Italy 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. Italy regularly delivered statements throughout the consultations towards a Political Declaration1, as well as raising concerns around explosive weapons in populated areas and expressing support for a Political Declaration in other multilateral forums.Early in the consultation process Italy highlighted the importance of developing and sharing military policies and good practices – in military doctrines, tactical instructions, rules of engagement, the testing and development of new weapons, education, and other measures—to enhance protection of civilians and compliance with international humanitarian law (IHL).2 Italy also emphasised that International Humanitarian Law (IHL) provides a sufficient framework with which to address the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, but that the challenge lies in implementing IHL in the dynamics of current conflicts, particularly as this relates to the principles of distinction, necessity, proportionality, and precaution.3
These were repeated themes throughout Italy’s statements to the negotiations during which Italy also called for the inclusion of the destruction of “cultural heritage” within the declaration as one of the harms caused by the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. It also welcomed the inclusion of gender dimensions of harm, supported the strengthening of the victim assistance provision, and called for an open, transparent, and inclusive follow-up process for the Political Declaration.4 During the signing ceremony of the declaration in Dublin in November 2022, Italy said that the implementation of the declaration should reflect a wider notion of protection of civilians, one that is not limited to direct and immediate effects from the use of explosive weapons, but that takes into consideration the damages in medium to long term that compromises life, education and development.5
Italy attended the first international follow-up conference on the Political Declaration in Oslo, Norway in April 2024.
Statements and positions
At the first international follow-up conference on the Political Declaration Italy expressed concern for ongoing use of explosive weapons in Gaza and Ukraine, underlined the importance of data collection on direct and indirect effects, and the need for special attention to be given to vulnerable groups, women, children and journalists. Italy emphasised the need to destroy and remove explosive remnants of war and assist victims, stating that it provides gender-sensitive aid and risk education. Italy encouraged all non-endorsing states to adhere to the Political Declaration.6
Italy has frequently spoken on explosive weapons in populated areas in multilateral forums. At the UN Security Council open debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict, Italy stated that the “impact of conflicts on civilians is particularly acute when fighting occurs in populated areas and involves the use of explosive weapons. Attacks on critical infrastructure, such as schools, hospitals and homes have heightened the risks for civilians.”7 Italy condemned the use of explosive weapons in populated areas in a statement at the 2018 Meeting of the High Contracting Parties to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW). In the statement, Italy expressed its concern at the grave humanitarian impacts of explosive weapons in populated areas. It also voiced its support for discussions on explosive weapons in populated areas within the auspices of the CCW and called for the continuation of these discussions to facilitate the sharing of military practices and measures to reduce the humanitarian impacts of explosive weapons in populated areas.8 At the UN General Assembly First Committee in 2022, Italy welcomed the conclusion of the negotiations on the Political Declaration9 and in 2023 welcomed its adoption,10 and in 2024 highlighted the importance of the Declaration and international follow-up meetings.11
Alongside its individual statements, Italy has repeatedly aligned with other states to deliver statements on explosive weapons in populated areas. As a member of the European Union (EU), Italy 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 Conflict12 and at the General Debate of UN General Assembly First Committee13, 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.14 At the 2024 UN Security Council open debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict, the EU also stated that given the significant impact of the explosive weapons in populated areas its use should be restricted or avoided.15 The EU, with Italy 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 UN General Assembly First Committee in 2024, the EU said it “recognised the challenges associated with the use of explosive weapons and munitions in densely populated areas and their potential impact on civilians and call on all parties to conflict to fully comply with International Humanitarian Law.”16
Italy 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
As a member of the Group of Friends on Protection of Civilians, Italy has supported statements at the UN Security Council stressing the importance of respecting IHL and the need to enhance the protection of civilians from the effects of explosive weapons in populated areas18. At the same meeting in 2024, the Group highlighted the harm caused by explosive weapons in populated areas across ongoing conflicts, and stressed that “the effective protection of civilians and civilian objects must be made a strategic priority in the planning and conduct of military operations.”19 To that end, the Political Declaration was identified as providing “practical tools that ensure that protection is real and effective.”20 At the 2022 open debate the Group of Friends of Action on Conflict and Hunger, strongly welcomed the Political Declaration, called on other states to join it, and said that the Oslo Conference will provide a critical opportunity to make progress in implementing the Declaration.21 In 2018 and 2019, Italy joined some 50 and 71 states respectively to endorse joint statements 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 harm22.