Security Council resolution 2589 (2021) [on safety and security of peacekeepers]
Symbol: S/RES/2589 (2021)
Date: 2021-08-18
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/76 [18] PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS
S/ X United Nations peacekeeping operations.
Subjects: PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS|STAFF SECURITY|SECURITY MANAGEMENT|DATABASES
Votes in favour: 15
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 0
Voting record:
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: ESTONIA
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: INDIA
vote: yes
country: IRELAND
vote: yes
country: KENYA
vote: yes
country: MEXICO
vote: yes
country: NIGER
vote: yes
country: NORWAY
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: yes
country: SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
vote: yes
country: TUNISIA
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes
country: VIET NAM
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                   S/RES/2589 (2021)
               Security Council                                                  Distr.: General
                                                                                 18 August 2021




               Resolution 2589 (2021)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 8837th meeting, on
               18 August 2021

                    The Security Council,
                     Recalling the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,
               reaffirming its primary responsibility under the Charter of the United Nations for the
               maintenance of international peace and security,
                    Recalling its previous relevant resolutions and presidential statements
               addressing issues related to peacekeeping operations,
                    Reaffirming the basic principles of peacekeeping, such as consent of the parties,
               impartiality, and non-use of force, except in self-defence and defence of the mandate,
                     Underscoring the importance of peacekeeping as one of the most effective tools
               available to the United Nations in the promotion and maintenance of international
               peace and security, and affirming that lasting peace is neither achieved nor sustained
               by military and technical engagements alone, but through political solutions, and
               strongly convinced that this should guide the design and deployment of United
               Nations peacekeeping operations,
                      Noting efforts undertaken by the Secretary-General to mobilize all partners and
               stakeholders in support of more effective United Nations peacekeeping through his
               initiatives “Action for Peacekeeping” and Action for Peacekeeping +, which
               highlights the importance of, inter alia, accountability for crimes committed against
               United Nations Personnel serving in peacekeeping operations,
                     Noting that United Nations personnel serving in peacekeeping operations are
               deployed in deteriorating and complex political and security environments,
               expressing grave concern about the security threats and targeted attacks against
               United Nations personnel serving in peacekeeping operations, which constitute a
               major challenge to United Nations operations, including threats posed by landmines,
               explosive remnants of war (ERW) and improvised explosive device s (IEDs), and
               recalling the sacrifices of uniformed and civilian personnel in implementing United
               Nations mandates in challenging environments,
                     Condemning in the strongest terms the killing of, and all acts of violence against
               United Nations personnel serving in peacekeeping operations, including, but not
               limited to, their detention and abduction, and recalling that such acts against
               peacekeepers may constitute war crimes,




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                     Condemning violations of status-of-forces or status-of-mission agreements by
               any party to those agreements, recognizing the grave risks such violations can present
               to the safety and security of United Nations personnel serving in peacekeeping
               operations, and affirming that the entry of personnel or equipment into the country
               and freedom of movement, in line with mission’s mandate, should not be hindered,
                     Expressing serious concern regarding challenges in bringing to justice
               perpetrators of the killing of, and all acts of violence against United Nations personnel
               serving in peacekeeping operations, including, but not limited to, their detention and
               abduction, and that the rate of prosecution of such crimes has remained very low,
               which has further contributed to an environment of impunity, and undermined the
               safety and security of such personnel, and in this regard, noting the commitment
               expressed by Member States to take all appropriate measures to bring to justice
               perpetrators of such acts against United Nations personnel serving in peacekeeping
               operations,
                     Underscoring the importance of peacekeeping missions cooperating closely
               with concerned member states and United Nations entities, to mitigate the risk of the
               killing of, and all acts of violence against United Nations personnel serving in
               peacekeeping operations, including, but not limited to, their detention and abduction,
                     Noting the important role United Nations’ assistance to police, justice and
               corrections institutions can play, where mandated, in strengthening the rule of law
               and security sector reform, reaffirming the lead role of national authorities in
               progressing the reform of police, justice and corrections institutions as part of wider
               rule of law and security sector reform efforts, including in dedicating national
               resources towards national police, justice and corrections institutions, and monitoring
               the impact of police, justice and corrections reform, and recognizing that the political
               leadership and political will of national authorities are critical in this regard and
               success necessitates national ownership,
                     Recognizing the critical role of United Nations personnel serving in
               peacekeeping operations in the promotion and maintenance of international peace and
               security in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, and that the primary
               responsibility for the safety and security of United Nations personnel and as sets rests
               with the host state, and recognizing further that efforts to enhance safety and security
               need to be improved at all levels both at headquarters and in the field as a shared
               endeavour,
                     Reaffirming the critical link between safety and security and the performance of
               civilian and uniformed peacekeeping personnel, and that institutionalizing a culture
               of performance in United Nations peacekeeping will contribute to better delivery of
               peacekeeping mandates, as well as leading to improvements in the safety and security
               of peacekeepers, noting, in this regard, the development of the Integrated
               Peacekeeping Performance and Accountability Framework, and underscoring the
               importance of performance assessment and accountability at all levels,
                    1.    Pays tribute to all United Nations personnel serving in peacekeeping
               operations, including those who have sacrificed their lives in the line of duty for the
               cause of peace;
                     2.    Calls upon Member States hosting or having hosted United Nations
               peacekeeping operations, to take all appropriate measures, in accordance with their
               national law, and international law, as applicable, to bring to justice perpetrators of
               the killing of, and all acts of violence against United Nations personnel, including,
               but not limited to, their detention and abduction, urges all parties to armed conflict to
               fully respect their obligations under international law, calls on host states to work
               with peacekeeping missions to enhance the safety and security of mission personnel,


