Det danske Fredsakademi
Kronologi over fredssagen og international politik 7. juni 2006 / Time Line June 7, 2006
Version 3.506/07/2006
Operation Babylon
Israelske fly bomber den irakiske Osirak atomreaktor nær
Bagdad, 1981.
06/07/2006
Governments Agree to Armed
Violence Reduction Measures
http://content.undp.org/go/newsroom/june-2006/governments-agree-to-armed-violence-reduction-measures-.en
Recognizing that armed violence can undermine human development and
the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, 42 governments
at a high-level ministerial summit in Geneva have agreed to new
commitments to address issues of armed violence and development.
These commitments, contained in the Geneva Declaration on Armed
Violence and Development adopted today, are designed “to
promote sustainable security and a culture of peace by taking
action to reduce armed violence and its negative impact on
socio-economic and human development.” The ministers and
representatives of 42 governments formally adopted the Geneva
Declaration at the conclusion of the summit hosted by the
government of Switzerland and the UN Development Programme
(UNDP).
According to the declaration, a development approach to armed
violence is needed because armed violence “destroys lives and
livelihoods, breeds insecurity, fear and terror, and has a
profoundly negative impact on human development. Whether in
situations of conflict or crime, armed violence imposes enormous
costs on states, communities and individuals.”
Both Switzerland and UNDP hailed today’s declaration as a
significant step in the long-term process of creating more
sustainable security and sustainable development in the
world’s poorest nations.
At the opening of the summit, H.E. Micheline Calmy-Rey, Head of
Switzerland’s Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, and
Vice-President of the Swiss Federal Council, stated that: “On
the strength of its commitment to fight illicit trafficking in
small arms and on the basis of its long experience in the field of
development cooperation, Switzerland has come to the conclusion
that it is essential to link more closely the issues of armed
violence and development. If we are to have a chance of achieving
the MDGs, we have to take an active interest in combating the
illicit trade in small arms.” She added: “The Geneva
Declaration on armed violence and development, which we adopt this
afternoon, clearly states our objective: Reduce armed violence by
2015.”
Kathleen Cravero, Assistant Administrator and Director of
UNDP’s Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery, said:
“UNDP is proud to have co-hosted this ministerial summit, and
fully supports the Geneva Declaration. We stand ready to assist
governments to implement the commitments that they have made with
innovative programming, technical expertise and resources designed
to promote sustainable security and human development.”
As a concrete follow up to the 2005 World Summit, the Geneva
Declaration is the most comprehensive multilateral commitment to
date on the linkages between armed violence and human development.
The Declaration, which states that “living free from the
threat of armed violence is a basic human need” and “a
precondition for human development, dignity and well-being”,
will have important implications for both development policy and
programming.
The Geneva Declaration contains a range of commitments, in which
States agree to:
strengthen efforts to integrate armed violence reduction and
conflict prevention programmes into national, regional and
multilateral development frameworks, institutions and strategies,
as well as into humanitarian assistance, emergency, and crisis
management initiatives;
promote conflict prevention, resolution and reconciliation, and
support post-conflict peace-building and reconstruction;
stem the proliferation, illegal trafficking and misuse of small
arms and light weapons and ammunition, and lead to effective
weapons reduction, post-conflict disarmament, demobilization and
reintegration, and small arms control including control of arms
transfers and of illicit brokering;
uphold full respect for human rights, promote the peaceful
settlement of conflicts based on justice and the rule of law, and
address a climate of impunity; foster effective and accountable
public security institutions;
promote a comprehensive approach to armed violence reduction issues
recognizing the different situations, needs and resources of men
and women, boys and girls, as reflected in the provisions of UN
Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 1612; and
ensure that armed violence prevention and reduction initiatives
target specific risk factors and groups, and are linked to
programmes providing non-violent alternative livelihoods for
individuals and communities.
The declaration was presented at today’s summit by Ambassador
Walter Fust, Director General, Swiss Agency for Development and
Cooperation. Endorsing governments include states from every region
of the world, with additional endorsers expected in the weeks and
months ahead. While the agreement is not legally binding, it
demonstrates strong political will to bring positive, lasting
change to the lives of millions of people affected by armed
violence, many of whom live in countries ranking at the bottom of
global human development indices.
The Geneva Declaration is poised to make significant contributions
to the global policy dialogue on armed violence prevention and
reduction and to the further integration of security and
development agendas. It will be a key reference document later this
month when the UN Conference to Review Progress Made in the
Implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and
Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All
its Aspects convenes in New York (26 June-7 July).
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