We also acknowledge the importance of including civilian protection as a co...

We also acknowledge the importance of including civilian protection as a component of the mandates of peacekeeping operations, including clear guidelines and intervention standards to effectively implement that aspect of the mission. That must be done without prejudice to the primary responsibility of host Governments to protect their own civilians. Increasing interaction between host countries, the Security Council, troop-contributing countries and the Secretariat could also help to narrow the gap between the decision-making process and real implementation on the ground. We were pleased to note the independent study by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations with regard to the implementation civilian protection mandates in peacekeeping operations.