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Ireland

HAS ENDORSED THE POLITICAL DECLARATION

Ireland was actively involved in the process to develop a Political Declaration on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, and was among the first group of states to endorse the Political Declaration in Dublin in November 2022. As the host of the consultations, from 2019 to 2022 Ireland led discussions between states, international organisations, UN agencies, and civil society organisations among other actors. It also acted as pen-holder for the draft the Political Declaration, incorporating the discussions and feedback of these actors.1

In addition to leading the consultations, Ireland participated as a state, including delivering statements emphasising the importance of including robust follow-up processes retaining inclusivity toward and participation of civil society organisations in the Declaration.2 At the signing ceremony, Ireland stressed the relevance of the instrument to current and future conflicts, sending a message about the imperative of protecting civilians. Ireland highlighted a few elements of the Declaration, such as the commitments on data and research, gender sensitive responses, victim assistance, risk education, the collective commitment to review military policies and practices, as well as to restrict and refrain from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.3

Statements and positions

Ireland has frequently spoken on explosive weapons in populated areas in multilateral forums, primarily to raise awareness of the devastating short and long-term humanitarian consequences of the use of explosive weapons in populated areas on civilians. It has repeatedly spoken against the use of explosive weapons in populated areas at the UN Security Council, including at the open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict in 2017 and 20194 and at the January 2022 open debate on war in cities where Ireland said it is determined to deliver a meaningful Political Declaration that improves the protection of civilians and leads to changes in policy and practice.5 At the UN Security Council Open Debate on Children and Armed Conflict on 5 July 2023, Ireland underscored the need to refrain from using explosive weapons in populated areas and encouraged all member states to endorse and adhere to the Political Declaration.6

Similarly, Ireland has repeatedly spoken on explosive weapons in populated areas at the UN General Assembly First Committee.7 During the UN General Assembly First Committee in 2021, Ireland delivered a statement reiterating these devastating humanitarian consequences and noted that it is proud to lead the consultation process for a Political Declaration on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, which they foresee will end early in 2022.8 In 2023, Ireland noted, with concern, the widespread use of explosive weapons around the world and was proud to welcome the Declaration as a means of addressing its impacts. Ireland called for the Declaration’s endorsement by all states that have not yet done so.9

Alongside its individual statements, Ireland has repeatedly aligned with other states to deliver statements on explosive weapons in populated areas. In October 2018, Ireland led 50 states to endorse a joint statement on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas at the UN General Assembly First Committee, calling attention to the devastating and long-lasting humanitarian impact of the use of explosive weapons in populated areas and urging states to reverse the trend of high levels of civilian harm.10 Ireland also led a joint statement during the 74th United Nations General Assembly First Committee in 2019.11 The statement encouraged states to participate in international efforts to address the impacts of the use of explosive weapons in populated areas on civilians, including by working towards the creation of an international Political Declaration on this issue.12 As a member of the Group of Friends on Protection of Civilians, Ireland has supported statements at the UN Security Council stressing the importance of respecting IHL and the need to enhance the protection of civilians,13 and as a member of the Group of Friends of Action on Conflict and Hunger, strongly welcomed the Political Declaration, called on other states to join it, and said that the Oslo Conference will provide a critical opportunity to make progress in implementing the Declaration.14 As a member of the Human Security Network, Ireland also signed onto the Network’s a joint statements to the UN Security Council open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict in 2013 15 - where it ​​voiced concern over use of explosive weapons in populated areas noting that “such weapons are indiscriminate within their zones of detonation and therefore pose unacceptable risks to civilians” and calling on relevant actors to refrain from such use – and in 2014, where it reiterated this call. 16

As a member of the European Union (EU), Ireland has signed onto numerous joint statements condemning the use of explosive weapons in populated areas and the harms it causes to civilians and civilian objects, as well as calling for greater IHL compliance. This includes at several UN Security Council open debates on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict 17 and at the General Debate of UN General Assembly First Committee18, as well as at the 2022 UN Security Council open debate on War in Cities where the EU expressed concern over the indiscriminate use of explosive weapons in populated areas, including near hospitals, schools, and universities.19 The EU, with Ireland signing on, has also repeatedly welcomed the Political Declaration on explosive weapons in populated areas – at the 2022 Dublin Conference, the 2022 and 2023 UN General Assembly First Committee (where it highlighted the work ahead for implementing the Declaration’s commitments), and at the 2023 UN Security Council open debate on the Protection of Civilians.

Ireland is also one of nine states who joined Joint Commitment 123002 to the World Humanitarian Summit19 which commits states to engage in raising international awareness about the challenge for the protection of civilians in armed conflict posed by the use of explosive weapons with wide area effects in populated areas; to support the collection of data on the direct civilian harm and the reverberating effects on civilians and civilian objects; and to contribute to the collection and exchange of information on good practices and lessons learned in minimizing impacts on civilians when using such weapons in populated areas.

