We should recall that the primary responsibility for the protection of civili...

We should recall that the primary responsibility for the protection of civilians belongs to States. Therefore, it seems to us essential to strengthen their capabilities in order to enable them to better respond to that obligation. We must help them to reform their security and defence sectors; we must help them to establish the rule of law and re-establish their administrative structures; and we must help them to undertake large-scale programmes against poverty and corruption. We are convinced that the protection of civilians can only be effective if States have reliable institutions, a stable republican army and police force and adequate financial resources. In conclusion, my delegation hopes that the United Nations will establish mechanisms for evaluation, which could help improve States' performance in the protection of civilians in armed conflicts. The presidential statement that we will adopt and which was drawn up by your delegation reflects our commitment to work along these lines.