Andorra's Xavier Espot Urges Global Action to Protect Children in Armed Conflicts

Andorra's head of government, Xavier Espot, called for stronger international cooperation to protect children affected by armed conflicts during his address at the Paix pour l’Enfance convention in Geneva.

Speaking at the event focused on child safeguards in war zones, Espot insisted that child victims must not be a secondary priority and that their protection represents a collective responsibility for all nations. He positioned Andorra's stance firmly within global efforts, urging states to translate commitments into tangible actions through policies, decisions, and resource allocation.

Espot highlighted Andorra's involvement in the UN's Prove It Matters campaign, run by the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict. The initiative aims to elevate child protection in conflict areas onto the international agenda. He stressed the need to prove dedication to affected children via concrete measures.

The Andorran leader also reaffirmed the country's support for international humanitarian law and human rights, pressing nations to unite efforts. Shared responsibilities, multilateral agreements, and global partnerships, he argued, offer real hope to children enduring war.

Espot's remarks came alongside UN officials and ambassadors from other countries. The forum also included contributions from Junior Nzita Nsuami, a former child soldier from the Democratic Republic of Congo who now leads an organization to prevent such fates. Espot noted Nzita's prior visit to Andorra, where he recounted being conscripted at age 12, replacing education with combat.

Millions of children today suffer violence, displacement, or recruitment into fighting, Espot observed, with schools and hospitals increasingly targeted and emerging technologies amplifying civilian dangers. He advocated prevention, victim rehabilitation, listening to children's experiences, and ending impunity for abuses.

Andorra backs related UNICEF work in the Central African Republic, providing education, psychological aid, and skills training to help war-affected children reintegrate and recover. No nation can tackle this crisis in isolation, Espot concluded, pledging Andorra's continued multilateral advocacy to transform suffering into optimism.