New York — October 12, 2026
81st Session of the General Assembly — Sixth Committee
Agenda item 79: United Nations Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Humanity
Unofficial Translation
Statement on behalf of the Arab Group
Delivered by Mr. Hatem Y A Eltelb, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of the State of Libya to the United Nations
Mr. Chair,
Within the framework of international efforts aimed at preventing and punishing crimes against humanity, which are among the most serious crimes of concern to the international community, deeply shock the conscience of humanity and endanger the cohesion of society, the Arab Group welcomes resolution 79/122, entitled “United Nations Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Humanity”, by which it was decided to convene the United Nations Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Humanity at United Nations Headquarters in New York for three consecutive weeks in early 2028; to convene a preparatory committee for the Conference in January 2026, and in 2027, in New York; and to establish a working group to elaborate an instrument on the prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity. The Group underscores the importance of international cooperation through the legal frameworks necessary to combat crimes against humanity, prevent their commission and punish them.
Recognizing the fundamental importance of this process, we affirm the readiness of the members of the Arab Group to engage constructively in purposeful and substantive discussions, not only at the Conference and in the preparatory committees, but also in the negotiations that will transmit a consolidated text comprising the draft articles and a compilation of proposals submitted by Governments for amendments to the draft articles, particularly those that do not attain universality and do not enjoy international consensus.
We have participated in the substantive and detailed exchange of views conducted by the Sixth Committee on the draft articles on crimes against humanity prepared by the International Law Commission. This dialogue constituted a constructive path that went beyond the traditional procedural nature, and we encourage the continuation of this action-oriented approach. The Group calls for a fair, inclusive and transparent process, as reflected in the comments submitted by some Arab States during the resumed sessions. The Group affirms that the primary responsibility for preventing and punishing these crimes rests with States.
The Arab Group further stresses the importance and necessity of respecting all the principles of the Charter of the United Nations without selectivity, in order to uphold the rule of law and ensure accountability and an end to impunity, warning against the dangers of unlawful unilateral measures that violate the provisions of international law, as well as double standards and selective approaches in the application of justice.
In this context, the Group affirms the need for the universality of legal and humanitarian standards. In the absence of accountability and punishment, which is unacceptable, the international community must confront the genocidal war and the ongoing crimes committed against the Palestinian people for more than seventy-eight years by the Israeli occupation authorities, and guarantee the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination in accordance with the Charter.
The Arab Group wishes to recall the obligation to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State, and to refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of States.
In conclusion, Mr. Chair, more than eight decades after the end of the Second World War, the painful reality continues to demonstrate that millions of young people, women, children and elderly persons live in conditions that fall short of the promises made by the international community. The Charter and international instruments pledged to safeguard the dignity and rights of all human beings, yet these commitments remain out of reach.
The international community must therefore remain steadfast in its commitment to translating its collective pledges into concrete steps, by establishing clear, comprehensive and binding legal frameworks that end impunity and ensure accountability for crimes against humanity.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.