UN General Assembly
2008

Commission and the Peacebuilding Fund was important in strengthening the Organization’s capacity and capability to build and cross that bridge, but so far it is only a footbridge. Much more engineering and craftsmanship are needed, including on the part of funds and programmes. At the 2005 World Summit, the concept of the responsibility to protect was endorsed. We must develop that concept further and ensure that States do their utmost to protect their own citizens from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. We must discuss what the international community and the United Nations can do to assist States in meeting those obligations, and we 41 08-53135 must consider the means that are available to the international community when States manifestly fail to protect their populations. Last week, an impressive number of heads of State and Government took part in the first high-level follow-up to the Millennium Declaration and the establishment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). We are not on track, but we are not sidetracked either. We all have to make extra effort if