Liechtenstein was not directly involved in the process to develop a Political Declaration on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. It was, however, among the first group of states to endorse the Political Declaration in Dublin in November 2022.
Statements and positions
Liechtenstein has spoken on explosive weapons in populated areas in multilateral forums, primarily to express concern over the harms caused to civilians. Liechtenstein issued statements on explosive weapons in populated areas during UN Security Council open debates on the protection of civilians in armed conflict in 20101, and in August 2013, Liechtenstein called on all parties in conflict to strictly respect the principles of distinction and proportionality and avoid the use of explosive force in densely populated areas.2 At the UN General Assembly First Committee General Debate in October 2016, Liechtenstein expressed concern over explosive weapons in populated areas and support for the UN Secretary General’s “call upon parties to conflicts to refrain from using these weapons and to elaborate a political commitment to this effect”.3
Alongside its individual statements, Lichtensteinhas repeatedly aligned with other states to deliver statements on explosive weapons in populated areas. As a member of the European Union (EU), Liechtenstein 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 4 and at the General Debate of UN General Assembly First Committee,5 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.6 The EU, with Liechtenstein 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.
Liechtenstein also aligned with the World Humanitarian Summit Core Commitments to ‘Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity’ as an EU member state in May 2016. This included the commitment “to promote and enhance the protection of civilians and civilian objects, especially in the conduct of hostilities, for instance by working to prevent civilian harm resulting from the use of wide-area explosive weapons in populated areas, and by sparing civilian infrastructure from military use in the conduct of military operations.”7 It also aligned with the Commitment 123002 at the World Humanitarian Summit in May 2016, reinforcing the commitment to data collection on the impacts of explosive weapons in populated areas, to exchange of best practices, and to explore effective measures to ensure respect for International Humanitarian Law (IHL), including a Political Declaration on the issue.8
As a member of the Group of Friends on Protection of Civilians, Liechtenstein has supported statements at the UN Security Council stressing the importance of respecting IHL and the need to enhance the protection of civilians 9. In 2018 and 2019, Liechtenstein joined some 50 and 71 states respectively to endorse joint statements 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