The State of Qatar affirmed that its commitment to the responsibility to protect is in line with its belief in international cooperation to establish collective security, its respect for international law, and its firm policy to enhance international peace and security. Based on this commitment, the State of Qatar continued its efforts to promote this principle, as an active member and a co-chair of the Group of Friends of the Responsibility to Protect for a period of three years.

This came in a statement delivered by HE Qatar's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani at the United Nations General Assembly meeting on "the responsibility to protect and the prevention of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity."

Her Excellency said that the convening of this official discussion comes at a time when the need for international multilateral action is increasing, as a result of the unprecedented effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the increase in armed conflicts, in the number of displaced persons and in human rights violations and atrocities, a matter which calls for more determined and consistent measures by the international community to fulfill its responsibility to protect civilians.

While expressing appreciation and satisfaction over the progress made to strengthen the principle of the responsibility to protect, and the important role the General Assembly is playing to promote this principle in line with its responsibility and decisions to ensure the protection of civilians and the accountability of perpetrators of mass atrocities, she said there is an urgent need to take more collective steps, especially in light of the risks resulting from the pandemic, including strengthening prevention and early warning mechanisms, and addressing the causes that contribute to these atrocities by respecting human rights, the rule of law, preventing hate speech, combating extremism, and achieving development.

Her Excellency said that, in this context and in light of the current international environment, preventing mass atrocities is an individual and collective responsibility of states based on the United Nations Charter, provisions of international humanitarian law, international human rights law and international refugee law. Therefore, we have a great responsibility to implement our obligations to protect populations exposed to crimes. This is what makes the implementation of the responsibility to protect principle so important and irreplaceable.

HE Ambassador Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani explained that the draft resolution presented today before the General Assembly reflects our commitments to protect populations exposed to atrocity crimes and to put an end to genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. From this standpoint, we are proud that the State of Qatar is among the countries that submitted the draft resolution.

Her Excellency noted that the Security Council, by virtue of its mandate under the Charter, has a special responsibility to prevent atrocity crimes by refraining from using the right of veto in cases involving atrocity crimes, which enjoys the support of the majority of member states.

HE Ambassador Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani affirmed that convening this official debate of the General Assembly and adopting the draft resolution confirms the international community's determination to protect civilians, address mass atrocities, hold those responsible accountable and end impunity, stressing that the State of Qatar will remain at the core of the efforts made to respect human rights and other international covenants and to promote security and peace in the world.