Ministry Statements & Speeches:
Protection of civilians in armed conflict remains one of the most urgent issues on the Council’s agenda.
Across the world – from the Middle East to Sudan, from Ukraine to Myanmar – civilians continue to bear the devastating cost of war.
As the Secretary General’s report makes clear, the gap between our global commitments and the lived reality of civilians in armed conflict, widened even further in 2025. This is unacceptable.
Protection of civilians is central to this Council’s mandate. We call on all Council members to demonstrate greater resolve and use all available tools in fulfilling your core responsibility: maintaining international peace and security.
Now more than ever, Member States must demand universal compliance with international law, including international humanitarian law. When rules are broken, it is our collective responsibility to ensure accountability.
President,
The protection of medical personnel and facilities is key to the health and survival of civilian populations.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of resolution 2286 on the protection of medical personnel and facilities in armed conflict. New Zealand is proud to have co-penned the resolution in 2016 during New Zealand’s last term on the UN Security Council.
Yet it is deeply concerning that attacks on healthcare workers and facilities continue unabated. We must continue to shine the spotlight on this terrible phenomenon and ensure medical workers and facilities are respected and protected.
We must also continue to ensure that the adoption of technologies, including artificial intelligence, drones, and information and communications technology, abide by international humanitarian law and all applicable legal frameworks and ethical standards.
Human control over the use of force must be preserved, and as these technologies reshape the battlefield, they must not undermine the core protections offered to civilians.
As conflict increasingly takes place in urban environments, we recall the 2022 Political Declaration on the use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas and the commitments made to strengthen protections for civilians from the significant impacts of the use of these weapons.
Mr President,
The development of robust domestic legal frameworks is critical to ensuring States respect their international legal obligations. Member States should share best practices regarding the domestic implementation of international humanitarian law, as well as its application to emerging technologies and the evolving nature of conflict.
In this regard, we call on Member States to support the ICRC’s Global Initiative to Galvanise Political Commitment to International Humanitarian Law. New Zealand is proud to support this initiative as an important step towards reinforcing respect for international law and improving protections for civilians.
New Zealand will continue to demand commitment to international law and to ensuring that the protection of civilians remains at the forefront of this Council’s work.
Thank you.