{"id":295409,"date":"2024-04-23T16:49:52","date_gmt":"2024-04-23T20:49:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?post_type=document&p=295409"},"modified":"2024-04-25T13:22:49","modified_gmt":"2024-04-25T17:22:49","slug":"veto-must-not-end-un-action-speakers-stress-in-general-assembly-debate-as-president-warns-against-perception-of-our-collective-failure-to-act-press-release","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/veto-must-not-end-un-action-speakers-stress-in-general-assembly-debate-as-president-warns-against-perception-of-our-collective-failure-to-act-press-release\/","title":{"rendered":"Veto Must Not End UN Action, Speakers Stress in General Assembly Debate, as President Warns Against Perception of \u201cOur Collective Failure to Act\u201d – Press Release"},"content":{"rendered":"
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SEVENTY-EIGHTH SESSION,<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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70TH & 71ST MEETINGS (AM & PM)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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GA\/12593<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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23 April 2024<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Amidst ongoing paralysis in the Security Council due to the proliferating use \u2014 and misuse \u2014 of the veto despite escalating global crises, speakers in the General Assembly today called for action to ensure that casting\u00a0one is not the end of United Nations action when the eyes of the world are looking to the Organization to deliver an effective response.<\/p>\n

In April 2022, the Assembly adopted a resolution on \u201cStanding mandate for a General Assembly debate when a veto is cast in the Security Council\u201d (document\u00a0A\/RES\/76\/262<\/a>), which has come to be described as the \u201cveto initiative\u201d. \u00a0Under this initiative, the General Assembly has a standing mandate to convene within 10 working days of a veto being cast in the Council.<\/p>\n

Hailing the veto initiative as a \u201csignificant breakthrough\u201d, Dennis Francis (Trinidad and Tobago), President of the seventy-eighth session of the\u00a0General Assembly, noted that the role of that body continues to attain more meaning as the Security Council is in serious deadlock that hinders the effective discharge of its responsibilities.<\/p>\n

He\u00a0voiced regret that, since the 2023 debate on the veto initiative, a total of eight resolutions and one amendment have been vetoed in the Council.\u00a0 \u201cConsider that the Council remains unable to collectively address critical peace and security situations in the Gaza Strip, in Ukraine, the Syrian Arab Republic, the Republic of Mali and concerning the Democratic People\u2019s Republic of Korea,\u201d he stressed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we do nothing, questions on continued relevance of the United Nations will escalate,\u201d he stressed, \u201cand public confidence in this institution will increasingly dwindle \u2014 with each veto cast perceived as our collective failure to act.\u201d\u00a0 Calling for increased momentum towards Council reform, he urged Member States \u2014 especially those who are also Council members \u2014 to seize today\u2019s debate as an opportunity to bridge divisions and seek impactful solutions by involving the Assembly more.<\/p>\n

The representative of the United States affirmed that the veto initiative affords each Member State that has vetoed a resolution an opportunity to explain its position to the full Assembly, while also giving all Member States an opportunity to express their views.\u00a0 Recalling that, in 2022, his delegation prepared its first draft of a special report on the use of the veto, he welcomed that the Council has consistently followed a practice of submitting these special reports \u2014 no matter which member cast the veto.<\/p>\n

The representative of Liechtenstein, speaking for a group of States committed to implementation of the veto initiative, said that measure has begun to fundamentally reshape the relationship between the Council and the Assembly over the past two years.\u00a0 It has strengthened the Council\u2019s accountability to the wider UN membership, a significant share of which has addressed every veto cast on issues concerning the Democratic People\u2019s Republic of Korea, Mali, the Middle East and Ukraine.\u00a0 \u201cThe veto is no longer the end of the conversation,\u201d he observed, adding:\u00a0 \u201cAs we move forward, we must also ensure that a veto is not the end of UN action.\u201d<\/p>\n

