UN Security Council Unanimously Adopts Resolution on Accountability for Attacks on Peacekeepers
The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution aimed at strengthening accountability for crimes against UN peacekeeping personnel, while emphasising the importance of investigating and prosecuting attacks on those serving in peace operations. The resolution, co-drafted by Pakistan and Denmark, received the support of all 15 council members and was co-sponsored by more than 100 UN member states.
According to UN data, 1,095 peacekeepers have been killed in deliberate acts since 1948, including 359 since 2013, with several thousand others injured. Speaking ahead of the vote, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, said the Security Council must go beyond mere expressions of concern. “This draft resolution aims to move the Council beyond statements that simply condemn these attacks. Council statements are important and condolences are necessary, but they are not enough,” he said.
Ahmad explained that the resolution introduces practical measures to strengthen existing accountability mechanisms, including an obligation for the UN Secretary-General to report annually on investigations and legal proceedings related to the killing of, and violence against, peacekeepers. Following the adoption, Denmark’s Ambassador to the UN, Christina Markus Lassen, welcomed the resolution and expressed appreciation to Council members for their engagement during the negotiations. “The unanimous support for this resolution sends a strong and important message to the more than 50,000 personnel currently serving in peacekeeping missions,” she said.
Adopted as UN Resolution 2823, the text condemns all forms of attacks against UN peacekeepers and pays tribute to personnel who have fallen in the line of duty. The resolution affirms that attacks on peacekeepers may be categorised as war crimes and positions accountability as a vital instrument for preventing future violence and enhancing the safety and security of UN missions. It also calls on all relevant parties to cooperate with the UN in upholding accountability and reaffirms the responsibility of host states to investigate such crimes and bring perpetrators to justice in accordance with national and international law.