John Kelley Acting U.S. Alternate Representative New York, New York
April 02, 2025
AS DELIVERED
Merci Monsieur le Président et bienvenue. And I also thank Under-Secretary-General Michaud, Assistant Secretary-General Msuya, and Executive Director Lee for your informative briefings. Let me also take this opportunity to thank Denmark for its well-handled presidency last month.
Colleagues, the United States remains committed to protecting UN and humanitarian personnel and civilians around the world.
Humanitarian workers put themselves at risk to support people in dire need, often in active conflict zones. It’s a violation of international humanitarian law to target those civilians who assist and protect the most vulnerable.
In February, the Security Council came together to condemn the tragic death of a World Food Program worker in Houthi captivity and demanded the immediate release of all those unjustly detained by the Houthis.
The United States once again demands the Houthis – who the United States has designated a foreign terrorist organization – release the dozens of staff members from the UN, international NGOs, and diplomatic missions they have detained. We condemn the Houthis’ sham so-called “judicial proceedings” against detainees as potential pretext for politically motivated killings.
The United States will continue to hold the Houthis to account and expects the Security Council to do the same.
We remain similarly concerned for the security of humanitarian staff in Sudan. Early February saw a surge in civilian deaths, with at least 275 killed in a six-day span. We iterate the call for the parties to immediately cease hostilities, allow unhindered humanitarian access, and protect civilians.
We call on all parties, both the RSF and SAF, to hold those committing acts of violence against humanitarian workers accountable, and ensure the protection of civilians, consistent with their obligations under international humanitarian law.
We see the same threats to humanitarian workers in South Sudan, which remains one of the most dangerous places in the world for aid workers. Access constraints across the country, including targeted violence and bureaucratic impediments, hamper efforts to deliver urgent, life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable populations.
The Russia-Ukraine war has had especially devastating effects on civilians and civilian infrastructure. President Trump has made clear this violence must end.
Then there is the toll in Gaza. For far too long, Hamas has cynically misused civilian infrastructure to shield themselves. That misuse has caused civilians to be caught in the crossfire. Let us not forget that the use of civilians to shield or impede military operations is itself a violation of international humanitarian law. We expect all parties to comply with international humanitarian law.
It is important for the UN to speak out against repeated misuses of its facilities by Hamas, each of which has made the safety of humanitarian workers more precarious.
The Geneva Conventions remain as critical now as ever: 2024 saw the highest death toll of humanitarian workers on record. That sobering record should compel the UN and this Council to redouble efforts to protect humanitarian personnel everywhere.
And with that – je vous remercie Monsieur le Président.
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By [United States Mission to the United Nations](https://usun.usmission.gov/author/usun-mission/) | 2 April, 2025 | Topics: [Remarks and Highlights](https://usun.usmission.gov/category/remarks-and-highlights/)