Sixth Committee (Legal) — 79th session
Consideration of effective measures to enhance the protection, security and safety of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives (Agenda item 82)
- Authority: resolution 77/108
- List of speakers
Documentation
- A/79/143 — Report of the Secretary-General
- A/C.6/79/L.9 — Draft resolution
Summary of work
Background (source: A/79/100)
The item entitled “Consideration of effective measures to enhance the protection, security and safety of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives” was included in the agenda of the thirty-fifth session of the General Assembly at the request of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden (A/35/142).
The Assembly had the item on its agenda annually at its thirty-fifth to forty-third sessions, and biennially thereafter (resolutions 35/168, 36/33, 37/108, 38/136, 39/83, 40/73, 41/78, 41/79, 42/154, 43/167, 45/39, 47/31, 49/49, 51/156, 53/97, 55/149, 57/15, 59/37, 61/31, 63/126, 65/30, 67/94, 69/121, 71/145, 73/205, 75/139 and 77/108).
At its seventy-seventh session, the Assembly allocated the item to the Sixth Committee, where statements in the debate were made by 28 delegations (see A/C.6/77/SR.17-18). The Assembly requested the Secretary-General to submit to it at its seventy-ninth session a report containing information on the state of ratification of and accessions to the instruments relevant to the protection, security and safety of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives and a summary of the reports received from States on serious violations involving diplomatic and consular missions and representatives and measures taken against offenders, as well as of the views of States with respect to any measures needed or already taken to enhance the protection, security and safety of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives (resolution 77/108).
Consideration at the seventy-ninth session
The Sixth Committee considered the item at its 32nd, 33rd and 38th meetings, on 1, 4 and 22 November 2024 (see A/C.6/79/SR.32, 33 and 38). For its consideration of the item, the Committee had before it the report of the Secretary-General (A/79/143).
During the general debate on the item, statements were made by the representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran (on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement), the European Union (also on behalf of its Member States (North Macedonia Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Monaco and San Marino aligned themselves with the statement)), the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations) [in English], Finland (on behalf of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden), Brazil, Cuba, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Sierra Leone, Iraq, El Salvador, the United States of America, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Philippines, Nigeria, Cameroon, Malaysia, China, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Mozambique, Islamic Republic of Iran, Ecuador, India, the Russian Federation and the United Arab Emirates.
The representatives of Sudan and the United Arab Emirates spoke in the exercise of the right of reply.
Delegations generally welcomed the Secretary-General’s report on the topic (A/79/143) and highlighted the importance of the reporting mechanism established by the resolutions adopted by the General Assembly on this topic over the years.
Delegations underlined the obligation of all States to ensure the security and safety of the members and premises of diplomatic and consular missions as well as their inviolability and urged all States to strictly observe and enforce relevant customary international law and treaty law, including the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. Several delegations also stressed the need for those States that had not already done so to become parties to the relevant international instruments.
Delegations expressed concerns regarding the continued violation of and failure to respect the inviolability of diplomatic and consular missions as well as their representatives, including the serious threats presented by such violations to the maintenance of normal and peaceful international relations which are necessary for co-operation among States.
States were urged, taking into account their special duties as receiving states, to quickly and thoroughly investigate violations, engage in a dialogue with diplomatic and consular missions and design practical measures to enhance the protection, security and safety of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives. Several delegations provided information on specific incidents involving their diplomatic and consular missions and representatives, as well as measures they had taken in relation to incidents occurring in their territory. States were also encouraged to make use of the means for the peaceful settlement of disputes appropriately to address any dispute in this regard.
Archived videos and summaries of plenary meetings
32nd meeting (1 November 2024, 3:00pm – 6:00pm) | Summary
33rd meeting (4 November 2024, 10:00am – 1:00pm) | Summary
38th meeting (22 November 2024, 10:00am – 1:00pm) | Summary
Action taken by the Sixth Committee
At the 38th meeting, on 22 November, the representative of Finland, also on behalf of the sponsors, introduced draft resolution A/C.6/79/L.9 and announced that Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Cyprus, France and Mexico had joined in sponsoring the draft resolution.
At the same meeting, the Committee adopted draft resolution A/C.6/79/L.9 without a vote.
Under the terms of the draft resolution, the General Assembly would, inter alia, strongly condemn all acts of violence against diplomatic and consular missions and representatives, as well as against missions and representatives to international intergovernmental organizations and officials of such organizations, and emphasize that such acts can never be justified. The Assembly would also urge States to strictly observe, implement and enforce, including during a period of armed conflict, all the applicable principles and rules of international law. In addition, the Assembly would urge States to strictly comply with the applicable rules of international law governing the protection and inviolability of premises of diplomatic missions, consular premises and premises of permanent missions with diplomatic status to international intergovernmental organizations.
Subsequent action taken by the General Assembly
This agenda item will be considered at the eighty-first session (2026).
Full text of reports (A/79/143)
| State | Original report | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | English | |
| Azerbaijan | English | |
| English | ||
| English | ||
| Belarus | Russian | English |
| Russian | English | |
| Russian | English | |
| Belgium | French | English |
| Bolivia (Plurinational State of) | Spanish | English |
| Brazil | English | |
| Burundi | French | |
| Ecuador | Spanish | English |
| El Salvador | Spanish | English |
| Equatorial Guinea | Spanish | English |
| Finland | English | |
| Iran (Islamic Republic of) | English | |
| English | ||
| English | ||
| Mexico | Spanish | English |
| Qatar | Arabic | English |
| Republic of Moldova | English | |
| English | ||
| English | ||
| Romania | English | |
| Russian Federation | Russian | English |
Full text of reports (A/81/...)
| State | Original report | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Spanish | English |
| Iran (Islamic Republic of) | English | |
| English | ||
| English | ||
| Mexico | Spanish | English |
