Remarks by the President of the UN General Assembly
H.E. Mr. Philemon Yang
at the 20th Anniversary of the Responsibility to Protect:
Annual Plenary Debate
Wednesday, 25 June 2025
[As Delivered]
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Twenty years ago, at the 2005 World Summit, world leaders affirmed the responsibility of individual States to protect their populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.
That commitment – born from the horrors of Rwanda, and the former Yugoslavia – was a pledge that never again would the international community stand silent as innocent lives were destroyed by the gravest crimes.
Today, we mark two decades since that historic pledge.
And today we must ask ourselves, how have we allowed ourselves to fall short?
From Gaza to Ukraine, from Sudan to Myanmar, the challenges before us remain grave.
The situation in the Middle East with the unfolding conflict between Israel and Iran is extremely worrisome.
I call for the protection of civilians.
I call for dialogue among all the parties concerned.
The world cannot afford a conflagration in an already volatile Middle East.
Your Excellencies,
In all these conflicts raging around the world, we continue to see
- Blatant disregard for human rights and international humanitarian law,
- Early warnings ignored,
- The Security Council failing to act when action is needed most,
- And new global dynamics amplifying the risks we face.
This includes the weaponisation of new technologies, incitement online, and the fragility of institutions.
This cannot continue.
We must stand firm.
We must denounce.
And we must act.
For we have done that before.
And we should do it again.
The United Nations, and its Member States, haves worked to advance the protection of populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity across complex peace and security landscapes.
There have been commendable gains.
International mechanisms for atrocity prevention have been established in many Member States.
International courts and judicial mechanisms are in place to ensure more accountability for atrocity crimes.
Prevention and protection strategies have been put in place across peacekeeping, early warning and human rights efforts.
And we have sought to advance conceptual clarity on the Responsibility to Protect, through annual reports of the Secretary-General and debates of the General Assembly.
We must find ways to deliver on the promise of “never again.”
The time is now to turn our declarations into safeguards for prevention.
The Pact for the Future recommits Member States to addressing the root causes of conflict. And building and sustaining peaceful, just and inclusive societies.
These demands – reflected in Action 13 – reaffirm the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter.
They also complement the prevention and protection dimensions of the Responsibility to Protect.
We must work harder to strengthen the rule of law and foster resilience within our communities.
We must take bolder steps to reinforce accountability for serious violations of international law – not only after atrocity crimes occur but before they have a chance to take place.
Member States must establish permanent prevention mechanisms at the national level.
And regional organisations must increase their efforts to protect populations within their regions.
Your Excellencies,
On this anniversary, let us acknowledge that our work to protect populations from mass atrocity crimes is urgent.
Today, we must recommit to the promise of never again – mindful that protection is not an aspiration.
Protection commands our action individually and collectively.
Thank you.
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