Joint Nordic Statement at the Security Council Open Meeting: Protection of objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population

Mr. President,

I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Nordic countries: Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Norway and my own country Sweden.

Mr. President,

We would like to thank the Permanent Mission of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam for organizing this debate on such a timely issue, as well as the briefers for their informative remarks.

The devastating impact of armed conflicts on the civilian population is exacerbated by failures to protect the very objects upon which civilians rely to survive; food, sanitation, medical care and other essential civilian infrastructure, such as electrical and water systems. Military use of and attacks on education facilities is increasingly denying children their right to education, and depriving them of the protective environment schools provide, putting their health and lives at risk.

International humanitarian law (IHL) provides specific legal protections for such objects which are indispensable for the survival of the civilian population. IHL prohibits attacking, destroying, removing, or rendering useless objects indispensable to the survival of the population, including through cyber means and methods of warfare.  These rules must be respected by all parties and in all circumstances. The continuing attacks on medical care in armed conflict, despite IHL obligations, is concerning, particularly given the unprecedented challenges and vulnerabilities since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has demonstrated the need for compliance with these rules, not least the obligations to protect healthcare workers and health care facilities in armed conflict set out under the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and the obligations applicable to them under the Additional Protocols thereto of 1977 and 2005. We also call for the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 2286 on protection of health care.

ln this regard, we would like to commend the important efforts made by the ICRC to find concrete ways forward to assist states to improve respect for the obligation to protect health care in armed conflict through the publication of a Guidance Document on the Protection of Health Care in Armed Conflict which the government of Sweden has funded. We encourage all states to benefit from the guidance document.

Mr. President,

The landmark Security Council resolution 2417 emphasizes the link between armed conflict, conflict-induced food insecurity and the threat of famine. It also states that using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare may constitute a war crime. Resolution 2417 calls on all parties to fully comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law and to spare farms, markets, mills, storage sites and other infrastructure needed for food production and distribution. In December 2019, the Rome Statute was amended to include the war crime of using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare in non-international armed conflicts.

Armed conflicts also pose threats to the environment that can have a detrimental effect on local populations. The recently updated ICRC Guidelines on the Protection of the Natural Environment in Armed Conflict provides valuable guidance on concrete measures that can be adopted to better protect the environment in armed conflicts. In addition, the ongoing work of the International Law Commission on the protection of the environment in relation to armed conflicts is compiling and clarifying the relevant norms of international law.

Both the direct and the indirect impact of armed conflict can have long-term effects on the civilian population and be devastating. Damage to or destruction of Infrastructure that enables the delivery of essential services can hinder humanitarian efforts, which in turn can lead to more protracted conflicts. Mines and other explosive devices that are left behind exacerbate threats to civilians. They curb the prospects for reconstruction and socio-economic development by preventing access to basic services and productive land use and by hindering safe returns of displaced communities. A more coherent and systematic approach to the protection of civilians is needed.

Mr. President,

The legal protections provided by IHL, as we all know, are only as effective as their implementation, enforcement, and structures for accountability.  A genuine and concerted effort to comply with IHL and international human rights law, including by protecting objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population, as well as strengthening accountability for serious violations of the law, remains imperative to ensure the protection of civilians.

Thank you.