May 20, 1999 (6:30 p.m. EDT) No. 117

AXWORTHY ANNOUNCES PROGRESS ON

HUMAN SECURITY AGENDA

Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy today announced further international progress on the human security agenda achieved at a meeting of ministers and representatives of 11 governments in Bergen, Norway, on May 19 and 20, hosted by Norwegian Foreign Minister Knut Vollebaek. Canada and Norway also announced that they would jointly sponsor a forum on micro-disarmament, to be held next September in Montreal.

"This meeting illustrates a growing commitment to promote the concept of human security," said Mr. Axworthy. "It also reflects the increasing international importance placed on the security and safety of the individual. Canada will continue to advance the human security agenda through a network of like-minded countries and with non-governmental organizations, as well as through the UN and other international forums."

The meeting in Bergen focussed on the identification of challenges and approaches for addressing major issues, including the elimination of anti-personnel mines, measures to counter the excessive accumulation and transfer of military small arms, prohibition of the use of child soldiers, and efforts to strengthen the adherence to international humanitarian and human rights law.

These challenges, and the importance of continued political commitment and momentum to address them, were also underscored in a keynote address by Sadako Ogata, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Ms. Ogata highlighted the need to respond to new global realities with new perspectives and approaches that emphasize protection for people. In particular, she appealed to the countries present to look toward supporting peacebuilding and reconciliation for the post-conflict environment in Kosovo and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

The ministerial meeting built on the Lysøen Declaration, a Canada-Norway agreement announced by Mr. Axworthy and Mr. Vollebaek last May. It included participation by Canada, Norway, Austria, Chile, Ireland, Jordan, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Switzerland and Thailand. South Africa participated as an observer. These countries first met to discuss the concept of human security in New York last September at a lunch organized by Canada and co-hosted by Mr. Axworthy and Mr. Vollebaek.

The forum on micro-disarmament will examine specifically the means to reduce excessive post-conflict surpluses and the proliferation of military small arms and light weapons. Bringing together policy makers and practitioners from North and South, the forum is expected to draw lessons from past and current experience and to generate concrete recommendations for improved micro-disarmament practices.

Mr. Axworthy offered to host a lunch for ministers attending the United Nations General Assembly in September to continue discussion of human security issues. Swiss Foreign Minister Joseph Deiss offered to host the next meeting of the group in spring 2000.

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The Chairman's Summary of the Bergen meeting on human security will be available upon request from the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, and will be on the Department's Web site: <www.dfait-maeci-gc.ca>. Also available on the site is Human Security: Safety for People in a Changing World, released on May 14 by Minister Axworthy; this sets out a rationale for a foreign policy taking safety and security for people as a central point of reference.

For further information, media representatives may contact:

Debora Brown

Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs

(613) 995-1851

Media Relations Office

Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

(613) 995-1874

A PERSPECTIVE ON HUMAN SECURITY

CHAIRMAN'S SUMMARY

LYSØEN, NORWAY, 20 MAY 1999

A meeting of ministers and representatives of the Governments of Austria, Canada, Chile, Ireland, Jordan, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Switzerland, Thailand and Norway took place at Bergen and Lysøen in Norway 19 - 20 May 1999 to address human security issues. South Africa participated in the capacity of observer.

The meeting took place on the invitation of the Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Knut Vollebaek, who also chaired the meeting.

The first day of the meeting (19 May) was organised as an open meeting. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), H.E. Ms. Sadako Ogata delivered a key-note speech on the first day of the meeting. In her statement she emphasised that refugees and internally displaced are a significant symptom of human insecurity. From a refugee perspective there is an urgent need to address the issues of human security comprehensively both during and after conflicts. A common effort to provide human security should be undertaken. By way of example, she pointed to the history of the Former Yugoslavia, which is like a catalogue of means through which human security can be violated.

She especially regretted the lack of effective political and security mechanisms to address conflicts. She asked how the international community can allow conflict to simmer until the stage in which both "hard" and "soft" means seem inadequate. She called for a more timely and at the same time more gradual and stratified approach based on the idea of a "ladder of options" to be implemented before crises precipitate and before the "soft" and "hard" alternatives become insufficient. Reference was made to a range of "medium" alternatives of providing training and support to national capacity that could apply not only to refugee situations but also other situations of human insecurity.

She also emphasised the need to allocate resources and implement programmes in post-conflict situations while pointing out that the UNHCR together with the World Bank, the UN and donor governments is trying to explore ways to improve both institutional and funding arrangements to eliminate the gap often experienced in the transition phase from a humanitarian crisis to reconstruction and long-term development.

