Ireland 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. As the host of the consultations, from 2019 to 2022 Ireland led discussions between states, international organisations, UN agencies, and civil society organisations among other actors. It also acted as pen-holder for the draft the Political Declaration, incorporating the discussions and feedback of these actors1.
In addition to leading the consultations, Ireland participated as a state, including delivering statements emphasising the importance of including robust follow-up processes retaining inclusivity toward and participation of civil society organisations in the Declaration2 At the signing ceremony, Ireland stressed the relevance of the instrument to current and future conflicts, sending a message about the imperative of protecting civilians. Ireland highlighted a few elements of the Declaration, such as the commitments on data and research, gender sensitive responses, victim assistance, risk education, the collective commitment to review military policies and practices, as well as to restrict and refrain from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas3.
In the period since the Political Declaration was first endorsed in 2022, Ireland has championed the Declaration, and in particular universalisation, in its bilateral relationships, through multilateral forums, and by organising regional workshops. At the first international follow-up conference in Oslo in April 2024, Ireland committed to continue its international leadership working towards the universalisation and implementation of the Political Declaration alongside Norway and Costa Rica. The Troika - representing the past, present and incoming Chairs of the process - stressed the continued severe humanitarian suffering and destruction caused by the use of explosive weapons in populated areas in multiple ongoing conflicts, and set out concrete recommendations for the way forward. It reaffirmed that efforts to implement the Declaration at the national level must continue and be reinforced through the development and improvement of policies and practices, including on restricting or refraining from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas when such use is expected to cause harm to civilians or civilian objects. The Troika emphasised the need for states to gain a thorough understanding of direct and indirect effects, obtained through data collection and sharing, and factoring such efforts into the planning and conduct of military and security operations. The Troika also called for states to increase assistance to victims and communities affected by armed conflict.4
Statements and positions
Ireland has frequently spoken on explosive weapons in populated areas in multilateral forums, primarily to raise awareness of the devastating short and long-term humanitarian consequences of the use of explosive weapons in populated areas on civilians. At the first international follow-up conference on the implementation of the Political Declaration, Ireland expressed its continued and deep concern about ongoing harm from explosive weapons, including in Gaza and Ukraine, and underlined that the Political Declaration sets out clear, forward-looking actions - including adopting policies and practices - that States should take to protect civilians during and after conflict5.
Ireland has repeatedly spoken against the use of explosive weapons in populated areas at the UN Security Council, including at the open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict in 2017, 2019 and 2024, when Ireland described the Political Declaration as a vital tool through which the protection of civilians can be improved and civilian harm reduced6. It stated that the next conference on the Political Declaration, to be held in Costa Rica, would be a critical opportunity to advance this objective, and that “given the critical situations unfolding in the Sudan, Ukraine, Gaza and elsewhere today, the need for urgent action is all too clear.”7 At the January 2022 open debate on war in cities Ireland said it was determined to deliver a meaningful Political Declaration that improved the protection of civilians and leads to changes in policy and practice.8 At the UN Security Council Open Debate on Children and Armed Conflict on 5 July 2023, Ireland underscored the need to refrain from using explosive weapons in populated areas and encouraged all member states to endorse and adhere to the Political Declaration9.
Similarly, Ireland has repeatedly spoken on explosive weapons in populated areas at the UN General Assembly First Committee.10 During the UN General Assembly First Committee in 2021, Ireland delivered a statement reiterating these devastating humanitarian consequences and noted that it is proud to lead the consultation process for a Political Declaration on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.11 In 2023, Ireland noted, with concern, the widespread use of explosive weapons around the world and was proud to welcome the Declaration as a means of addressing its impacts. Ireland called for the Declaration’s endorsement by all states that have not yet done so.12 At the same meeting in 2024, Ireland underscored the importance of the Political Declaration, “now more than ever”, and called on all those who had not yet endorsed it without delay.13 At the Meeting of High Contracting Parties to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), Ireland underlined that the Political Declaration complements the CCW and its goals through the promotion of IHL and best practices, and expressed concern for the use of explosive weapons in populated areas in ongoing conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine, Lebanon and Sudan14.
Alongside its individual statements, Ireland has repeatedly aligned with other states to deliver statements on explosive weapons in populated areas. In October 2018, Ireland led 50 states to endorse a joint statement on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas at the UN General Assembly First Committee, calling attention to the devastating and long-lasting humanitarian impact of the use of explosive weapons in populated areas and urging states to reverse the trend of high levels of civilian harm.15 Ireland also led a joint statement during the 74th United Nations General Assembly First Committee in 2019.16 The statement encouraged states to participate in international efforts to address the impacts of the use of explosive weapons in populated areas on civilians, including by working towards the creation of an international Political Declaration on this issue.17 As a member of the Group of Friends on Protection of Civilians, Ireland has supported statements at the UN Security Council stressing the importance of respecting IHL and the need to enhance the protection of civilians, with the 2024 statement calling on states to make the effective protection of civilians and civilian objects a strategic priority in the planning and conduct of military operations by drawing on existing tools herein, such as the Political Declaration18. As a member of the Group of Friends of Action on Conflict and Hunger, Ireland strongly welcomed the Political Declaration, called on other states to join it, and said that the Oslo Conference would provide a critical opportunity to make progress in implementing the Declaration19. As a member of the Human Security Network, Ireland also signed onto the Network’s a joint statements to the UN Security Council open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict in 201320 - where it voiced concern over use of explosive weapons in populated areas noting that “such weapons are indiscriminate within their zones of detonation and therefore pose unacceptable risks to civilians” and calling on relevant actors to refrain from such use – and in 2014, where it reiterated this call21.
As a member of the European Union (EU), Ireland 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 Conflict22 and at the General Debate of UN General Assembly First Committee23, 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.24 The EU, with Ireland 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 UN Security Council open debate on the Protection of Civilians. At the 2024 UN Security Council open debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict, the EU stated that given the significant impact of the explosive weapons in populated areas its use should be restricted or avoided.25
Ireland is also one of nine states who joined Joint Commitment 123002 to the World Humanitarian Summit26 which commits states to engage in raising international awareness about the challenge for the protection of civilians in armed conflict posed by the use of explosive weapons with wide area effects in populated areas; to support the collection of data on the direct civilian harm and the reverberating effects on civilians and civilian objects; and to contribute to the collection and exchange of information on good practices and lessons learned in minimizing impacts on civilians when using such weapons in populated areas.
Implementation of the Political Declaration
In February 2024, INEW and EWM conducted a state survey into endorser states' national efforts to disseminate and implement the Political Declaration. In the survey, Ireland reported that it had disseminated the Political Declaration nationally to the Irish Ministries for Foreign Affairs, Defence, and Defence Forces, and has nominated a national point of contact for the Political Declaration within its Department of Foreign Affairs’ Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Unit27.
Ireland stated that it “will review the Declaration towards development and design of a policy on implementation” and further specified that its Defence Forces (DF) “would underpin work towards implementation with extant DF doctrine and training drawing from Peace Support Operations, Protection of Civilian training and Ireland’s IHL international humanitarian law commitments which are already in being”28.
Universalisation efforts have and will continue to be central to Ireland’s work on the Declaration. In the survey, Ireland reported that it “regularly participates in outreach events and workshops to promote international awareness and engagement with the Political Declaration, and to facilitate knowledge exchange on implementation”29.
To view all of Ireland’s responses to the INEW and EWM state survey, and other states’ responses, see the Explosive Weapons Monitor 2023, Chapter III on Universalisation and Implementation of the Political Declaration.