Note: A complete summary of today’s Security Council meeting will be made available after its conclusion.
Briefings
ANTÓNIO GUTERRES, Secretary-General of the United Nations, said the 50 million people in cities are affected by conflict in urban areas, facing such distinct dangers, as parties to conflict do not take measures to protect civilians. Indeed, when explosive weapons are used in cities, 90 per cent of those affected are civilians. Citing examples, from targeted attacks on schools from Gaza and Afghanistan to widespread infrastructure damage in Yemen, he said conflict in urban areas have widespread effects, setting back progress for decades, including on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Highlighting measures to prevent and mitigate these consequences, he said all parties must fully respect international humanitarian law and take steps to minimize incidental civilian harm.
Accountability for serious violations is essential, and Member States must demonstrate the political will to investigate and prosecute alleged war crimes, he said, emphasizing that: “We owe that to the victims and their loved ones — and it is also crucial to serve as a powerful deterrent.” Parties to conflict have options, including adapting their choice of weapons and tactics when they wage urban warfare by recognizing that they cannot fight in populated areas the way they would in open battlefields. Urging States to follow good practices to reduce the humanitarian impact of such weapons, he pointed to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs’ compilation of military policy and practice in this regard. Welcoming efforts towards a political declaration to address the harm arising from their use, he urged Member States to commit themselves to avoiding the use of wide-area explosive weapons in populated areas.
Effective protection of civilians in urban warfare requires additional good policies and practices that go beyond this commitment, he continued. Parties to conflict should track and learn from allegations of harm to civilians and civilian homes, markets and infrastructure, in order to gauge the impact of their operations and find ways to minimize harm. Such analysis can also inform a more responsible approach to arms sales. Recording casualties can help clarify the fate of missing people, inform ways to minimize civilian harm and help to ensure accountability, recovery and reconciliation. Those involved in conflict should ensure their armed forces are trained to follow these and other good policies and practices, and all States should develop national civilian protection policy frameworks building upon them. Urging all Member States to use their influence over their partners and allies to ensure respect for international humanitarian law and the adoption of good practices, he said the Security Council has a vital role to play in this regard, adding that: “I count on all members to acknowledge the challenges of urban warfare, to call for specific protective measures and to use all the tools at their disposal to end tragic and preventable harm to civilians.”
PETER MAURER, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), said mounting evidence of rising tolls of death and destruction among city dwellers in conflict situations gives urgency to the topic of urban warfare and its devastating consequences. ICRC is on the front lines of urban warfare and addressing the widespread impact, he said, urging States to take all measures to spare and protect civilians. Calling for action in several areas, he said all parties must work towards compliance with existing civilian protection measures. Particularly concerned about the use of explosive weapons, he said ICRC is soon launching a report on the issue, including their devastating consequences alongside practical measures on avoidance. Urging Member States to take action, he highlighted such steps as restricting exports of explosive weapons with conditions to prohibit their use in populated areas.
To better protect civilians and aid workers, he said resolution 2573 (2021) must be fully implemented, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Council members must ensure that sanctions prevent the implosion of social services, he said, adding that States must do their part and work towards preventing famine and food security through short- and long-term measures. Similarly, parties must respect international laws on issues essential to the survival of civilians. In addition, more must be done to prevent displacement, he said, stressing that all efforts must work towards providing, among other essentials, basic services and ensuring family members are not separated. Efforts must also focus on those people trapped in urban warfare, he said, declaring that: “We must do more.”
RADHYA AL-MUTAWAKEL, Chairperson and co-founder of the Mwatana Organization for Human Rights, who joined the meeting by phone from Sana’a, Yemen, said that, since her last briefing in 2017, combatants in Yemen have squandered many opportunities to stop the bloodshed. In less than a month, Mwatana documented seven air strikes by the Saudi Arabia/United Arab Emirates-led coalition on civilians and civilian objects, which killed 107 civilians and injured 106 others. The bloodiest strike was on a detention centre in Saada, which killed 82 detainees and injured 163 others. There were 10 incidents of ground attacks, mine explosions and drone use by Ansar Allah, which killed 9 civilians and injured at least 10 others.
