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Paul Reuter Prize 2006 awarded for major work on accountability of peace operations
08-06-2006 News Release 06/59
Geneva (ICRC) – The Paul Reuter Prize 2006, awarded for outstanding work in the field of international humanitarian law, has gone to Dr Marten Zwanenburg for his book Accountability of Peace Support Operations.
Dr Zwanenburg is from the Netherlands and has been a lecturer in public international law at the Universities of Amsterdam and Leiden. He is currently Legal Counsel at the Netherlands Ministry of Defence.
The jury for the Paul Reuter Prize 2006 comprises Professors Paolo Bernasconi and Daniel Thürer, President and Vice-President respectively of the Paul Reuter Fund Committee and both members of the ICRC, staff members of the ICRC, Professors Mrs Louise Doswald-Beck, Director of the University Centre for International Humanitarian Law of Geneva, and Mr Marco Sassòli of the Faculty of Law of the University of Geneva. The jury has unanimous decided to award the 2006 Prize to Dr Zwanenburg for his work.
The book, published by Martinus Nijhoff in 2005, was originally written as a doctoral thesis under the supervision of Professor Horst Fischer who holds the international humanitarian law Red Cross Chair, at Leiden University.
Dr Zwanenburg's book addresses the issue of the accountability of peace support operations for violations of international humanitarian law, focusing on operations under United Nations and NATO command. It aims to enhance understanding of the application of international humanitarian law to such operations.
The jury selected the study because of the wealth of legal material considered by the author, including State and organizational practice, which makes it an especially valuable contribution to the field. The topic is timely and of particular importance for the future development of international humanitarian law, as the number of peace support operations is likely to increase in coming years.
The book includes a compilation of contemporary developments relating to responsibility for violations of humanitarian law and puts forward innovative ideas, such as the setting-up of claims commissions and ombuds-institutions to increase accountability. It will also make a contribution to current work on the International Law Commission's draft articles on the responsibilities of international organizations. Although Dr Zwanenburg centred his research on operations under United Nations and NATO command, his study may also find application in other forms of international peace support operations.
The Prize was presented to Dr Marten Zwanenburg by the Vice-President of the Paul Reuter Fund Committee, Professor Daniel Thürer, at a ceremony held at ICRC headquarters on 7 June 2006. Also present were, among others, members of the International Law Commission and H.E. Ian M. de Jong, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Netherlands in Geneva.
For further information please contact
Renée Bretton, ICRC Geneva, tel. +41 22 730 2671
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