsudi.
 
The debate was opened by the United Nations Secretary General, Mr Antonio Guterres who updated the UN Security Council on the protection of civilians in armed conflicts. He highlighted that ‘we have the rules and laws of war. We all now need to work to enhance compliance.” He stated that “civilians continue to make up the vast majority of casualties in conflicts.” In 2018 alone, there have been over 22,800 civilians that have either died or have been injured in armed conflicts.
 
The President of the Security Council, Indonesian Foreign Minister Honourable Marsudi highlighted that nothing was more important than the protection of civilians. She called on the UN Security Council to be far more proactive in limiting civilian deaths.
 
Fiji’s Military Adviser, Colonel Sapenafa Motufaga in his address highlighted that the UN is people centered. Therefore the protection of people in conflicts around the world, irrespective of creed, affiliation and ethnicity should be the highest priority of the UN Security Council.
 
Fiji lends its support to the Secretary General’s efforts to reform and strengthen the UN’s security and peace architecture through peace building and sustaining peace. The last 70 years have shown that, when the Security Council agrees, the chances of conflicts occurring are reduced, and thousands of lives are saved.  However when the Security Council fails to agree; conflicts are prolonged, and civilian deaths increase.
 
Fiji told the UN Security Council to not be selective in its actions. All major violations of international conventions relating to the protection of civilians in armed conflicts, should be equally addressed by the Council. The Councils’ response should be the same across all conflicts.
 
The UN’s Action for Peace (A4P) which aims to strengthen the role of peacekeepers, in protecting civilians in armed conflicts was welcomed by Fiji. Colonel Motufaga paid tribute to all peacekeepers’ and civilians who are involved in all areas of protecting civilians in armed conflicts, around the world.
 
Also present, as participants in the debate were the President of the International Committee for the Red Cross and Foreign Ministers from Germany, Romania, Netherlands, and Cambodia.