Tackle root causes of conflict to protect civilians and civilian objects -- Chinese envoy

UNITED NATIONS, April 27 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Tuesday called for efforts to tackle the root causes of conflict as a fundamental way to protect civilians and civilian objects.

War and armed conflict are systemic risks to civilians. In a flipped-over nest, hardly any eggs can remain intact, said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations.

"In the event of conflict or war, it is difficult to ensure absolute security for civilians and civilian objects. To solve this problem, we must look at the big picture and tackle it from its root," he told a Security Council open debate on the protection of civilian objects in armed conflict.

The vast majority of armed conflicts stem from absolute poverty and scarcity of resources. Promoting peace through development is the fundamental way out of this conundrum. The international community should coordinate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to help conflict-affected countries and regions meet the challenges in poverty reduction and pandemic control, thus gradually eliminating the root causes of conflict, he said.

Infrastructure for agricultural production, food security, water and power supplies, health care, and others, is essential to ensure the subsistence of civilians and improve the humanitarian situation. And the protection of these facilities is an explicit requirement of international humanitarian law. In the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring the safety and accessibility of medical facilities to conflict-affected civilians is a shared priority for the international community, he said.

Zhang also stressed the need to adhere to the peaceful solution to conflicts through dialogue, good offices and negotiations.

At present, multiple hot-spot issues on the Security Council's agenda are at a critical stage. The international community should support dialogue and consultation, strengthen mediation and good offices, intensify diplomatic efforts, prevent escalation of tension, and free civilians from the ordeal of war at an early date, he said.

The Security Council and other UN bodies should play a coordinating role and support regional organizations that have the advantage of success in finding regional solutions to regional disputes, so as to forge synergy for promoting talks for peace. All parties to conflict should respond positively to the UN secretary-general's appeal for a global cease-fire and take forward political processes through inclusive dialogue, he said.

Zhang asked the international community to help countries in question strengthen capacity-building.

The governments of the countries in question should assume the primary responsibility for the protection of objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population. All parties to conflict must fulfill their obligations under international law, protect civilians and civilian objects, strictly distinguish between military targets and civilian installations, ensure the functionality of infrastructure, and prioritize the needs of vulnerable groups, such as women and children. The international community should respect the sovereignty of host countries, focus on their needs, heed their views, and help them build up their capacity to operate and protect infrastructure on their own, he said.

He also called for attention to terrorist forces controlling or destroying infrastructure or even launching cyberattacks on critical infrastructure by using digital technology.

The international community should work together to protect civilians and civilian objects and ensure civilians' sustainable access to essential services. The various UN bodies should, in accordance with their respective mandates, display their advantages and strengthen coordination with regional organizations and international bodies to tilt the focus of humanitarian relief and development assistance toward civilians and civilian objects, and play a greater role in post-conflict reconstruction, he said.

Over the years, by aligning the Belt and Road Initiative with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, China has deepened cooperation with relevant national, regional, and international organizations to help developing countries build up their infrastructure, boost employment, and improve people's livelihood, said Zhang.

China has helped build 24 agriculture technology demonstration centers in Africa, benefiting more than 500,000 local people. The development sub-fund under the China-UN Peace and Development Fund has implemented 34 projects involving multiple UN agencies, benefiting dozens of countries, he noted.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, China has provided emergency medical assistance to several conflict-affected countries and dispatched medical teams to help them fight the pandemic. Looking forward, China will continue to work with the international community to help conflict-affected countries build up their capacity for independent development and for the protection of civilians, he said.