DILI, 01 July 2025 (TATOLI) – The Permanent Representative of Timor-Leste to the United Nations, Dionísio da Costa Babo Soares delivered a statement at the UN General Assembly reaffirming Timor-Leste’s unwavering commitment to the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) and the urgent prevention of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity.
“Recalling the 2005 UN World Summit where member states pledged to uphold R2P, Timor-Leste emphasized that sovereignty is not just a privilege but a solemn responsibility to safeguard populations from the gravest atrocities. When a state fails in this duty, the international community must act decisively—prioritizing peaceful diplomacy but prepared to intervene, always guided by the UN Charter,” Soares said in a statement.
While progress has been made over two decades in early warning and prevention mechanisms, Timor-Leste highlighted the gap between R2P’s promise and reality.
“Delayed responses and inaction persist, fueled by deep skepticism—especially in the Global South—where fears of misuse for political agendas undermine trust and stall collective resolve. The principle’s origins in Rwanda and Srebrenica demand that we learn, not repeat, such failures,” he said.
Soares stressed that today’s world is more fragmented and dangerous than ever, with authoritarianism, conflicts, proxy wars, and attacks on civilians witnessed from Gaza to Myanmar to Nigeria. “Geopolitical rivalries and the Security Council veto too often paralyze timely action, leaving innocent lives at the mercy of inaction,” he said.
Timor-Leste called the 20th anniversary of R2P a pivotal moment—a call for renewed political will and concrete steps to:
- Fully operationalize R2P through preventive diplomacy, adequate funding, and timely interventions focused on prevention rather than reaction.
- Build stronger early warning systems linked to coordinated human rights, humanitarian, and development responses.
- End the weaponization of the Security Council veto that blocks vital atrocity prevention efforts.
- Hold non-state actors and proxy forces accountable to close impunity gaps.
- Adapt R2P to the digital age by combating online incitement, misinformation, and surveillance abuses.
- Invest in national institutions grounded in justice, inclusive governance, and resilience.
- Support and empower civil society and local actors who are frontline defenders against emerging crises.
- Integrate atrocity prevention with Sustainable Development Goals, embedding peacebuilding in education, justice, and economic inclusion.
- Rebuild global trust and consensus through renewed moral commitment, regional dialogue, and solidarity networks.
- Timor-Leste reminded against allowing geopolitical divisions, misinformation, or institutional fatigue to weaken this sacred global commitment.
Soares said that the 20th anniversary must ignite urgent action to close the gap between R2P’s promise and practice. The vow of “never again” must inspire all nations to unite with determination and courage to protect vulnerable communities today—and shape a safer, more just world for generations to come.
TATOLI
