Secretary-General's remarks to the United Nations Security Council on Upholding the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter and Strengthening the UN-Centred International System
Statements | António Guterres, Secretary-General
Mr. President, your Excellency Mr. Wang Yi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China,
Excellencies,
The United Nations Charter is a survival guide for humanity.
A promise born from the devastation of two world wars.
A commitment that the force of law must prevail over the law of force.
That international disputes must be settled by peaceful means.
That all States – large and small – must act in conformity with the principles of justice and international law.
For decades, the values and principles of the UN Charter have helped deliver:
Placing guardrails on a nuclear arms race. Negotiating an end to devastating wars. Advancing human rights. Supporting decolonization. And fostering development across the globe.
And above all, preventing a third world war.
But today, the purposes and principles of the Charter are under profound strain.
Let me briefly point to seven here-and-now threats.
First, we are witnessing 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.
Second, geopolitical divisions are deepening.
Mistrust is growing.
Consensus is harder 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] – and relate to my next point.
Third, 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.
Violence is expanding in scale and complexity – in the Middle East, Sudan, Ukraine and beyond.
And I must add that I am deeply concerned by a recent announcement by the Russian Federation to launch consistent and systemic strikes against Ukrainian defense enterprises in Kyiv – as well as against decision making centres and command posts – following reports of a Ukrainian drone attack on a college building and dormitory in the Ukrainian city of Starobilsk, presently occupied by the Russian Federation.
On Friday, we condemned the attack on the school – as we condemn all attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, wherever they occur.
Now more than ever, it is imperative to avoid any escalation of a conflict that has already exacted a devastating toll on civilians, and that risks making the search for peace even more distant, prolonging the suffering of people.
This takes place as Israel has announced an escalation of its operations in Lebanon.
We witness constant violations of the ceasefire in Gaza.
And the result of negotiations between the United States and Iran to end the conflict in the Gulf remain unpredictable.
Fourth, we are seeing an accelerating and destabilizing arms race.
Global military spending is at record levels, even as deadly weapons get cheaper to produce and resources for development and humanitarian needs get slashed.
Meanwhile, new technologies – including artificial intelligence and autonomous weapons – are advancing faster than our capacity to govern them.
These trends create new and uncharted risks to international peace and security.
Fifth, human rights are under full-scale attack.
Across the world, we see civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights being pushed back deliberately, strategically, and even proudly.
The consequences are devastating – for individuals, communities, and entire societies.
When human rights fall, everything else tumbles.
Sixth, the link between peace and development is under increasing pressure.
Inequalities are widening.
Many developing countries are overwhelmed by debt and lack access to sufficient financing.
The Sustainable Development Goals are slipping further out of reach.
But let us always remember:
There can be no peace without development.
And no development without peace.
Seventh, the climate crisis is accelerating.
It is a driver of instability, a multiplier of threats, and an increasing source of tension within and between nations.
Excellencies,
These seven challenges are interconnected.
And they are testing the resilience of the Charter itself.
Together, we must summon the political will to uphold it.
Member States have already recognized the need for action.
In the Pact for the Future, they reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to act in accordance with international law, including the Charter and its purposes and principles.
And they acknowledged a central reality: our multilateral system must be strengthened to meet the demands of today’s world.
That means acting across three fundamental fronts.
First – prevention and peacemaking.
We must invest far more in preventing conflict before it erupts or escalates.
That includes supporting national peacebuilding efforts.
Addressing root causes – from inequality to exclusion to weak institutions.
And pursuing peaceful means of settling disputes, as this Council itself urged last year in resolution 2788.
The tools exist:
Negotiation. Enquiry. Mediation. Conciliation. Arbitration. Judicial settlement. Regional arrangements. Fact finding. And the good offices of this Organization, or any other peaceful means of the parties’ own choosing.
They must be used – fully and in good faith.
Second – upholding international law, including international human rights law and international humanitarian law.
Commitments must be upheld consistently – without selectivity. Without double-standards.
And when violations occur, accountability must follow.
Let’s not forget: On matters of peace and security, members of this Council have a particular responsibility to lead by example.
Third – and fundamentally – reform.
Global institutions must reflect today’s realities – not those of 1945.
Nowhere is this more urgent than in this Council.
A Security Council that does not reflect the geopolitical realities of today’s world cannot fully deliver on its responsibilities.
For example, the absence of permanent representation for Africa is a historic injustice.
It undermines the credibility of the Council – and diminishes its effectiveness.
Reform is about restoring credibility and better ensuring that this Council can act – decisively and inclusively – to uphold the Charter.
Excellencies,
We must also strengthen the broader multilateral system.
Through our review of peace operations – to ensure they are fit for the future.
Through improved coordination with regional organizations.
Through greater inclusion – ensuring women, youth and marginalized groups are full participants in decisions that shape their lives, particularly when it comes to building peace.
Through reform of the international financial architecture – so that it reflects the global economy of today.
And through global cooperation on emerging challenges – including the governance of artificial intelligence.
At the same time, through the UN80 Initiative, we are working to ensure that the United Nations itself is more effective, more coherent, and more responsive – even as needs grow and resources tighten.
But no reform – institutional or structural – can substitute for political will.
The Charter is clear.
Member States shall refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.
They shall act in accordance with international law.
And they shall settle international disputes peacefully, so international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered – avoiding the imposition of unilateral measures that could lead to escalation.
Excellencies,
The Charter remains humanity’s best hope for peace.
But it is only as strong as the commitment of those responsible for upholding it.
And here I emphasize once again the pivotal role of the Security Council.
The world is watching – and demanding action, not just words.
I urge all members of this Council:
To uphold the Charter consistently.
To act in the interest of peace.
To rebuild trust through leadership and compromise.
And to do your part to ensure that this Organization – and this Council – 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.
Thank you.