The State of Qatar affirmed its unwavering commitment to the principle of Responsibility to Protect and its work to strengthen it through the Group of Friends of the Responsibility to Protect, and by supporting multilateral efforts and initiatives in this regard, saying that this is consistent with its firm belief in international cooperation to lay the foundations for collective security, and its respect for international law and the United Nations Charter and relevant resolutions.
This came in the statement of the State of Qatar delivered by Third Secretary at the Permanent Delegation of the State of Qatar to the United Nations HE Sheikh Jassim bin Abdulaziz Al-Thani before the UN General Assembly Debate on the Responsibility to Protect and Preventing Genocide, War Crimes, Ethnic Cleansing and Crimes Against Humanity.
Sheikh Jassim bin Abdulaziz Al-Thani said that the State of Qatar would continue its efforts to strengthen Responsibility to Protect at all levels, Voicing Qatar's deep pride in assuming the co-chairmanship of the Group of Friends of the Responsibility to Protect during the period from 2018 to 2020, which witnessed many joint fruitful efforts in supporting and strengthening the principle of the responsibility to protect.
He reiterated Qatar's welcoming of the US Secretary General's annual report titled "Development and the responsibility to protect: Recognizing and Addressing Embedded Risks and Drivers of Atrocity Crimes", which once again provides an important opportunity for Member States to discuss how to prevent atrocities and fulfill the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, and to provide a coherent conceptual framework and constructive recommendations on how to leverage development cooperation, technical assistance and capacity building to address root causes and mitigate other factors that increase the risks of atrocity crimes The State of Qatar emphasizes the close interdependence between development and the responsibility to protect, given that development can build and create the conditions and requirements necessary to achieve sustainable peace, Sheikh Jassim bin Abdulaziz Al-Thani said stressing that these pillars fall are among the priorities of the Qatar's foreign policy, which is based on supporting preventive diplomacy and the comprehensive approach to address the root causes of conflicts.
He pointed out that the State of Qatar, in partnership with UN organizations as well as regional and international partners, continued its humanitarian and development efforts in supporting many projects in developing countries affected by conflicts, wars and atrocities.
He pointed out that the debate is taking place in light of the growing need for multilateral international action in various fields, especially at a time when efforts are concerted to tackle dangerous regional and international conflicts that are rapidly increasing, with no prospect for effective and sustainable political solutions, which has doubled the number of displaced persons and refugees as well as the victims of human rights violations and atrocity international crimes worldwide. This requires more effective and consistent actions and measures from the international community to fulfill its responsibility to protect civilians, especially the vulnerable and marginalized groups, he stressed.
By virtue of its mandate under the UN Charter, the UN Security Council has a special and due responsibility to prevent atrocity crimes, pursuant to the principle of the responsibility to protect, as well as by refraining from using the right of veto in cases involving atrocity crimes, HE Sheikh Jassim said.
He stated that the success of the international community in addressing atrocities requires the mobilization of all segments of society, especially women, girls and the youth, who make up the vast majority of societies, stressing the need to involve them in all efforts related to achieving sustainable peace and sustainable development as basic pillars to enhance the principle of the responsibility to protect.
Source: Qatar News Agency