Thank you very much, Prime Minister Støre, and our thanks also to the Secretary-General, Mr Maurer and Ms Al-Mutawakel for their briefings. The United Kingdom is grateful to Norway for convening this important event — this importance is reflected by the presence of the Vice President of Ghana and the Foreign Minister of Gabon. As we have heard today, civilians are paying a heavy price for the increasing urbanisation of protracted conflict. All too often civilians find themselves the victims of terrible violations of international humanitarian law, as witnessed during the appalling barrel bombi…

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