On Friday, the United Nations Security Council formally adopted a resolution presented by Malta, to strengthen international efforts for the protection of children in armed conflict zones.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism Ian Borg welcomed the adoption of this resolution as a significant achievement for Malta, as it nears the end of its two-year tenure on the Security Council, where it has made Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) a cornerstone of its priorities.
The Malta-led resolution, which was adopted with the support of more than 100 co-sponsoring member states, represents a pivotal step toward strengthening global efforts to protect children affected by armed conflict. It reinforces the international community’s response to the grave violations against children in armed conflict and reaffirms the importance of safeguarding children during peace operation transitions and the need for sustainable child protection capacities. The resolution calls for a responsible handover of child protection responsibilities to the United Nations country teams and reaffirms the critical role of child protection advisers in mission mandates. It also highlights the necessity of tailored approaches to address the specific needs of girls and boys affected by conflict.
“We remain deeply concerned by the grave violations committed against children in conflict zones globally. In this regard, Malta’s leadership in the successful adoption of this resolution reflects our commitment to ensuring that the protection of children remains a priority in peacebuilding and conflict resolution efforts,” Deputy Prime Minister Borg said.
During its two years chairing the Security Council’s Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict (2023-2024), Malta played a pivotal role in negotiating over 11 country-specific files related to CAAC. It also spearheaded field visits to Nigeria in 2023 and Colombia in 2024, demonstrating its commitment to reinforcing international efforts to protect children affected by armed conflict.
