Unanimously Adopting Resolution 2823 (2026), Security Council Facilitates Stronger Accountability for Crimes against UN Peacekeepers
As speakers stressed the need to go beyond offering condolences, the Security Council today adopted a resolution to facilitate the identification, investigation and prosecution of perpetrators of attacks against United Nations personnel serving in peacekeeping operations.
Unanimously adopting resolution 2823 (2026) (to be issued as document S/RES/2823(2026)), the 15-member organ called upon all relevant stakeholders to cooperate with the United Nations to facilitate this and stressed that accountability for such attacks is essential to deter future attacks and safeguard the effectiveness of United Nations peacekeeping operations.
The text was co-sponsored by more than 150 Member States, from Albania to Zimbabwe. The widely supported adoption takes place in a climate of increasing attacks on peacekeepers on multiple fronts, from Lebanon to Sudan. The Council has previously addressed peacekeeper safety in Security Council resolution 2518 (2020), and Council resolution 2589 (2021) — both those texts were also adopted unanimously.
In today’s text, the Council recalled the responsibility of host States to work with peacekeeping operations to enhance the safety and security of peacekeeping personnel, including in line with its previous resolutions. Host States must take all necessary measures to investigate the killing of and all acts of violence against such personnel and to prosecute the perpetrators, in line with their national law, in a manner that is consistent with applicable international obligations and the status-of-forces or status-of-mission agreements.
The Council also requested the Secretary-General to designate a senior focal point, among current personnel, on accountability for crimes against personnel serving in peacekeeping operations and to submit an annual report on the status of the investigation and prosecution of such cases.
Across several missions, attacks on UN peacekeepers have increased in their frequency and sophistication, observed Pakistan’s representative, who along with Denmark, led negotiations on the text. “This resolution seeks to move the Council beyond statements condemning these attacks,” he said.
Over 4,500 Peacekeepers Killed in Line of Duty, Condolences Not Enough
Noting that more than 4,500 UN peacekeepers have lost their lives in the line of duty, he highlighted Pakistan’s own long and robust history of participating in peacekeeping operations and developing peacekeeping policy at the UN. “We therefore appreciate the human cost of peacekeeping,” he pointed out.
While words and condolences are important, they are not enough. The Council must remain seized of what happens after attacks — whether investigations are being conducted, perpetrators identified and justice served. “The draft before the Council today builds on [previous resolutions] which strengthened the Council’s engagement on the safety and security of peacekeepers,” he said, noting that it contains practical measures to address gaps in existing accountability frameworks.
It also requests the Secretary-General to report regularly to the Council, helping it assess what is working and what further steps are needed. “The men and women serving under the UN flag will have the Council’s full backing — attacks against them will not be met with silence,” he underscored, also noting the “record number” of Member States — nearly 150 — supporting the resolution.
Message to UN Peacekeepers: Security Council Is Behind You
“The unanimous support for this resolution sends a strong and important message,” said the representative of Denmark, the resolution’s other lead co-sponsor. To the men and women serving as UN peacekeepers around the globe, it says that “the Council is behind them”. It also sends a message of reassurance to troop- and police-contributing countries that when any crime is committed against their personnel, “this Council is ready, willing and able to step in”, she said.
The representative of China — the largest troop-contributing country among the permanent members on the Council, as well as the second-largest financial contributor to peacekeeping — noted that “more than 20 Chinese peacekeepers have made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of peace”.
Liberia’s delegate offered the perspective of a former host country. Peacekeepers enabled his country’s transition from conflict to democracy, he said, expressing deep regret about the 200 personnel “who lost their lives on our soil to safeguard our lives”. Shielding these guardians through strict accountability is indispensable, he said, as attacks against them violate international humanitarian law and constitute war crimes.
Right of Host Country for Assistance in Investigating Crimes
The representative of the Russian Federation noted that the resolution reaffirms the right of the host country to get assistance to strengthen its capacity to effectively investigate crimes against peacekeepers. “After all, it is the host country which bears the primary responsibility for the safety and security of blue helmets operating on its territory,” she said.
Several speakers welcomed the adoption, with the representative of Panama highlighting the evolving nature of threats faced by peacekeeping, as weapons technology advances rapidly. He welcomed the text’s reference to adapting the operational effectiveness of UN peacekeeping. Bahrain’s delegate underscored that improving the protection of all UN staff working in peace operations is imperative.
The representative of the United Kingdom emphasized the timely nature of today’s adoption. “This year has seen unacceptable attacks against blue helmets,” she said, stressing the need to ensure that investigations into those recent incidents progress effectively.