COMMITTEE ON STAFF SECURITY CALLS ON COUNTRIES TO JOIN

OPTIONAL PROTOCOL ON SAFETY OF HUMANITARIAN PERSONNEL

Recent Treaty Event Encouraging but Much Broader Action Required

NEW YORK, 18 October (UN Staff Union) -- The United Nations Staff Council’s Standing Committee on the Security and Independence of the International Civil Service calls on all Member States, as a matter of urgency, to become parties to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel, which will enhance protection for all United Nations personnel worldwide.

The Committee is encouraged by the record number of signatures received by the 2005 Optional Protocol at the annual United Nations Treaty Event in September.  The Protocol, which opened for signature in January, received 20 signatures in seven days -- more actions than on any other single treaty.

The Committee, on behalf of the staff,wholeheartedly thanks the following Member States for signing the Protocol in September:   Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Chile, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Germany, Republic of Korea, Liberia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Tunisia, Ukraine and Uruguay.  It also thanks Austria, Bolivia, Central African Republic, Lebanon, Lichtenstein, Luxembourg, Norway, Senegal and Sweden for having signed earlier on and Azerbaijan and Slovenia for signing recently.

Twenty-two ratifications are necessary for the Protocol to enter into force.  The Committee thanks the Governments ofNorway and Sweden for their swift action in already ratifying and/or acceding to the Optional Protocol and urges all Member States to become parties as soon as possible. As an international civil service entrusted to carry out the objectives and decisions of Member States, United Nations staff are working on behalf of the entire international community and count on the support of all nations for the principles and objectives set forth in the Protocol.

* *** *

For information media • not an official record