UN Security Council adopts new resolution on fight against genocide
The United Nations Security Council under the presidency of Nigeria, unanimously adopted resolution 2150 (2014) on the prevention and fight against genocide.
The resolution was adopted at a meeting on the prevention and fight against genocide titled ‘Threats to international peace and security: Prevention and fight against Genocide.’
According to the text of the resolution sent to Daily Trust from New York yesterday, the meeting was organized to mark the 20th anniversary of the end of the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda after which Resolution 2150 (2014) on the subject was adopted by consensus at the Meeting.
The council called on States to recommit to prevent and fight against genocide and other serious crimes under international law and urged states that had not yet ratified or acceded to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide to consider doing so as a matter of high priority.
Speaking during the meeting Deputy Secretary-General, Jan Eliasson, described the genocide in Rwanda as one of the “darkest chapters in human history” saying the world remembered with heavy hearts the international community’s collective failure to recognize and act on the warning signs of genocide.
Eliasson said the reality of the genocide could be prevented with information and mobilization, as well as courage and political will. Adding that “We must do more as a community of nations and as global citizens if we are going to live up to the promise of ‘never again’ and act upon our collective responsibility to protect,” he said.”
Also Eugène-Richard Gasana, from Rwanda stressed the need for historical clarity regarding the events in Rwanda, saying it was the world’s duty to remember that the genocide had been carried out due to systemic indifference. Colin Keating from New Zealand who was the President of the Council in 1994 said his country apologized for the international community’s failure and asked that New Zealand’s apology be formally inscribed in the records of the Security Council.
He warned that if the international community truly wanted prevention to work, there must be political, operational and financial mechanisms for the Council and the wider United Nations system to achieve better outcomes. Nigeria Permanent Representative and President of the Council for the month of April, Amb. Joy Ogwu, underlined the importance of adherence to the principle of early warning mechanism and the need for timely and decisive response.