Introduction
Neutrality — defined as the legal status arising from the abstention of a
state from all participation in a war between other states, the maintenance of
an attitude of impartiality toward the belligerents, and the recognition by the
belligerents of this abstention and impartiality — is critically important for
the United Nations to gain and maintain the confidence and cooperation of all
in order to operate independently and effectively, especially in situations
that are politically charged.
As Article 2 of the UN Charter obligates
member states to settle their international disputes by peaceful means and to
refrain from the threat, or the use of force in their relations, the General
Assembly reaffirmed those obligations in its resolution
71/275.
The resolution also
underlined that some states’ national policies of neutrality can contribute to
the strengthening of international peace and security and play an important
role in developing mutually beneficial relations among countries of the world.
Recognizing that such national policies of neutrality are aimed at
promoting the use of preventive diplomacy, which is a core function of the
United Nations and occupies a central place among the functions of the
Secretary-General, the General Assembly decided to declare 12 December the
International Day of Neutrality, and called for marking the day by holding
events aimed at enhancing public awareness of the value of neutrality in
international relations.
Background
In the face of political tension and escalating crises, it is of great
importance to uphold the principles of sovereignty and the sovereign equality
of States, territorial integrity, self-determination and non-intervention in
the internal affairs of any State, and to defend, promote and encourage the
settlement of international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that
international peace and security are not endangered.
Therefore, the policy of neutrality contributes to the strengthening of peace and
security in relevant regions and at the global level and plays an important
role in developing peaceful, friendly and mutually beneficial relations between
the countries of the world.
It is worth noting that the policy
of neutrality — a key factor for providing
conditions and building a platform for peaceful negotiations — is also
closely interconnected with and based on the tools of preventive diplomacy,
such as early warning and prevention of conflict, mediation, good offices,
fact-finding missions, negotiation, the use of special envoys, informal
consultations, peacebuilding and targeted development activities.
Hence, preventive diplomacy is a core function of the United Nations and
is central to the role of the United Nations Secretary-General, including the
special political missions of the United Nations and the good offices of the
Secretary-General in peacemaking, peacekeeping and peacebuilding.
Consequently, and in accordance with the guiding principles for the strengthening of the
coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations system,
countries with the status of neutrality play an important role in providing and
delivering humanitarian assistance in situations of complex emergencies and
natural disasters.
On 2 February 2017, the UN General Assembly adopted without a vote
resolution 71/275 — introduced by Turkmenistan, recognized by the UN as a
permanently neutral state since 12 December 1995 — which noted the link between
the preservation of peace and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and
declared 12 December as the International Day of Neutrality.
The aforementioned GA resolution also proposes that UN Secretary-General
continue to cooperate closely with the neutral states, with a view to
implementing the principles of preventive diplomacy and utilizing them in the
mediation activities.
Preventive Diplomacy
The United Nations is committed to moving from a culture of
"reaction" to one of "prevention". The term
"Preventive diplomacy"
refers to diplomatic action taken to prevent disputes from escalating into
conflicts and to limit the spread of conflicts when they occur. While it is
conducted in different forms and fora, both public and private, the most common
expression of preventive diplomacy is found in the work of envoys dispatched to
crisis areas to encourage dialogue, compromise and the peaceful resolution of
tensions.
Mediation
Since its inception, the United Nations has played a crucial role in
helping to mediate inter- and intra-State conflicts at all stages: before they
escalate into armed conflict, after the outbreak of violence, and during
implementation of peace agreements. Successful conflict mediation requires an
adequate support system to provide envoys with the proper staff assistance and
advice, and ensure that talks have the needed logistical and financial
resources.
🎁
Peacemaking
UN peacemaking flourished in the decade following the end of the Cold War,
as many longstanding armed conflicts were brought to an end through political
negotiated settlements.
The organization continues to play a preeminent role in
peacemaking, working increasingly in partnership with regional organizations in
order to bring ongoing conflicts to an end, and to prevent new crises from
emerging or escalating.
#PEACE_WALK
#PEACE #MEDIATION #UN #DPCW_1038 #IWPG #IPYG #WARP_OFFICE
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