In addition to participating countries and the UNHCR, the following international and non-governmental organisations participated as partners in an international human security agenda: The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, The International Committee of the Red Cross, The International Campaign to Ban Landmines, Save the Children Alliance, Amnesty International, The Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, and the International Action Network on Small Arms.

The Honourable Lloyd Axworthy, Foreign Minister of Canada, introduced a publication by the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade on "Human Security: Safety for People in a Changing World."

Some of the participating international non-governmental organisations presented papers on the following topics:

Ms. Rachel Brett, Quaker United Nations Office, Geneva, representing the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers,

Mr. Paul Eavis, Saferworld, London, representing the International Action Network on Small Arms,

Mr. Nils A. Røhne, Norwegian People's Aid, representing the International Campaign to Ban Landmines: Follow-up to the Mine Ban Treaty,

Mr. Michael Crowley, Amnesty International on international human rights and humanitarian law.

During the second day of the meeting (20 May) the Ministers and representatives of participating governments met in closed session to address issues of human security and how to deal with them in today's world.

Out of the consultations over two days the following ideas emerged:

A VISION

A humane world where people can live in security and dignity, free from poverty and despair, is still a dream for many but should be enjoyed by all. In such a world, every individual would be guaranteed freedom from fear and freedom from want, with an equal opportunity to develop fully their human potential.

Building human security is essential to achieving this goal. In essence, human security means freedom from pervasive threats to people's rights, their safety or even their lives. Human security has become both a new measure of global security and a new agenda for global action.

Safety is the hallmark of freedom from fear, while well-being is the target of freedom from want. Human security and human development are thus two sides of the same coin, mutually reinforcing and leading to a conducive environment for each other.

REQUIREMENTS

A commitment to human rights and humanitarian law is the foundation for building human security.

Human security is advanced in every country by protecting and promoting human rights, the rule of law, democratic governance and democratic structures, a culture of peace and the peaceful resolution of conflicts.

The international organisations created by states to build a just and peaceful world order, above all the United Nations, in its role to maintain international peace and security as stated in the Charter, must serve the security needs of people.

Promoting sustainable human development, through the alleviation of absolute poverty, providing basic social services for all, and pursuing the goals of people-centred development, is necessary for building human security.

Innovative international approaches will be needed to address the sources of insecurity, remedy the symptoms and prevent the recurrence of threats which affect the daily lives of millions of people.

APPROACHES

Applying a human security perspective to international problems has the potential to re-energise political processes aimed at settling conflicts, establishing and securing peace and promoting development.

Pooling the resources of government sector, the private sector and civil society enables collective and coordinated efforts to improve the level of human security based on global solidarity.

International co-operation between like-minded countries, within regions and in particular within the United Nations, is essential to increasing the focus on human security. This should include international financial institutions which greatly affect the daily lives of people in a world of increasing interdependence.

The aim to improve the security of people is widely shared; but the threats to human security experienced in different regions of the world differ, as do the resources available to address those threats. Accordingly, a flexible framework of cooperation is required, taking their priorities into account.

Using such a framework will facilitate co-operation between like-minded countries on concrete actions to promote human security. An agenda will evolve as new human security challenges are identified and new responses by the international community are proposed.

ELEMENTS OF A HUMAN SECURITY AGENDA

The following challenges and responses were identified:

1. Anti-personnel Landmines: to rid the world of anti-personnel landmines by:

a) promoting the Declaration of Maputo;

b) working in support of mine action efforts and with enhanced coordination at all levels -- from in-country to global level and through the UN;

c) supporting the Programme of Intersessional Work adopted in Maputo with a view to ensuring that systematic progress is made in implementing the commitments in the Mine Ban Convention;

d) promoting the universalisation and ratification of the Convention, particularly at the regional level;

e) ensuring effective reporting in support of the Transparency Mechanism;

f) promoting ongoing partnerships with non-governmental organisations;

g) facilitating timely and coordinated mine action response to meet urgent humanitarian needs in situations involving large-scale forced displacement such as Kosovo to enable the safe return of refugees and internally displaced persons to their homes;

2. Small Arms: to intensify and coordinate efforts against the excessive and destabilizing accumulation and uncontrolled spread of small arms, in the context of a holistic approach by:

a) encouraging concurrent action at national, regional and international levels, focussing on both licit and illicit small arms and light weapons;

b) welcoming the work of the UN Panel of Governmental Experts on Small Arms and supporting the decision of the UN General Assembly to convene an international conference on this problem, to be held no later than 2001;

c) encouraging the conference to take a broad and comprehensive approach addressing all aspects of the problem;

d) welcoming the Elements of Common Understanding from the Oslo meeting on small arms, 13 - 14 July 1998, as one of the foundations of our work, and also welcoming the Brussels Call for Action adopted by the International Conference on Sustainable Disarmament for Sustainable Development held in Brussels on 12 and 13 October 1998;

e) seeking practical solutions to the problems caused by small arms through the United Nations and through regional and sub-regional arrangements and by promoting cooperation with civil society organisations.

