Cyprus along with other United Nations member states advanced a joint declaration for the protection of humanitarian organisations and UN personnel, on Wednesday.

The declaration, a Swiss initiative, was signed by 116 states, including Greece, Italy, China, Belgium, Australia, France, Finland, Germany, Norway, Sweden, the USA and the UK.

“Civilians and those who help them are not targets and must be protected,” the member states said, calling on tangible measures towards accountability and protection.

Six months ago, the UN security council had adopted Resolution 2730 on the protection of humanitarian and UN personnel and signatories are now calling for its immediate implementation, following recommendations made by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Growing risks are faced by aid workers in a world plagued by over 120 armed conflicts, and in 2023 over 500 aid workers were killed, injured, detained or kidnapped, with local national staff, over 90 per cent of those affected, left to bear the brunt, the statement said.

The situation worsened in 2924, with Gaza and the West Bank now being the most dangerous front for aid workers, it said, and over 150 had been killed since the beginning of the year.

Other high-risk areas include Sudan, Ukraine, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan.

Tribute was paid to humanitarian organisations and UN staff who “work tirelessly in difficult and often dangerous conditions to save lives and alleviate human suffering.”

The heightened threat to aid workers coincides with the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions and the 25th anniversary of the security council’s recognition of the protection of civilians as part of its mandate, and this should be a call for collective action to ensure compliance with international humanitarian law, the statement added.

Measures for prevention and response to incidents of violence against humanitarian workers, and increased accountability “are vital tools for translating political will into tangible action,” the member states said.

They called on the international community to act immediately to ensure that countries’ obligations are met.