UN chief warns of dangerous erosion of respect for international law
United Nations: United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned of “a dangerous erosion” of respect for international law.
“Core principles — sovereign equality, territorial integrity, political independence, the prohibition of the threat or use of force — are being challenged or ignored. Violations go unanswered. Impunity is spreading,” he told a high-level open debate of the Security Council on upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and strengthening the UN-centered international system on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported.
The UN Charter remains humanity’s best hope for peace, but its strength depends on the commitment of those responsible for upholding it, Guterres said, warning that geopolitical divisions are deepening, mistrust is growing, and consensus is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve.
“And too often, this council fails to act with unity and purpose. When the Security Council is divided, the consequences are felt far beyond (this chamber),” he said.
Guterres also expressed concern that conflicts are proliferating and intensifying.
“We now face the highest number of conflicts since the founding of the United Nations. And there is growing external interference, including the provision of weapons such as drones, which now frequently target civilians and civilian objects,” said the UN chief. “Violence is expanding in scale and complexity — in the Middle East, Sudan, Ukraine and beyond.”
Guterres also expressed concern about “an accelerating and destabilising arms race.”
To tackle the challenges, he called for action in three areas: conflict prevention and peacemaking, respect for international law, and reform of the UN Security Council.
He stressed the need to strengthen the broader multilateral system and urged all members of the Security Council to uphold the UN Charter consistently, act in the interests of peace, rebuild trust through leadership and compromise, and do their part to ensure that the United Nations truly live up to what it was meant to be: a forum for solutions, a guardian of international law, and a force for peace and security.