NEW YORK / EuroWire / – United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres urged governments to make the Responsibility to Protect a routine part of national policy, saying conflict, impunity and technology risks have raised the danger of mass atrocities. Courtenay Rattray, his Chef de Cabinet, delivered the statement during a General Assembly debate on preventing genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.
Guterres said the world faced more than 120 conflicts in 2025. He said conflicts have grown more protracted, complex and linked across borders. The remarks tied rising violence to weak respect for international law and global norms. He said early warning signs often go unheeded. Action often comes only after civilians face severe harm.
The Responsibility to Protect, known as R2P, came from the 2005 World Summit Outcome. Under that pledge, each state holds the primary duty to protect its population from four atrocity crimes. The international community also agreed to help states meet that duty through peaceful means. Collective action can follow through the Security Council when national authorities fail and peaceful steps prove inadequate.
Atrocity prevention as policy work
A Secretary-General report issued in April set out a framework for sustained implementation at national, regional and multilateral levels. The report said prevention and protection should shape public policy during periods of stability, emerging risk, active crisis and post-conflict recovery. It urged states to build national prevention systems, designate focal points and improve coordination across ministries, security bodies and justice systems.
The report also stressed partnerships with civil society, regional organizations and international bodies. It said states should address atrocity risks through mediation, preventive diplomacy, human rights work and accountability. Guterres called for stronger support for survivors and affected communities. He said prevention also depends on public trust, inclusive governance and institutions that respond before violence spreads.
Technology risks add pressure
Guterres pointed to new risks from emerging technologies. He cited more advanced weapons, including drones and increasingly autonomous systems. He also warned that hate speech, misinformation and disinformation can spread quickly online. Those threats, he said, can inflame divisions and increase risks to communities already under pressure from conflict, instability or discrimination.
The General Assembly debate reviewed the latest UN report under an item covering R2P and atrocity crime prevention. Since 2018, the Assembly has held annual meetings on the topic. Guterres urged member states to act before warning signs escalate into mass atrocities. His message placed early action, legal accountability and national preparedness at the center of the Responsibility to Protect agenda.