December 4, 2024
Madam President,
I would like to thank Ms Russell, Mr Raymond and Ms Rashevska for their briefings.
For nearly three years now Russia has been conducting an illegal war of aggression against Ukraine, that has led to unacceptable suffering for Ukrainian children.
According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, more than 12,000 civilians have been killed and almost 27,000 injured since February 24, 2022. More than 4 million people have been displaced, and over 14 million are in need of assistance. These civilian victims include tens of thousands of children.
Russia has committed war crimes against them, such as the missile strike against the children’s hospital in Okhamdyt on July 8. These acts led to Russia being included in the annex to the Secretary-General’s annual report on Children and armed conflict.
When indiscriminate strikes by Russia hit Ukraine’s residential areas, energy infrastructure, hospitals and schools, they prevent the country’s children from accessing essential services and compromise their future. UNESCO believes that 4163 educational establishments have been damaged since the start of the war.
France condemns the forced transfer of Ukrainian children to the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, or their illegal deportation to Russia, which subjects these children to a policy of forced acculturation. We demand the return of Ukrainian children to their families, legal guardians and communities. We remain committed to ensure their return and to support efforts undertaken to that end, including the international coalition for the return of Ukrainian children, co-chaired by Canada and Ukraine. We welcome in this regard, the recent holding in Montreal of the Ministerial Conference on the Human Dimension of the Peace Formula.
France continues its efforts to welcome Ukrainian children and ensure they have access to education and health care. 1M€ of our contribution to UNICEF for 2024 will be used for the rebuilding and operation of two Child Rights Protection Centers in Kharkiv and Dnipro.
France condemns the war crimes committed in Ukraine. Those responsible must be brought to justice. We recall our support for the International Criminal Court and the Ukrainian courts, in order to ensure accountability. The work of the International Independent Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine remains indispensable.
France welcomes the successful completion, on October 25, of Ukraine’s ratification of the Rome Statute.
We will remain committed to ensuring respect for international humanitarian law and human rights, a fortiori for children. Respect for these rights is an integral part of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace, in accordance with the resolutions adopted by the United Nations General Assembly.
Thank you.