UN chief warns of dangerous erosion of respect for international law
United Nations, May 27
United Nations 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.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Honestly, the UN has become a bit of a paper tiger. All these warnings and debates, but when Russia invades Ukraine or Israel bombs Gaza, the Security Council can't even pass a resolution without vetoes. And now they talk about reform? Sure, but India has been asking for a permanent seat for decades — talk is cheap. The world needs action, not just speeches. 😔
Guterres is right about the erosion of international law, but let's not pretend this is new. The US and its allies have been bombing countries without UN mandate for years (Iraq, Libya, Syria). Now that it's affecting them in Ukraine, suddenly everyone cares. We need a truly fair system — not one where Western countries get a pass and others are punished. India should push for genuine reform.
The UN Charter is indeed humanity's best hope, but it's sad to see it being ignored so openly. I appreciate Guterres mentioning the arms race and drones targeting civilians — that's a real concern for countries like India, which face cross-border terrorism. But will the Security Council actually do anything? Or will this just be another debate forgotten next week? 🙄
While I agree with the sentiment, I find it ironic that the UN chief warns about erosion of international law when the UN itself has become a tool for political games. The veto power makes the Security Council undemocratic. India, as the world's largest democracy, deserves a permanent seat. Until that happens, these speeches will remain hollow. Time for real reform! 🗳️
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