Denmark was actively involved in the process to develop a Political Declaration on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, and was among the first group of states to endorse the Political Declaration in Dublin in November 2022. In April 2022, as the draft Declaration neared finalisation, Denmark echoed previous speakers to say that the purpose of the Declaration was not to create new rules, but rather to secure and enhance compliance with international humanitarian law (IHL). It proposed to amend paragraphs 3.3 and 3.4 to align with the IHL terminology to avoid ambiguity. It also recommended replacing the term “reverberating effects” by “incidental or indirect effects”.1
Statements and priorities
Denmark has repeatedly aligned with other states to deliver statements on explosive weapons in populated areas, notably the Nordic Group and the European Union (EU). Denmark delivered a statement on behalf of the Nordic Group during the 72nd UN General Assembly First Committee in October 2017 that called on countries to participate in the ongoing discussions on protecting civilians in conflict, drawing attention to the indiscriminate use of explosive weapons with wide area effects in populated areas, which cause a degree of civilian loss of life that is clearly disproportionate and in violation of IHL.2 In 2022, at the UN General Assembly First Committee, the Nordic Group welcomed the Declaration as a positive outcome at a time of increased pressure within the international security environment, as well as a good sign that the international community can still work together towards tangible humanitarian goals.3
Denmark has also signed onto other joint statements by the Nordic Group that have drawn attention to the importance of adhering to IHL and avoiding the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, including at the UN Security Council Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict in 2012,4 2013,5 2014,6 2016,7 and 2024.8 In these statements, the Nordic Group highlighted the use of explosive weapons in populated areas as an issue that requires immediate attention, including through robust data collection on its impact and the sharing of policies and practices to prevent the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. The Group’s statement in 2024, delivered by Denmark, highlighted the widespread and reverberating harm caused by the destruction of critical infrastructure, and welcomed initiatives that provide a more nuanced understanding of how patterns and types of harm affect different groups and identified the Political Declaration as a concrete tool to minimise such harm effectively.9 At the UN General Assembly First Committee debate in 2024, the Group expressed concern for the increasing use of explosive weapons in populated areas, stating that it “poses great risk to civilians and civilian infrastructure. “ The Group underlined the key role of the Political Declaration herein, and said that “if fully implemented, it can improve the way we conduct military operations and ensure compliance with IHL”, encouraging all states to endorse it.10 At the 2022 UN Security Council open debate on War in Cities, the Nordic Countries jointly called on all parties to conflict to prevent civilian harm resulting from use of explosive weapons in populated areas, especially those with wide area effects.11 At the 2022 UN General Assembly First Committee General Debate, the Nordic Group welcomed the conclusion of the negotiations on the Political Declaration.12
As a member of the European Union (EU), Denmark has signed onto numerous joint statements condemning the use of explosive weapons in populated areas and the harms it causes to civilians and civilian objects, as well as calling for greater IHL compliance. This includes at several UN Security Council open debates on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict13 and at the General Debate of UN General Assembly First Committee,14 as well as at the 2022 UN Security Council open debate on War in Cities where the EU expressed concern over the indiscriminate use of explosive weapons in populated areas, including near hospitals, schools, and universities.15 The EU, with Denmark signing on, has also repeatedly welcomed the Political Declaration on explosive weapons in populated areas – at the 2022 Dublin Conference, the 2022 and 2023 UN General Assembly First Committee (where it highlighted the work ahead for implementing the Declaration’s commitments), and at the 2023 and 2024 UN Security Council open debate on the Protection of Civilians. In 2024, the EU stated it was ‘deeply concerned by the use and humanitarian consequences of explosive weapons in populated areas, which has significant civilian impact and should thus be restricted or avoided’.16 Denmark also aligned with the World Humanitarian Summit Core Commitments to ‘Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity’ as an EU member state in May 2016. This included the commitment “to promote and enhance the protection of civilians and civilian objects, especially in the conduct of hostilities, for instance by working to prevent civilian harm resulting from the use of wide-area explosive weapons in populated areas, and by sparing civilian infrastructure from military use in the conduct of military operations.”17