SPAIN AND THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT

AN ACTIVE COMMITMENT

Abstract

spain showed its commitment to the idea of the responsibility to protect
from the very start of discussions at the United nations, and has
since proven it in statements on the subject, at both the general assembly
and the security council, in interactive dialogues on thematic
resolutions and situations of armed confl ict that have given rise to the
notion being invoked. one of spain’s priorities as a non-permanent
member of the security council for the biennium 2015-2016 is to push
for the eff ective implementation of the responsibility to protect and for
the introduction of limits on the use of veto in situations of serious and
massive violations of human rights.
spain has also participated very actively in specifi c initiatives for the
promotion of the concept as a member of the group of friends of the
responsibility to protect and as a member state of the global network
of responsibility to protect focal points. its commitment to the
responsibility to protect at the domestic level can also be seen in the
inclusion of this concept in spain’s external action strategy documents.