The European Union, in a statement delivered on 6 July 2026 at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, warned that over 48,000 deaths from more than 120 armed conflicts in 2025 represent a collective failure to uphold the Responsibility to Protect (R2P). The statement, delivered by the EU Delegation to the UN in New York, highlighted that 239 million people needed urgent humanitarian assistance and 117 million were forcibly displaced as of early 2026, with women and children disproportionately affected.
The EU reaffirmed its commitment to all pillars of R2P — prevention, protection, and non-recurrence — and endorsed the Secretary-General's report emphasizing cooperation between states, civil society, and the UN. The statement identified disinformation, hate speech, and discrimination against women and girls as key atrocity risk drivers, calling for their integration into prevention strategies.
On protection, the EU reiterated its call for the ACT code of conduct and the French-Mexican initiative to restrict veto use in mass atrocity situations, and urged the General Assembly to use the "Uniting for Peace" procedure when the Security Council is deadlocked. The EU also stressed that accountability is essential for prevention, reaffirming support for the International Criminal Court and urging ratification of the Rome Statute. It recalled the 2023 Ljubljana-The Hague Convention on mutual legal assistance and extradition for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, which has been signed by 40 states.
The statement welcomed ongoing efforts to conclude a Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Humanity, urging constructive engagement. The EU concluded by calling for renewed determination to fulfill the promise of "Never Again" through cooperation to prevent, protect, and hold perpetrators accountable.