Ukraine (Protection of Civilians): Statement During Briefing

Thank you, Madam President,

I thank the Secretary-General for his remarks, and welcome him back to New York after his extensive and important travels. I also thank the other briefers for their presentations, and welcome the participation of Ukraine's distinguished Permanent Representative.

Madam President,

The briefings we have heard make it clear that the war in Ukraine, caused by the armed breach of the country's territorial integrity by the Russian Federation, is causing extreme suffering.

It is also sadly clear that sufficient care is not being accorded by combatants to the protection of civilians. After all, the millions of civilians who have fled their homes only did so because they understood that their lives and properties would be directly harmed in the course of the conflict.

We are gravely concerned by the latest developments in Mariupol, Izium, and Popasna, among other cities. The reports from these cities reveal heavy artillery shelling and airstrikes that are destroying civilian objects at scale. These acts constitute a violation of the UN Charter, international law and international humanitarian law.

Kenya condemns the disproportionate use of force, the use of human shields, and the exploitation of civilian suffering as a tactic of war.

As important as it is for the Security Council to be clear in its condemnation of those violating our shared values and rules, it is more urgent to stop the present cycle of escalation.

Public statements by the combatants and their allies suggest that there is little respite from violence that civilians can look forward to. Instead, weapons and soldiers are being deployed in ever greater numbers.

The war itself, and its aims, are being communicated as existential. There are even repeated mentions of the possible use of nuclear weapons being made in the media.

The escalation on the battlefield combined with its counterpart in the shaping of domestic and international public opinion, plus its apocalyptic tone may lead to a far more dangerous escalation. With the result being even more Ukrainians being harmed.

Connected to the harm being done to the civilians in Ukraine is the harm that the war is causing in other parts of the world. The inability of Ukraine to export its harvests and fertilisers is directly contributing to the immiseration of many millions and serious harm to their food security. This is particularly the case in relatively poor and food insecure countries in the Global South, including Africa.

The unprecedented sanctions in response to the war are also reshaping global development, food security and even political stability.

With every new mention of nuclear weapons as part of the conflict continuum or promises of unceasing war until one side is permanently disabled, global equity and debt markets seek to exit riskier emerging market economies. And investors are delaying or canceling the investments that we need to deliver sufficient jobs to our young people.

Madam President, it is therefore our contention that the civilians in Ukraine, while under the more immediate threat of extreme violence, are united in their interest for safety with billions of civilians globally.

It means that the whole world has a stake in an immediate cessation of hostilities for humanitarian purposes, followed by a structured ceasefire that enables meaningful negotiations between Ukraine and the Russian Federation.

In addition, if we want the global markets to play a part in the development of the Global South, rather than the reverse, then Europe's security order must be placed on a stable footing.

Added to the growing global economic crisis, that stable security order is also needed if we are to limit the harm to civilians from climate change. The present arraying of geopolitical forces in a growing conflict will make it next to impossible to undertake ambitious climate change action.

Even before this war started, agreement on climate adaptation and mitigation action was plagued by lack of trust, changing goalposts and unmet commitments.

If climate change is indeed, as the science informs us, leading to serious harms to humanity, then we can count this war as yet another worldwide blow to the safety and security of civilians.

Madam President,

The multilateral system at this rate may not survive the multiple major crises we are causing while undermining its ability to solve them. As a minimum response to protecting the peace, Kenya urges member states to place more trust in the good offices of the Secretary-General.

The historical record of the use of these good offices is replete with shortcomings but also with great successes. The decisive factor has been the extent to which conflicting states, and their most influential allies, give the Secretary General space to help mediate conflicts at all stages.

We therefore welcome the Secretary-General's recent trips to Russia and Ukraine where he sought commitments for a ceasefire, safe humanitarian passage, and to encourage negotiations. We urge the parties to embrace his readiness to mediate. Their doing so will signal their regard and respect for our United Nations.

Madam President,

I underscore, in conclusion, that the continued undermining, and even destruction, of multilateralism will only lead to more war. It will be a catastrophe for civilians in multiple regions and countries. Stopping the war in Ukraine offers us all an opportunity to live up to the Charter's promise to protect succeeding generations from our own shortcomings.

I reaffirm Kenya's respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders.

I thank you for your attention.