The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela reaffirmed before the United Nations (UN) its commitment to continue contributing through multilateralism, negotiation, and respectful cooperation, to the safeguarding of International Humanitarian Law.
This statement was made by Joaquín Pérez Ayestarán, Deputy Minister for Multilateral Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, during his intervention at a high-level side event titled «Humanitarian Diplomacy as a Safeguard for International Humanitarian Law,» held in New York during the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.
Venezuela’s Position at the UN Regarding International Humanitarian Law
The diplomat noted that this event allows to reflect on the role of diplomacy in the face of the humanitarian challenges of curent times, in which is lived a particularly complex international landscape characterized by the proliferation of armed conflicts and rising geopolitical tensions that cause human suffering.
He warned that structural inequalities, natural disasters, the effects of climate change, and unilateral coercive measures can aggravate vulnerabilities and limit the States’ capacities to respond effectively to the needs of their populations.
In this regard, Pérez Ayestarán noted that humanitarian diplomacy seeks to open channels of communication, facilitate dialogue, promote humanitarian access, and contribute to practical solutions that alleviate suffering and protect the life and dignity of persons.
Consequently, he rejected the use of humanitarian diplomacy to justify interference in the internal affairs of States or coercive actions taken under humanitarian pretexts.
Finally, the Deputy Minister for Multilateral Affairs asserted that the protection of the human person and respect for sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, and the self-determination of peoples are not conflicting objectives; and therefore they should be mutually reinforced.