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Ireland

  • State
  • is an Endorsing state

Ireland is a vocal advocate against the use of explosive weapons in populated areas (EWIPA). It has long acknowledged the harm caused by the use of EWIPA and led others to action on the issue. 

Statements

Ireland has spoken against the use of EWIPA at the UN Security Council Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict in 2017 and 2019.[1] These statements have largely focused on raising awareness of the devastating short and long-term humanitarian consequences of the use of EWIPA on civilians. Ireland also delivered numerous similar statements in various intergovernmental fora, bringing attention to the urgent need to end EWIPA use. 

Ireland has delivered statements its national capacity on the topic at the following:

  • 71st UN General Assembly First Committee General Debate (2016)[2]
  • 71st UN General Assembly First Committee Conventional Weapons Debate (2016)[3]
  • 72nd UN General Assembly First Committee General Debate (2017)[4]
  • 73rd UN General Assembly First Committee General Debate (2018)[5]
  • Annual Meeting of High Contracting Parties to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (2018)[6]
  • The UN Security Council Open Debate War in Cities: Protection of Civilians in Urban Settings (2022)[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 EWIPA, which they foresee will end early in 2022.[8]

 

Ireland has signed onto numerous joint statements condemning EWIPA use, including the following:

  • The Joint Statement during the UN Security Council Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict on behalf of the Human Security Network, of which Ireland is a member (2013)[9]
  • The Joint Statement during the UN Security Council Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict on behalf of the Human Security Network (2014)[10]
  • The EU statement at the 70th UN General Assembly First Committee Conventional Weapons Debate (2015)[11]
  • 70th UN General Assembly First Committee General Debate (2015)
  • The Joint Commitment 123002 to the World Humanitarian Summit led by Austria, with Costa Rica, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Mexico, Mozambique, Spain, and Zambia (2016)[12]

In October 2018, Ireland led 50 states to endorse a joint statement on the use of EWIPA at the UN General Assembly First Committee, calling attention to the devastating and long-lasting humanitarian impact of the use of EWIPA and urging states to reverse the trend of high levels of civilian harm.[13] Ireland also led a joint statement during the 74th United Nations General Assembly First Committee in 2019.[14] The statement encouraged states to participate in international efforts to address the impacts of the use of EWIPA on civilians, including by working towards the creation of an international political declaration on this issue.[15]

As a member of the European Union (EU), Ireland has signed onto numerous joint statements condemning the use of EWIPA and the harms it causes to civilians and civilian objects, including during the UN Security Council Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict in 2011,[16] 2012,[17] and 2013.[18] The EU also spoke out against the use of EWIPA during the General Debate of the 72nd UN General Assembly First Committee in 2017, recognising its potential impact on civilians and calling on all parties to armed conflict to fully comply with international humanitarian law (IHL).[19] 

At the UN Security Council Open Debate War in Cities: Protection of Civilians in Urban Settings on 25 January 2022, the Group of Friends of the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict, of which Ireland is a member, called on states to enhance the protection of civilians, including from the use of EWIPA, and took note of the ongoing consultations to develop a political declaration on this subject.[20]

Political declaration

Ireland has led the efforts to create a political declaration on the use of EWIPA, hosting consultations in 2019, 2020, and 2021. As the host of the consultations, Ireland leads discussions between states, international organisations, UN agencies, and civil society organisations among other actors and compiles their statements. It has led the drafting of proposals for the political declaration, incorporating the discussions and feedback of these actors.[21]

In addition to leading the consultations, Ireland participates as a state. Throughout the consultations, it has emphasised the importance of including robust follow-up processes retaining inclusivity toward and participation of civil society organisations in the declaration.[22] At the UN Security Council Open Debate War in Cities: Protection of Civilians in Urban Settings on 25 January 2022, 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.[23]

 

[1] UN Security Council (2017). ‘UN Security Council Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict Meeting Transcript’. https://undocs.org/en/S/PV.7951. UN Security Council (2019). ‘UN Security Council Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict Meeting Transcript’. https://undocs.org/en/S/PV.8534.

[2] Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations (2016). ‘UNGA71 First Committee General Debate Statement.’ https://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/1com/1com16/statements/7Oct_Ireland.pdf.

