United Nations Security Council Resolution 2730 – Protection of civilians in armed conflict

Resolution 2730 (2024)

The Security Council,

Reiterating its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security and, in this context, the need to promote and ensure respect for the rules and principles of international humanitarian law,

Recalling Security Council resolutions 1502 (2003) and 2175 (2014) on the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel and United Nations and associated personnel, as well as other relevant resolutions and statements of its President,

Recalling also all relevant General Assembly resolutions, including resolutions entitled Safety and security of humanitarian personnel and protection of United Nations personnel, and entitled Strengthening the Coordination of humanitarian emergency assistance of the United Nations, including resolution 46/182 on the strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian emergency assistance of the United Nations as well as resolution 59/276 XI entitled Strengthened and unified security management system for the United Nations,

Recalling the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols, and the obligations of parties to armed conflict to respect international humanitarian law in all circumstances, and also recalling the obligation of all State Parties to the 1949 Geneva Conventions to respect and ensure respect for the Conventions in all circumstances,

Recalling that the primary responsibility under international law for the security and protection of humanitarian personnel and United Nations and associated personnel, including national and locally recruited personnel, lies with the Government hosting humanitarian operations or a United Nations operation conducted under the Charter of the United Nations or its agreements with relevant organizations,

Noting that this year marks the 25th anniversary of the progressive consideration by the Security Council of the protection of civilians in armed conflict as a thematic issue, and acknowledging the enduring need for the Security Council and Member States to redouble efforts to strengthen the protection of civilians in armed conflict and noting the important role played by humanitarian personnel and United Nations and associated personnel, including national and locally recruited personnel, in conducting humanitarian activities,

Taking note of the contribution of the updated Aide Memoire for the consideration of issues pertaining to the protection of civilians in armed conflict, 1

Deeply concerned by continuous disregard for and violations of international humanitarian law,

Gravely concerned about the growing number of attacks, acts of violence, and threats against humanitarian personnel and United Nations and associated personnel, including national and locally recruited personnel, and their premises and assets, including those involving landmines, explosive remnants of war, and improvised explosive devices, and the impact of hostilities and violations related to the conduct of hostilities on such personnel, its premises and assets, as well as the adverse impact of such violence on humanitarian activities,

Deeply concerned about the particular vulnerability of national and locally recruited humanitarian personnel to threats and acts of violence, who accounted in recent years for the majority of safety and security incidents, and underscoring the need for concerted efforts and concrete risk mitigation strategies to enhance their safety and security,

Recalling the obligation of all parties to armed conflict to comply with international humanitarian law, in particular their obligations under the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and the obligations applicable to them under the Additional Protocols thereto of 1977 to respect and protect humanitarian personnel, and that attacks intentionally directed against humanitarian personnel and United Nations and associated personnel, including national and locally recruited personnel, and their premises and assets, as long as they are entitled to the protection given to civilians or civilian objects under international humanitarian law, are considered a war crime under international law,

Underlining the obligations of all parties to armed conflict under international humanitarian law related to protecting civilians and civilian objects, which include humanitarian personnel and United Nations and associated personnel, including national and locally recruited personnel, and their premises and assets, entitled to such protection, to meeting the basic needs of the civilian population within their territory or under their control, and allowing and facilitating the rapid, safe and unhindered passage of humanitarian relief to all those in need,

Recognizing the role of the United Nations Security Management System and humanitarian organizations’ access, safety and security management systems to enable a stay-and-deliver approach to deliver the most critical programmes, while focusing on effectively managing the risks to which personnel are exposed, even in high-threat environments,

Reaffirming the need for all parties to armed conflict to preserve the ability of humanitarian organizations to act in a manner consistent with the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence in order to provide their activities to all persons in need and to provide for the protection and safety of those persons and of the humanitarian personnel delivering such humanitarian activities,

Recalling that in line with international humanitarian law impartial humanitarian organizations may offer their services to any party to armed conflict; recognizing the importance of consistent engagement by humanitarian organizations with all parties to armed conflict for humanitarian purposes, including activities aimed at ensuring respect for international humanitarian law and condemning the targeting, killing, harassment, intimidation, reprisal, criminalization, prosecutions, arbitrary arrest and arbitrary detentions of humanitarian personnel for humanitarian activities, gravely concerned with the increase in incidents of violence against humanitarian personnel, United Nations and associated personnel, including national and locally recruited personnel, and their premises and assets, in urban conflict settings, and stressing the importance of continuous training, monitoring and adaptation of security risk management measures to protect those delivering humanitarian activities in high-risk environments,

Recognizing with deep appreciation the essential role of humanitarian personnel and United Nations and associated personnel, including national and locally recruited personnel in conducting humanitarian activities, commending them for operating even in dangerous environments, emphasizing the need to support their health and well-being, and paying tribute to all of them, in particular those who have sacrificed their lives in the service of humanity,

Reaffirming the importance of full, equal, safe and meaningful participation of women in humanitarian and United Nations activities, and the importance of conducting and integrating gender-sensitive assessments when considering the safety and security of personnel, premises and assets,

Expressing deep concern at the exposure of humanitarian personnel and United Nations and associated personnel, including national and locally recruited personnel, to certain forms of crime and acts of intimidation and harassment, including sexual violence and other forms of sexual and gender-based violence, and equally concerned at the significant number of reported sexual assaults against both male and female United Nations personnel,

Expressing serious concern regarding challenges in bringing to justice those allegedly responsible for the deliberate targeting and other unlawful acts against humanitarian personnel and United Nations and associated personnel, including national and locally recruited personnel, and their premises and assets, and emphasizing the responsibility of States to comply with their obligations to thoroughly investigate and prosecute persons responsible for serious violations of international law and other international crimes, in order to prevent these crimes, avoid their recurrence and seek sustainable peace, justice, truth and reconciliation, and, in this regard, reaffirming the need to end impunity for serious violations of international humanitarian law and other international crimes, including those involving attacks against humanitarian personnel and United Nations and associated personnel,

Expressing concern about the increase in malicious information and communication technologies activities, including data breaches, information operations, that target humanitarian organizations, disrupt their relief operations, undermine trust in humanitarian organizations and United Nations activities, and threaten the safety and security of their personnel, premises and assets, and ultimately their access and ability to carry out humanitarian activities,

Noting with concern the increasing threat of disinformation campaigns and misinformation that undermine trust in United Nations and humanitarian organizations and put humanitarian personnel and United Nations and associated personnel, including national and locally recruited personnel, at risk,

Recognizing that better integration of existing and new technologies, especially digital technologies, can also support the safety and security of humanitarian personnel and United Nations and associated personnel, including national and locally recruited personnel, and their premises and assets,

Adopted by the Security Council at its 9634th meeting, on 24 May 2024.