HRC58
Group of Friends of the Responsibility to Protect (Geneva)
Statement on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) at the 2005 UN World Summit
Delivery Version – Panel Discussion on Early Warning
and Genocide Prevention
5 March 2025
Mr. President,
I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of members of the Group of Friends of the Responsibility to Protect. whose membership includes over fifty delegations from every region of the world.
The adoption of the 2005 World Summit Outcome Document, which recognized R2P, reflected a historic commitment to protect populations from genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing.
Human Rights Mechanisms play an important role in advancing preventive action. Special Procedures can contribute to early warning of atrocity risk factors; the UPR has opened space for dialogue on how to strengthen national resilience; and HRC-mandated investigative mechanisms can help to achieve accountability and serve as an important deterrent of further atrocity crimes.
As we commemorate the 20th anniversary of R2P, the Group of Friends renews our commitment to the Responsibility to Protect and to realizing the potential of the HRC in preventing and responding to atrocity crimes. We also urge the Office of the Special Advisers to share its early warning assessments and recommendations with the wider UN membership, including the HRC.
We ask the expert speakers: “How can we strengthen the linkages between the UN Office on Genocide Prevention and R2P and the HRC to ensure early warning translates into early action?”
Thank you.
Members of the Group of Friends of the Responsibility to Protect supporting the statement:
Chair
1. Australia
2. Sierra Leone
African States
3. Botswana
4. Côte d’Ivoire
5. Ghana
6. Liberia
7. Mali
8. Morocco
9. Mozambique
10. Nigeria
11. Rwanda
12. Senegal
13. South Sudan
14. Tanzania
Asia-Pacific States
15. Bangladesh
16. Japan
17. Marshall Islands
18. Qatar
19. Republic of Korea
20. Singapore
Eastern European States
21. Bosnia and Herzegovina
22. Bulgaria
23. Croatia
24. Czech Republic
25. Hungary
26. Romania
27. Slovakia
28. Slovenia
Latin American and Caribbean States
29. Argentina
30. Chile
31. Costa Rica
32. Guatemala
33. Mexico
34. Panama
35. Peru
36. Uruguay
Western European and other States
37. Belgium
38. Canada
39. Denmark
40. Finland
41. France
42. Germany
43. Ireland
44. Italy
45. Liechtenstein
46. Luxembourg
47. Netherlands
48. New Zealand
49. Norway
50. Portugal
51. Spain
52. Sweden
53. Switzerland
54. United Kingdom
Others
55. European Union