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           including in line with resolution 2518 (2020), and to take all necessary measures to
           investigate such acts, and arrest and prosecute perpetrators of such acts in line with
           their national law, consistent with applicable international obligations, including
           under international humanitarian law, and international human rights law, and in
           accordance with the relevant status-of-forces or status-of-mission agreement, as
           appropriate;
                 3.     Calls upon the Member States hosting or having hosted United Nations
           peacekeeping operations to promote accountability for the killing of, and all acts of
           violence against United Nations personnel serving in peacekeeping operations,
           including, but not limited to, their detention and abduction, in line with their national
           law, and consistent with applicable international obligations, including under
           international humanitarian law, and international human rights law, and encourages
           Member States hosting or having hosted peacekeeping operation, to address impunity
           for such acts against United Nations personnel serving in peacekeeping operations,
           including through strengthening their police, justice and corrections institutions;
           recognizes, in this regard, the need to enhance support to Member States hosting
           United Nations peacekeeping operations, as appropriate, for the implementation of
           effective and efficient investigation and prosecution measures, including through
           technical and logistical support, to address impunity and ensure accountability for
           such acts, and encourages the Secretary-General through relevant United Nations
           entities, as appropriate, on request of the host state, and within existing mandate and
           capacities, to support and facilitate capacity building and technical assistance to the
           host state authorities, including relevant law enforcement, prosecutorial, judicial and
           corrections institutions, the collection and preservation of evidence, victim and
           witness protection, forensics, and safety and security arrangements for courts and
           detention facilities, as appropriate;
                 4.    Requests the Secretary-General to continue to encourage efforts by
           Member States hosting peacekeeping operations to ensure accountability for the
           killing of, and all acts of violence against United Nations personnel serving in
           peacekeeping operations, including, but not limited to, their detention and abduction,
           by including updates, as appropriate, on the following key tasks in his reports to the
           Security Council on individual peacekeeping operations, and in his comp rehensive
           annual briefing mandated by the Security Council under its resolution 2378 (2017)
           on cases related to United Nations peacekeeping Missions already closed:
                 (a) Progress made by Member States hosting or having hosted peacekeeping
           operations in the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of cases related to the
           killing of, and all acts of violence against United Nations personnel serving in
           peacekeeping operations, including, but not limited to, their detention and abduction,
           and measures undertaken by Member States hosting or having hosted peacekeeping
           operation, to promote accountability for such acts within their domestic justice
           systems, consistent with applicable international obligation s, including under
           international humanitarian law and international human rights law;
                 (b) Measures taken by the United Nations to follow up on cases related to the
           killing of, and all acts of violence against United Nations personnel serving in
           peacekeeping operations, including, but not limited to, their detention and abduction,
           to assist the host states upon their request and within mission mandate and capacities,
           to support efforts of host state towards ensuring accountability for such acts;
                 5.    Requests the Secretary-General to establish a comprehensive online
           database, within existing resources, accessible to concerned Member States, including
           host states and troop and police contributing countries, and countries of nationality
           of civilian personnel, while taking appropriate measures to protect sensitive
           information, where necessary, of cases related to the killing of, and all acts of violence

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               against United Nations personnel serving in peacekeeping operations, including, but
               not limited to, their detention and abduction, and information on capacity building
               assistance offered by the United Nations to Member States hosting peacekeeping
               operations; progress made by Member States hosting or having hosted peacekeeping
               operations, in bringing to justice perpetrators of such acts, and encourages Member
               States to provide voluntary support, including financial resources for this initiative;
                    6.    Encourages Member States, including troop and police contributing
               countries whose personnel have been the victims of the killing of, and all acts of
               violence against United Nations personnel serving in peacekeeping operations,
               including, but not limited to, their detention and abduction, to actively engage and
               share information with the Secretary-General, consistent with their national law, as
               and where necessary to assist Member States hosting or have hosted peacekeeping
               operations, in bringing to justice the perpetrators of such acts;
                     7.    Affirms its determination to take effective steps to further enhance the
               partnership between the United Nations and regional as well as sub regional
               organizations, including the African Union, to provide capacity building assistance to
               host states for the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of cases of killing of,
               and all acts of violence against United Nations personnel serving in peacekeeping
               operations, including, but not limited to, their detention and abduction;
                     8.   Calls on the Secretary-General to notify the relevant national authorities
               immediately upon receiving reports of the killing of, and all acts of violence against
               United Nations personnel serving in peacekeeping operations, including, but not
               limited to their detention and abduction, and urges host states to maintain regular
               communications to keep the Secretary-General informed of the progress of
               investigations and prosecutions in such cases, as appropriate;
                     9.    Requests that each United Nations peacekeeping mission designate within
               the existing capacities and resources of the mission, a focal point for all issues related
               to the prevention, investigation and prosecution of the killing of, and all acts of
               violence against United Nations personnel serving in peacekeeping operations,
               including, but not limited to their detention and abduction;
                    10.   Decides to remain seized of the matter.




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