Group of Friends to Promote Accountability for Crimes Against Peacekeepers

December 21, 2022

India has recently launched a “Group of Friends” to promote accountability for crimes against peacekeepers. It was launched during India’s presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

About “Group of Friends to Promote Accountability for Crimes Against Peacekeepers”

“Group of Friends to Promote Accountability for Crimes Against Peacekeepers” is an informal forum that will work to promote accountability for all acts of violence against the United Nations peacekeepers.
It seeks to provide capacity building and technical assistance for the host states’ authorities to prevent and address such crimes.
Its co-chairs are India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Egypt, France, and Morocco.
The informal forum will serve as a platform for exchanging information, sharing best practices, and mobilization of resources for facilitating accountability for crimes committed against peacekeepers.
It will also be involved in monitoring the progress towards bringing accountability for such crimes.
The forum will actively share information with the Secretary-General and help member states that are hosting or have hosted peacekeeping operations and assist them in bringing the perpetrators to justice.
It will organize additional meetings, briefings, and events whenever necessary, as per the annual work plan and developments relevant to the safety and security of peacekeepers.
It will organize 2 meetings of its members each year, and convene and host one event each year involving Permanent Missions and other Stakeholders

Why was the group set up?

The Group of Friends involves countries championing the implementation of the provisions of the UNSC resolution 2589, which was adopted in August 2021 under India’s UNSC presidency.

Resolution 2589 calls on the member states that are hosting or having hosted the UN peacekeeping operations to take necessary measures to bring to justice the perpetrators involved in all acts of violence against the United Nations personnel, including, but not limited to, their detention and abduction. It also calls on the member states to take the required steps to investigate such crimes, and apprehend the perpetrators based on the national laws and any applicable international obligations, including international humanitarian law.

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