A) Objectives of the pledge:
- Liechtenstein consistently highlights the need to strengthen compliance with international humanitarian law and pledges to continue its efforts in this regard.
- Furthermore, Liechtenstein also pledges to continue its efforts aimed at strengthening the enforcement of the prohibition of the use of force as enshrined in the UN Charter in order to deter armed conflict. Strengthening the jus ad bellum framework to prevent armed conflicts also serves the prevention of the occurrence of IHL violations.
- For international law to be effective, it must be backed up by accountability and met with a clear response when violated. Liechtenstein will continue to support all meaningful efforts aimed at securing less impunity and more accountability for violations of international humanitarian law and with regard to the prohibition of the use of force.
Ensuring accountability for the crime of aggression strengthens compliance with international humanitarian law.
A breach of the jus ad bellum framework is one of the most fundamental attacks on the international order, as well as a source of the many other crimes, including violations of international humanitarian law, committed in the course of international armed conflicts. Liechtenstein, played a key role in drafting the Rome Statute definition of the crime of aggression and spearheading efforts to activate the Court’s jurisdiction over the crime of aggression in 2018. Liechtenstein is now focused on encouraging wider ratification of the Kampala amendments on the crime of aggression, while also working with partners to harmonize the International Criminal Court’s jurisdiction over all four of its core crimes by removing the existing limitations placed on the Court with respect to prosecuting nationals of non-State Parties to the ICC for the crime of aggression. By holding the political and military leaders who are responsible for the crime of aggression to account, not only can we deliver justice to the victims of illegal war-making, but future wars and in turn war crimes can be prevented.
We therefore call on all States to ratify the Rome Statute and its Kampala amendments on the crime of aggression and to strengthen the role and the reach of the ICC in ensuring that there is no impunity moving forward for the crime of aggression. This is a key contribution to conflict prevention and the upholding of the laws and norms we have all agreed to in the UN Charter and Geneva Conventions.
B) Action plan:
NA
C) Indicators for measuring progress:
NA
D) Resource implications:
NA