India Co-Chairs UN Group of Friends Meeting on Accountability for Crimes Against Peacekeepers.
International
India co-chaired a high-level Group of Friends (GoF) meeting at the UN Headquarters, reaffirming global commitment to justice and accountability for crimes committed against UN peacekeepers worldwide.
- India co-chaired the July 2025 meeting of the Group of Friends (GoF) for Accountability for Crimes Against Peacekeepers along with Bangladesh, Egypt, France, Morocco, and Nepal at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York, USA.
- The meeting was led by Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, India's Permanent Representative to the UN, and saw participation from around 40 UN Member States, senior UN officials, and legal field experts.
- The discussions at the meeting focused on addressing impunity in crimes against peacekeepers, strengthening domestic and international legal frameworks, and promoting intergovernmental cooperation. It emphasized the necessity for robust judicial systems and effective enforcement mechanisms to prosecute offenders who target peacekeeping personnel.
Main Point :- (i) A key message reiterated at the event was that ensuring accountability not only delivers justice to victims and their families but also enhances the safety, operational credibility, and effectiveness of United Nations peacekeeping forces deployed worldwide. This accountability builds trust among troop-contributing nations and local communities alike.
(ii) India, as the largest cumulative contributor to UN peacekeeping missions, has sent over 3,00,000 personnel to global missions over the last 70 years. Notably, 182 Indian peacekeepers have laid down their lives while serving in nearly every major UN peacekeeping operation, underlining the nation’s deep commitment to global peace.
(iii) The GoF for Accountability for Crimes Against Peacekeepers was launched in December 2022 during India’s presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). It was established to advance the implementation of UNSC Resolution 2589 (2021), which called for action against those who commit crimes against peacekeepers and encouraged member states to take firm steps toward legal accountability.
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