Finland promotes the protection of civilians in peacekeeping operations

Press release 93/2016
13 May 2016

Finland joined the 29 signatories of the so-called Kigali Principles in a public ceremony in New York on 11 May.  The principles, adopted in Kigali, Rwanda, in May 2015, aim to improve the protection of civilians in UN peacekeeping operations. This takes place within the framework of each peacekeeping operation's mandate. The principles form a legally unbinding political declaration.

The protection of civilians is one of Finland's priorities as concerns the development of  peacekeeping by the UN. Finland has actively promoted the protection of civilians in its UN activities and emphasised the importance of the principle of responsibility to protect in international contexts.

During the week of high-level UN meetings in September 2015, Finland together with Uruguay, Indonesia and Rwanda hosted a ministerial meeting on the development of peacekeeping.

Inquiries: Timo Kantola, Deputy Director General, tel. +358 295 351 477 and Emmi Oikari, Counsellor, tel. +358 295 351 735.