BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 11. The resolution, entitled "Missing Persons" (A/C.3/81/L.24) and initiated by Azerbaijan, was adopted by consensus at the 41st plenary meeting of the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Affairs) during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly on November 10.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan reported that 63 UN member states from various regions joined the resolution as co-sponsors.
This initiative, first introduced by Azerbaijan during the 57th session of the General Assembly in 2002 and pursued for many years, reaffirms obligations under international humanitarian law, as well as international human rights law where applicable, regarding missing persons.
The resolution emphasizes a call for states that are parties to an armed conflict to take all appropriate measures to prevent the disappearance of individuals and to determine the fate of those who have gone missing.
At the same time, the document recalls that cases involving missing persons may be linked to acts constituting criminal offenses, and the importance of ending impunity for violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law related to missing persons is emphasized.
The resolution calls upon states to cooperate in addressing issues concerning missing persons, including through the identification, mapping, and preservation of burial sites. In this context, the resolution makes explicit reference, for the first time, to individual, collective, and mass graves.
Furthermore, the resolution incorporates new provisions that underscore the significance of addressing the issue of missing persons within the framework of peace and peacebuilding processes, encouraging the integration of this issue into such processes to help determine the fate of those who have gone missing.
The resolution also expresses concern regarding the ways in which landmines, explosive remnants of war, and improvised explosive devices hinder efforts to locate missing persons. Furthermore, the UN Secretary-General is requested to submit a comprehensive report on the implementation of the resolution to the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly.
The resolution calls for the convening of a high-level informal meeting of the General Assembly, with the participation of relevant UN bodies and General Assembly observers, featuring a presentation by the UN Secretary-General, followed by an interactive dialogue.
The adoption by consensus of the resolution entitled "Missing Persons" sends a strong message regarding the international community's shared commitment to addressing this pressing humanitarian issue.
