Topic: 2025 – Criminal Accountability of UN Officials
Country: Egypt
Delegate Name: Vivienne Ilg
With growing concerns of immunity for UN personnel, the Arab Republic of Egypt recognizes how this will damage the United Nations mission’s credibility. Officials’ lack of accountability on issues like corruption, abuse of power, and sexual exploitation undermines trust in peacekeeping, especially in vulnerable countries.
Egypt stresses that UN’s legal framework already makes it very clear that personnel only receive immunity for actions performed in their official capacity, not for private crimes. The Secretary-General also has the right to waive immunity when it “would impede the course of justice.” These examples showcase that immunity exists to protect the UN, not to protect criminals.
The Arab Republic of Egypt is one of the top contributors to UN peacekeeping forces. Egypt firmly believes that legal immunity should not be a shield for criminal activity or behavior. Immunity should only apply to actions performed in an official capacity and should not protect individuals who blatantly disregard and violate international laws or domestic laws of host states. When a small number of officials commit abuses, they harm the reputation, safety, and effectiveness of officials working with integrity.
Egypt also would like to acknowledge that, like all major troop-contributing nations, we have our faults with ensuring full transparency and timely investigations when allegations arise. Egypt is working to strengthen oversight mechanisms and improve coordination with the UN to address these gaps.
Peacekeepers sometimes require protection to perform duties in dangerous environments, but victims also deserve transparency and justice. The Arab Republic of Egypt supports reforms to make sure that immunity remains a helpful tool for operational efficiency, and not an excuse for criminal actions.
Works Cited:
United Nations. No. 4 CONVENTION on the PRIVILEGES and IMMUNITIES of the UNITED NATIONS Adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 13 February 1946 CONVENTION SUR LES PRIVILÈGES et IMMUNITÉS DES NATIONS UNIES.
“Secretary-General’s Reports | Preventing Sexual Exploitation and Abuse.” Www.un.org, www.un.org/preventing-sexual-exploitation-and-abuse/content/secretary-generals-reports.
