On 1 July 2020 the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2532 (2020) supporting the Secretary General’s appeal for global ceasefire. The resolution calls for immediate cessation of hostilities in all situations. The Security Council has called on all parties to armed conflicts to immediately engage in a humanitarian pause for 90 consecutive days at least and enable the safe, unhindered and sustained delivery of humanitarian assistance. It also asked for the provision of related services by impartial humanitarian actors in accordance with the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence. A cessation would enable medical evacuations as per the principles of international law, international humanitarian law and international refugee law where applicable.

The UNSC also said that military operations against Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh), Al-Qaida and Al-Nusra Front, and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida or ISIL, and other Council-designated terrorist groups will not come under the purview of cessation of hostilities.

The Council called for a coordinated and accelerated response to the COVID-19 pandemic from all relevant organs of the UN system including the country teams and requested the Secretary-General to instruct the peacekeeping forces to assist the host countries in tackling the pandemic. Furthermore, the Council called for concrete actions to minimise the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on women and girls, children, refugees, internally displaced persons, older persons and persons with disabilities.

Compiled by Law Desk;

source: un.org.