Security Council Resolution 2589 (2021) [on Safety and Security of Peacekeepers]

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, 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;

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;

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 comprehensive annual briefing mandated by the Security Council under its resolution 2378 (2017) on cases related to United Nations peacekeeping Missions already closed:

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 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;

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;

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;

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;