Qatar has once again affirmed its commitment to the responsibility to protect, saying that it is aligned with its belief in international cooperation to establish collective security, its respect for international law, and its firm policy to enhance international peace and security.

The country has continued to focus efforts in promoting this principle, as an active member and a co-chair of the Group of Friends of the Responsibility to Protect for a period of three years. 

Amid the current international environment, preventing mass atrocities is an individual and collective responsibility of states based on the United Nations Charter, among other international laws.

There is a great responsibility to protect populations exposed to these crimes, highlighted Qatar’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in a UN General Assembly meeting earlier this week.

During the meeting on, “The responsibility to protect and the prevention of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity,” Her Excellency Ambassador Sheikha Alya bin Saif Al Thani said that the meeting comes at a time when the need for international multilateral action is intensifying.

Qatar Reiterates Commitment to Collective Security, Respect for International Lawhttps://t.co/VfVfBGZfGM#MOFAQatar pic.twitter.com/MUmX7hDeE5

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The current scenario with the unprecedented effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,  increase in armed conflicts, in the number of displaced persons and in human rights violations and atrocities, calls for more determined and consistent measures by the international community to fulfill its responsibility to protect civilians.  

The Ambassador appreciated the progress made to strengthen the principle of the responsibility to protect, and the important role the General Assembly is playing to promote this principle in line with its responsibility and decisions to ensure the protection of civilians and the accountability of perpetrators of mass atrocities. 

She further added that there is an urgent need to take more collective steps, especially in light of the risks resulting from the pandemic, and addressing the causes that lead to atrocities, by respecting human rights, the rule of law, preventing hate speech, combating extremism, and achieving development. 

Ambassador Sheikha Alya explained that the draft resolution presented before the General Assembly reflects our commitments to protect populations exposed to atrocity crimes and to put an end to genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.

She said that Qatar is proud to be among the countries that submitted the draft resolution. 

She noted that the Security Council, by virtue of its mandate under the Charter, has a special responsibility to prevent atrocity crimes by refraining from using the right of veto in cases involving atrocity crimes, which enjoys the support of the majority of member states. 

Qatar will remain at the core of the efforts made to respect human rights and other international covenants and to promote security and peace in the world, she underlined.

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Source: MOFA