[3] Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations (2016). ‘UNGA71 First Committee Conventional Weapons Cluster Statement.’ https://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/1com/1com16/statements/21Oct_Ireland.pdf.

[4] Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations (2017). ‘UNGA72 First Committee General Debate Statement.’ https://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/1com/1com17/statements/9Oct_Ireland.pdf.

[5] Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations (2018). ‘UNGA73 First Committee General Debate Statement.’ https://reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/1com/1com18/statements/10Oct_Ireland.pdf.

[6]  Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations (2018). ‘Meeting of High Contracting Parties of the CCW General Debate Statement’. https://reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/ccw/2018/hcp-meeting/statements/21Nov_Ireland.pdf.

[7] Ray Acheson, Reaching Critical Will (2022). ‘UN Security Council Debates War in Cities and the Protection of Civilians’. https://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/news/latest-news/16009-un-security-council-debates-war-in-cities-and-the-protection-of-civilians.

[8] Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations (2021). ‘UNGA75 First Committee Statement’. https://reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/1com/1com21/statements/7Oct_Ireland.pdf.

[9] UN Security Council (2013). ‘August 2013 Security Council Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict Meeting Transcript’. https://undocs.org/en/S/PV.7019.

[10] UN Security Council, S/PV.7109 (2014). ‘UN Security Council Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians Meeting Transcript.’ https://undocs.org/en/S/PV.7109.

[11] Permanent Mission of the European Union to the United Nations (2015). ‘UNGA70 First Committee Conventional Weapons Debate Statement’. https://reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/1com/1com15/statements/26October_EU.pd

[12] Agenda for Humanity Archives, ‘Ireland’. https://agendaforhumanity.org/stakeholder/127.html.

[13] Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations (2018). ‘UNGA73 First Committee Joint Statement on Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas (EWIPA)’. https://reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/1com/1com18/statements/25Oct_EWIPA.pdf.

[14] INEW (2019). ‘Seventy-one States call for Action on Impact of Explosive Weapons in Joint Statement to UN General Assembly’. https://dev.inew.org/seventy-one-states-call-for-action-on-impact-of-explosive-weapons-in-joint-statement-to-un-general-assembly/.

[15] Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations (2019). ‘UNGA74 First Committee Debate on Conventional Weapons: Joint Statement on Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas Delivered by H.E. Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason Permanent Representative of Ireland to the United Nations, 2019, https://article36.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/UNGA74-joint-statement-on-explosive-weapons-in-populated-areas.pdf.

[16] Permanent Mission of the European Union to the United Nations (2011). ‘Statement during the May 2011 Security Council Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict’. http://www.peacewomen.org/sites/default/files/eu_poc_11may2011_0.pdf

[17] Permanent Mission of the European Union to the United Nations (2012). EU Statement during the June 2012 Security Council Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict’. http://www.peacewomen.org/security-council/security-council-open-debate-protection-civilians-armed-conflict-june-2012/.

[18] Permanent Mission of the European Union to the United Nations (2013). ‘EU Statement during the August 2013 Security Council Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict’. https://undocs.org/en/S/PV.7019.

[19] Permanent Mission of the European Union to the United Nations (2017). ‘UNGA First Committee Statement’. https://reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/1com/1com17/statements/18Oct_EU.pdf.

[20] Ray Acheson, Reaching Critical Will (2022). ‘UN Security Council Debates War in Cities and the Protection of Civilians’. https://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/news/latest-news/16009-un-security-council-debates-war-in-cities-and-the-protection-of-civilians.

[21] Irish Department of Foreign Affairs (2021). ‘Protecting Civilians in Warfare’. https://www.dfa.ie/our-role-policies/international-priorities/peace-and-security/ewipa-consultations/.

[22] Ray Acheson, Reaching Critical Will (2021). ‘Report on the March 2021 Consultations on a Political Declaration on the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas’. 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.

[23] Ray Acheson, Reaching Critical Will (2022). ‘UN Security Council Debates War in Cities and the Protection of Civilians’. https://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/news/latest-news/16009-un-security-council-debates-war-in-cities-and-the-protection-of-civilians.

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