ABSTRACT
The central proposition in this concluding chapter is that the value of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) depends on how far it serves its aim to prevent atrocity crimes – namely, genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity. Analyzing the impact of R2P to date, this chapter argues that R2P is at a crossroads: its future lies in implementation or marginalization. The states and institutions that have committed themselves to R2P will lose their credibility unless they take steps to ensure its effective implementation. The chapter proceeds in four parts. First, it assesses the progress of R2P in responding to atrocity situations, arguing that the rhetoric on R2P has not been matched by effective implementation. Second, the chapter considers the value that R2P provides to the international community, concluding that despite shortcomings in the track-record of R2P implementation, the concept should not be abandoned given the need for international consensus on the values that R2P represents. It argues that the international community would be unable to reach consensus on a better framework for protecting vulnerable populations in the current political climate. Third, it advances recommendations for making R2P prevention effective, and fourth and finally, it identifies challenges to be navigated in order to realize this agenda.
