[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” vertical_offset_tablet=”0″ horizontal_offset_tablet=”0″ link_option_url_new_window=”on” hover_enabled=”0″ z_index_tablet=”0″ text_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” text_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” text_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” link_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” link_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” link_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” ul_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” ul_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” ul_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” ol_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” ol_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” ol_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” quote_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” quote_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” quote_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_2_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_2_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_2_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_3_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_3_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_3_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_4_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_4_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_4_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_5_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_5_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_5_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_6_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_6_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_6_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” box_shadow_horizontal_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_vertical_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_blur_tablet=”40px” box_shadow_spread_tablet=”0px” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Remarks by the President of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ General Assembly<\/strong><\/p>\n H.E. Mr. Philemon Yang<\/strong><\/p>\n Briefing on Missing Persons<\/strong><\/p>\n 2 April 2025,\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n [As Delivered]\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/p>\n Ladies and Gentlemen,<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Good morning.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The General Assembly\u2019s first biennial meeting on missing persons presents an opportunity to strengthen cooperation and accountability in addressing this grave global concern.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The plight of missing persons affects individuals, families and communities, across all the regions of the planet.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It leaves behind pain, uncertainty, and profound human suffering.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The increasing number of missing persons due to armed conflict, human rights violations, and humanitarian crises demands that we take decisive steps to lessen the hardship and distress.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n For 20 years, the General Assembly has played an important role in addressing the issue of missing persons in connection with armed conflict, including through its biennial resolutions.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n These efforts are guided by the Charter of the United Nations, as well as international humanitarian and human rights laws.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Finding solutions to the issue of missing persons requires a multifaceted and holistic approach.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n One that ranges from prevention to the tracing, location, identification and return of missing persons.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n One that ensures the forensic recovery and identification of remains.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n And one that includes investigations and prosecutions of related offenses, with a view to ensuring full accountability.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Moreover, it is crucial to address the legal situation of missing persons and the needs of their families.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In these efforts, particular attention must be paid to the needs of women, youth, children, older persons and persons with disabilities.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This is especially important in such areas as social welfare, psychological and psychosocial support, financial matters, family law and property rights.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We know that armed conflict is a main factor behind the dramatic increase in missing persons.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Avoiding armed conflict is crucial.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I commend the accession of Member States to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We need strengthened actions to protect civilians in armed conflicts.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Last year, the International Committee of the Red Cross registered 40,000 cases of missing persons \u2013 more than in any other year in the last two decades.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I urge Member States that have not yet done so to consider signing, ratifying or acceding to the International Convention as a matter of priority.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I call on Member States to strengthen their legal frameworks to prevent disappearances, determine the fate of the missing persons, manage information, and support victims’ families.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n These efforts must be undertaken in line with international human rights and humanitarian law.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n And with a view to ensuring full accountability, fostering cooperation and delivering justice.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This was the message I delivered in January, during my signature event on \u201cPreserving human dignity in armed conflict\u201d.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We must bear in mind that addressing the crisis of missing persons is not just a humanitarian imperative\u2014it is our collective moral duty.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The promotion of truth, justice, reparations and guarantees of non-recurrence are all key components of accountability, and therefore, our collective responsibility.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Together, we must ensure that no missing person remains a number.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We have a moral responsibility to find and return every missing person.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n With determination and solidarity, we must transform grief into justice, and uncertainty into hope.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I thank you.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n ___\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n * ***** *<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sharon Birch, Spokesperson for the President of the General Assembly, Tel: +1 212 963 0564, M: +1 646 342 5873, Email: birchs@un.org<\/a><\/u><\/p>\n Dr. Mariam Shaikh, Adviser\/ Social and Digital Media\/Media Relations, M: +1 917 3614990, Email: mariam.shaikh@un.org<\/a><\/u><\/p>\n <\/p>\n More Information and Updates\u00a0: Website<\/a><\/u>: \u00a0YouTube: <\/a><\/u>\u00a0X (Twitter):<\/a><\/u>\u00a0Instagram<\/a><\/u>: \u00a0LinkedIn: <\/a><\/u>\u00a0Photo Repository<\/a><\/u>: Bluesky<\/a><\/u>; Weekly Highlights<\/a><\/u>; <\/u>Resolutions of the 79th Session \u2013 Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ General Assembly<\/a><\/u><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Remarks by the President of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ General Assembly H.E. Mr. Philemon Yang Briefing on Missing Persons 2 April 2025,\u00a0 [As Delivered]\u00a0 Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Good morning. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":373,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[81,111],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-284334","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog","category-speeches","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n
<\/strong>Media Contacts<\/p>\n