Implementing the Responsibility to Protect

The world is moving from affirmation of the Responsibility to Protect toward full implementation of this important concept. The Stanley Center recently hosted a conference in Tarrytown, New York to discuss key issues and specific steps involved in this historic effort. The meeting brought together state representatives to the United Nations, senior Secretariat officials, and experts. We were honored to begin the event with a keynote address by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Among the questions we explored:

• What near-term actions by the United Nations are needed to implement the responsibility to protect populations?
• How can the United Nations help states fulfill their responsibility to protect their populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity?
• Through which steps can the principles underlying the responsibility to protect become part of the standard operating procedure of the United Nations?
• How can the early warning capability announced in the 2005 World Summit Outcome be developed?
• How can the United Nations improve its capacity for emergency response?
• What is the current political climate for fully implementing the Responsibility to Protect?