  1. Irish Department of Foreign Affairs (2021). ‘Protecting Civilians in Warfare’. https://www.dfa.ie/our-role-policies/international-priorities/peace-and-security/ewipa-consultations.
  2. Rafferty, J., Geyer, K., Acheson, R., 2021. ‘Report on the March 2021 consultations on a Political Declaration on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas’. Reaching Critical Will. 21 March 2021. https://reachingcriticalwill.org/news/latest-news/15213-report-on-the-march-2021-consultations-on-a-political-declaration-on-the-use-of-explosive-weapons-in-populated-areas.

  3. Irish Department of Foreign Affairs. ‘Watch Back Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas – Dublin Conference – Morning Session.’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2VpYQzoKyo.

  4. United Nations Security Council. S/PV.7951. 25 May 2017. Available from: https://undocs.org/en/S/PV.7951; United Nations Security Council. S/PV.8534. 23 May 2019. Available from: https://undocs.org/en/S/PV.8534
  5. Acheson, R. 2022. ‘UN Security Council Debates War in Cities and the Protection of Civilians.’ Reaching Critical Will, 28 January 2022. https://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/news/latest-news/16009-un-security-council-debates-war-in-cities-and-the-protection-of-civilians.
  6. United Nations Security Council. S/PV.9366. 5 July 2023. Available from: https://undocs.org/en/S/PV.9366(Resumption1)
  7. See, for example, ‘UNGA71 First Committee General Debate Statement.’ Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations. 7 October 2016. https://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/1com/1com16/statements/7Oct_Ireland.pdf; ‘UNGA72 First Committee General Debate Statement.’ Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations. 9 October 2017. https://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/1com/1com17/statements/9Oct_Ireland.pdf; ‘UNGA73 First Committee General Debate Statement.’ Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations. 10 October 2018. https://reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/1com/1com18/statements/10Oct_Ireland.pdf; ‘Meeting of High Contracting Parties of the CCW General Debate Statement’. Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations, 21 November 2018. https://reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/ccw/2018/hcp-meeting/statements/21Nov_Ireland.pdf.
  8. ‘UNGA75 First Committee Statement’. Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations 7 October 2021. https://reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/1com/1com21/statements/7Oct_Ireland.pdf.
  9. Young, K. 2023. ‘First Committee Monitor, Vol.21, No.5’. Reaching Critical Will. 4 November 2023. https://reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/1com/FCM23/FCM-2023-No5.pdf.
  10. ‘UNGA73 First Committee Joint Statement on Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas (explosive weapons in populated areas)’. Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations. 25 October 2018. .https://reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/1com/1com18/statements/25Oct_explosive weapons in populated areas.pdf
  11. ‘UNGA74 First Committee Joint Statement on Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas’. Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations. 24 October 2019. Available from https://article36.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/UNGA74-joint-statement-on-explosive-weapons-in-populated-areas.pdf; ‘Seventy-one States call for Action on Impact of Explosive Weapons in Joint Statement to UN General Assembly’. International Network on Explosive Weapons. October 2019. Available from: https://www.inew.org/seventy-one-states-call-for-action-on-impact-of-explosive-weapons-in-joint-statement-to-un-general-assembly/
  12. ‘UNGA74 First Committee Joint Statement on Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas’. Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations. 24 October 2019. Available from https://article36.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/UNGA74-joint-statement-on-explosive-weapons-in-populated-areas.pdf
  13. United Nations Security Council. S/PV.9042. 25 May 2022. Available from: https://undocs.org/en/S/PV.9042. At the UN Security Council Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict on 23 May 2023, the Group noted the adoption of the Political Declaration: United Nations Security Council. S/PV.9327. 23 May 2023. Available from: https://undocs.org/en/S/PV.9327(Resumption1); 
  14. UN Security Council (2023). ‘Security Council Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict Meeting Transcript’. https://undocs.org/en/S/PV.9327(Resumption1). 
  15. United Nations Security Council. S/PV.7019. 19 August 2013. Available from:  https://undocs.org/en/S/PV.7019
  16. United Nations Security Council. S/PV.7109. 12 February 2014. Available from: https://undocs.org/en/S/PV.7109
  17. ‘EU Statement during the May 2011 Security Council Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict’. Permanent Mission of the European Union to the United Nations. 10 May 2011.  http://www.peacewomen.org/sites/default/files/eu_poc_11may2011_0.pdf; ‘EU Statement during the June 2012 Security Council Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict’. Permanent Mission of the European Union to the United Nations. 25 June 2012. http://www.peacewomen.org/security-council/security-council-open-debate-protection-civilians-armed-conflict-june-2012/; ‘EU Statement during the August 2013 UN Security Council Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict’. Permanent Mission of the European Union to the United Nations. 19 August 2013. http://www.peacewomen.org/sites/default/files/european_union_poc_august_2013_debate_0.pdf; 
  18. ‘EU Statement to the UN General Assembly 72nd Session First Committee Thematic Discussion on Conventional Weapons’. Permanent Mission of the European Union to the United Nations. 18 October 2017. https://reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/1com/1com17/statements/18Oct_EU.pdf.
  19. Acheson, R. 2022. ‘UN Security Council Debates War in Cities and the Protection of Civilians.’ Reaching Critical Will, 28 January 2022. https://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/news/latest-news/16009-un-security-council-debates-war-in-cities-and-the-protection-of-civilians.

Other State Positions