India co-chairs UN group advocating accountability for crimes against peacekeepers

India has strongly reiterated its commitment to ensuring justice for crimes committed against UN peacekeepers, calling accountability a strategic necessity for the success of global peacekeeping missions.

Speaking at a high-level UN meeting of the Group of Friends (GoF) for promoting accountability, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador P Harish, said peacekeepers face serious threats while serving in dangerous areas, yet most crimes against them go unpunished. He stressed that this lack of accountability undermines international peace efforts.

The meeting, co-chaired by India, brought together representatives from



40 countries, UN officials, and experts. They discussed strategies to enhance accountability, combat impunity, and improve cooperation to bring offenders to justice.

The GoF was launched in December 2022 during India’s UN Security Council presidency, following Resolution 2589, which called for action against crimes targeting UN peacekeepers.

India, the largest contributor of troops to UN missions, has sent over 300,000 peacekeepers in the past 70 years, with 182 losing their lives. As GoF Co-Chair, India continues to lead efforts to protect peacekeepers and ensure justice.