The call has become increasingly urgent due to the rising number of fatalities among humanitarian workers in various parts of the world, including the Gaza Strip.
Marsudi made these remarks at the 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, according to a statement from her ministry on Wednesday.
"2024 seems to be a darker year," she said. "What we witnessed in Gaza, with humanitarian workers killed in airstrikes and a polio vaccine convoy attacked, is truly intolerable."
She added that in 2023 alone, more than 280 humanitarian workers were victims of various armed conflicts, with over half of those casualties recorded in Gaza.
Marsudi further stressed the importance of adhering to international humanitarian law, ensuring there is no impunity for violations, and protecting humanitarian actors as neutral parties in war zones.
She called for strengthening the UN's work system and enhancing international humanitarian cooperation to address challenges in safeguarding humanitarian workers in conflict areas.
To that end, Indonesia supports the establishment of the Ministerial Group for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel, initiated by Australia during the High-Level Week of the 79th UN General Assembly. The group serves as a joint forum to promote the enforcement of international humanitarian law and the protection of humanitarian actors in conflict zones.
Marsudi endorsed a joint statement formalizing the working group and reaffirmed a shared commitment to upholding international humanitarian law and pursuing concrete actions to protect humanitarian workers in conflict areas.
In addition to Indonesia, the joint statement was supported by the foreign ministers of eight countries: Australia, Jordan, Switzerland, Sierra Leone, the UK, Japan, Brazil, and Colombia.
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Translator: Nabil Ihsan, Yashinta Difa
Editor: Anton Santoso
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