She said civilians in Yemen have been made victims by explosive weapons used in populated areas — from indiscriminate projectiles, mines and ballistic missiles to intelligent weapons, such as laser-guided bombs and drones. “All aspects of life were devastated,” she said: homes, schools, hospitals, wedding and funeral halls, farms, factories and cultural property included. Since 2014, Mwatana has documented 800 air strikes, more than 700 ground attacks and more than 300 mine explosions, as well as detonations caused by explosive objects and the use of drones and ballistic missiles. More than 3,000 civilians were killed in these attacks and more than 4,000 civilians were wounded. The Starvation Makers report, published by Mwatana, documents how warring parties use air strikes and mines as tools to starve civilians.
“In many of these attacks, Mwatana identified no military target,” she insisted. In others, civilian harm went beyond any apparent military benefit. “These attacks happened because the parties to the conflict trusted impunity.” She called on the Council to pressure warring parties to stop the use of explosive weapons in populated areas; end arms sales — especially to countries that have a track record of violating human rights law — and to strive for a new declaration on preventing the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. Accountability for international crimes must be strengthened.
“It is not sufficient to name and shame the warring parties,” she asserted. “This Council should at long last refer Yemen’s situation to the International Criminal Court.” That States stand in the way of international accountability is “shameful”. She pressed States to support the establishment of an independent and impartial mechanism through the General Assembly to investigate international law violations committed in Yemen, as well as to publicly report, collect and preserve evidence, and prepare files for criminal prosecutions. Had there been real accountability from the start of the war, Yemen would not have become the worst humanitarian crisis it is today, she said.
Statements
JONAS GAHR STØRE, Prime Minister of Norway, noting that armed conflict in urban areas, particularly in protracted conflicts, has devastating consequences for civilians, who account for most casualties, stressed: “Civilians must be protected whether or not the individual military attack is considered legal.” He proposed seven actions to take. Effective protection of civilians and civilian objects must be made a strategic priority in the planning and conduct of military operations in urban areas, he said, stressing: “We must prevent severe, cumulative and protracted harm to civilians wherever possible.” Military personnel must be made aware of rights and obligations under international humanitarian law and Member States must enact policy that takes this into account. For its part, Norway has developed an extended reality tool that will allow military officers to experience armed conflict from a civilian’s perspective. In addition, all parties to armed conflict must comply fully with international humanitarian law and be held accountable for violations; breaches must be reported and sanctioned. The use of weapons designed for the open battlefield, including heavy explosive weapons, should be minimized in urban areas. Parties to conflict and the international community at large must ensure civilians continue to have access to essential services during and after conflicts. Efforts to prevent displacement, account for the missing and reunite families are also key. Pointing out the importance of inclusive engagement with affected communities and the full, equal and meaningful participation of women, he stressed the need to ensure the safety and security of humanitarian and health workers.
MAHAMUDU BAWUMIA, Vice‑President of Ghana, said the asymmetrical nature of wars in cities poses immense challenges for the protection of civilian populations, leading to a higher incidence of mortality; destruction of critical life-supporting infrastructure; greater numbers of internally displaced persons; and a higher incidence of criminal and sexual exploitation. “This creates further vulnerabilities that are exploited by violent extremist groups to radicalize young people,” he said, expressing concern about the rise in recent years of groups such as Al‑Shabab and Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh), which scapegoat civilians and use them as cannon fodder. He called for the enhancement of global norms and standards on civilian protection in urban conflicts through the prioritization of civilian protection in the planning and conduct of military operations, pointing out that the Council can play a role by encouraging national authorities to undertake measures such as the re-education and retraining of combatants on the new landscape of war. Further, strong accountability frameworks must be developed, he said, adding that States must recommit to international humanitarian law in their conduct of warfare and for zero tolerance for the impunity of non-State actors. He called for efforts to be made to develop more resilient urban infrastructure, particularly with respect to shelter zones and evacuation efforts, and for action to be taken to control the indiscriminate use of explosives, thereby mitigating their impact on civilians and infrastructure. Underscoring the need for local engagement to ensure the acceptance of norms and standards to protect civilian populations during conflict, he added that local communities need to be empowered to take preventative actions, and to not shield the perpetrators of crimes.
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