3. Children in Armed Conflict: to address the specific needs of children in armed conflict by:

a) ensuring that humanitarian and development assistance programming addresses the needs of children in armed conflict, and by supporting where appropriate, the work of relevant UN agencies, such as UNICEF and UNHCR, and the ICRC, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies as well as other intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations working in this field;

b) contributing to the follow-up of the commitments made by governments and other parties to conflicts to the UN Secretary General's Special Representative for Children in Armed Conflict, as well as supporting the advocacy work of the Special Representative;

c) promoting the implementation of existing standards, in particular the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child, and to work for the improvement of international standards, by the completion and adoption of an Optional Protocol on involvement of children in armed conflict to the Convention;

d) encouraging the recognition and enforcement of these standards by all armed forces or groups;

e) promoting and participating in activities that may contribute to public awareness and understanding on this issue in our countries as well as in countries affected by conflict;

f) developing collaborative partnerships with governments and civil society organisations to seek out and implement creative strategies, not least through regional and sub-regional arrangements;

g) recognising that the participation of children in armed conflicts can be considered as one of the worst forms of child labour; and working towards the prohibition and immediate elimination of this form of child labour as well as for the adoption of international instruments dealing with this subject;

h) promoting measures to facilitate the reintegration in society of former child soldiers.

4. International Humanitarian and Human Rights Law: to strengthen the full implementation of and adherence to international humanitarian and human rights law, by:

a) co-operating to ensure that the 27th Red Cross Conference succeeds in revitalising commitment to the principles of international humanitarian law and compliance with the Geneva Conventions and their protocols;

b) monitoring the implementation of international humanitarian and human rights law particularly in situations of systematic violations, including by utilizing the International Fact-Finding Commission and collaborating with international human rights mechanisms;

c) promoting recognition and enforcement of the rules of international humanitarian law by all armed forces or groups;

d) advancing discussions on standards within international law that apply to all persons, groups, and public authorities in all situations at all times;

e) working together to support and encourage human rights training for peacekeeping forces and other related personnel;

f) enhancing co-operation in the recruitment, training and deployment of human rights experts for field operations;

g) promoting human rights education.

5. International Criminal Court: to seek speedy ratification and implementation of the Rome Statute establishing an International Criminal Court.

6. Exploitation of Children: to strengthen co-operation in the fight against sexual exploitation of children, including the spreading of child pornography through the Internet.

7. Safety of Humanitarian Personnel:

a) to identify concrete measures to enhance the safety of humanitarian personnel and hold accountable state and non-state entities for their intentionally directing attacks against humanitarian workers operating in territory under their control;

b) to promote universal adherence to the United Nations Convention on the Safety of UN and Associated Personnel.

8. Conflict Prevention: to strengthen the capacity of the United Nations and regional organisations to develop forward looking, co-operative strategies for conflict prevention.

9. Transnational Organised Crime: to work together to develop an effective international framework within the UN system to combat transnational organised crime, in particular through completion of the current negotiations of a Transnational Organised Crime Convention and its protocols by the year 2000.

10. Resources for Development:

a) to strive towards the goal of fulfilling the agreed target at the Copenhagen Summit for donor countries who have not done so to allocate 0,7 percent of their GNP to official development assistance (ODA);

b) to review progress on the 20/20 initiative, which suggests an indicative allocation of 20 percent of national budgets in developing countries and 20 percent of official development assistance to basic social services.

NEXT STEPS

The Canadian Foreign Minister, Mr. Lloyd Axworthy, offered to host a lunch for ministers attending the UN General Assembly in September to continue discussion of human security issues. In particular the lunch could focus on the recommendations from the Secretary General's forthcoming report on the protection of civilians in armed conflict.

He also informed the meeting of Canada's interest in sponsoring a meeting on human security issues in West Africa. The government of Ghana has expressed an interest in principle in hosting such a meeting, with a focus on children in armed conflict and the proliferation of small arms.

The Austrian State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Ms. Maria Benita Ferrero-Walder, informed the meeting on the Austrian government's intention to convene two meetings on human security. The first will be a conference on 29 September - 1 October 1999 on curbing the dissemination of child pornography on the Internet. The second will be a conference 8 - 9 October 1999 on the role of Vienna-based United Nations institutions in promoting human security.

The Norwegian Chair welcomed the offer of the Swiss Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Joseph Deiss, to host the next meeting in the spring of 2000.

Lysøen, 20 May 1999