Improved protection for civilians: Switzerland calls for international cooperation

Bern, 25.09.2013 - At a side event organised by Switzerland within the framework of the high-level week of UN General Assembly meetings, President of the Swiss Confederation Ueli Maurer called on international stakeholders to strengthen their cooperation and coordination efforts in order to better protect civilians in armed conflicts and ensure access for humanitarian aid to the victims of those conflicts.

Despite the existing legal framework designed to protect civilians in armed conflicts, ensuring respect for international humanitarian law is one of the greatest challenges facing the international community today.

With that in mind, on 25 September President Maurer invited the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Peter Maurer, the deputy secretary-general of the UN, Jan Eliasson, the Sudanese foreign minister, Barnaba Marial, and the deputy head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Kang Kyung-wha, for a discussion before a high-level audience on the challenges faced and ways to improve protection for civilians in armed conflicts.

In his speech, President Ueli Maurer, who is also head of the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport, reminded those present that in the countries affected, it is in principle the governments, along with other armed parties, that are responsible for protecting the civilian population. However, in many cases the parties to the conflict have proved unable or unwilling to fulfil their obligations. Respect for international humanitarian law, accountability for the most serious violations, such as war crimes, and unrestricted and safe access for aid workers to the victims are just three of many challenges that need to be addressed.

In September 2013, the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs adopted a revised strategy for improving protection for civilians in armed conflicts, which should enable it to both improve the effectiveness of its multilateral and bilateral activities and strengthen its position in particular within the framework of the United Nations. Switzerland calls regularly for humanitarian organisations to be guaranteed swift and unrestricted access to populations in need.


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