Vietnam urges countries to protect civilians in armed conflicts

Addressing the UN Security Council (UNSC)’s annual open debate held online on May 25, Anh expressed his concern over civilian casualties in armed conflicts, including hundreds of people killed in the Israel-Palestine conflict in the past weeks.

The diplomat stressed that parties in the conflicts need to fully abide by international humanitarian law and ensure unobstructed humanitarian access. He expressed support for the sharing of experience in incorporating international legal obligations into domestic legal regulations and laws.

Having affirmed that countries hold the top responsibility for protecting civilians, he emphasised that the most effective and long-term solution is preventing and ending conflicts, maintaining sustainable peace, improving people's livelihoods and resilience to challenges caused by climate change and epidemics.

When Vietnam assumed the Presidency of the UNSC in April 2021, the UNSC agreed to adopt Resolution 2573 on protecting key infrastructure and services and the President’s Statement on dealing with the consequences of bombs, mines and explosives left over from the war, thus calling on the UNSC to maintain solidarity and unity to send a strong message of promoting the compliance with international humanitarian law, protecting civilians, and turning such commitments into reality for the sake of residents in conflicted areas, he said.

Participants said the UNSC and international community need to make further efforts and take practical actions to reduce civilian casualties, address challenges like starvation caused by conflicts, attacks on medical services, sex and gender-based violence and environmental degradation.

They called for complying with humanitarian law and fully implementing the UNSC’s resolutions, including the Resolution 2573 adopted by the UNSC during Vietnam’s presidency.