Echoing that, Denmark\u2019s representative \u2014 also speaking for Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden \u2014 noted the continuing importance of the veto initiative against the backdrop of five vetoes cast in the first months of 2024.\u00a0 \u201cThe frequent use \u2014 and misuse \u2014 of the veto is preventing the Council from effectively fulfilling its vital mandate of maintaining international peace and security,\u201d he said.\u00a0 He nevertheless commended the important role played by the Council\u2019s elected members who, under difficult circumstances and increasing division, have delivered concrete results \u2014 such as the Gaza ceasefire resolution.<\/p>\n

The representative of Estonia, also speaking for Latvia and Lithuania, noted that\u00a0the veto initiative\u00a0has repeatedly served its purpose given that use of the veto power has spiked to unprecedented levels.\u00a0 Over the past year, the Assembly had to step up nine times after Council decisions were impeded by certain Member States exercising their veto power \u2014 three times more than the year before.\u00a0 \u201cThis worrying trend not only undermines the credibility of the United Nations, but also perpetuates injustice and instability around the world,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n

The representative of South Africa said that, when the Council is deadlocked, bringing the matter to the Assembly should aim to break the impasse \u2014 not perpetuate divisions.\u00a0 \u201cWe should also recognize that the more frequent use of the veto, as we have seen recently, signals an increasing lack of unity in the Council,\u201d he added. \u00a0If the Council does not act on behalf of the broader membership, the Assembly must not reinforce these failures.<\/p>\n

Pushing back on many of those sentiments, the representative of the Russian Federation stressed that the veto right is a cornerstone of United Nations architecture.\u00a0 Without it, the Council would become an organ that rubber stamps dubious decisions.\u00a0 Use of the veto does not violate anything, and he said that, in the two years since the adoption of the veto-initiative resolution, the Assembly has not been able to prove its added value.\u00a0 Some Member States are using these meetings to \u201cpat themselves on the back\u201d for their achievements, he added.<\/p>\n

Providing a tangible example of the impact of Council inaction, however, the\u00a0representative of Lebanon\u00a0stressed that, with each impending Council vote on Gaza, \u201cthe eyes of the world have been drawn to this building\u201d.\u00a0 Unfortunately, \u201cthis building is not delivering\u201d, he observed.\u00a0 \u201cPeople often ask \u2014 and rightly so \u2014 what is the relevance of the United Nations?\u00a0 And one must admit that it is not always an easy task to provide them with a satisfactory answer,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n

Echoing that urgency, the representative of the United Arab Emirates noted that use of the veto has prevented both calls for ceasefires to take effect and Palestine\u2019s request for UN membership.\u00a0 There must be clear standards for its use, which must be restricted in the face of atrocity crimes against unarmed civilians.<\/p>\n

In a related vein, Egypt\u2019s representative stressed\u00a0that \u2014 due to six vetoes over six months \u2014 \u201cthe Israeli war machine has continued to sow destruction as part of a genocide within the Gaza Strip, in plain sight of the entire world\u201d.\u00a0 The veto disrupts the Council\u2019s work, with catastrophic consequences \u2014 particularly in the Middle East.<\/p>\n

Similarly, the representative of Bangladesh said that the veto should not be used in the context of important decisions such as membership, also recalling the blocking of Palestine\u2019s entry as a Member State. \u00a0Similarly, it should not be used to shield those who violate the Charter of the United Nations, as the undemocratic nature of the veto runs against the very principles of the Organization.<\/p>\n

Ukraine\u2019s representative, for his part, spotlighted the Russian Federation\u2019s deliberate immobilization of the Council as part of its aggression against his country. \u00a0He recalled that almost every draft resolution the Council attempted to adopt in response \u2014 beginning in 2014 \u2014 was blocked due to Moscow\u2019s abuse of the veto, underscoring that its use should be restricted when a permanent Council member is directly involved in a conflict under consideration.<\/p>\n

Use of the veto is indefensible in light of the high human costs being paid in Gaza and Ukraine, stressed Mexico\u2019s representative.\u00a0 When mass atrocities are being committed, the veto\u2019s use is a grave breach of the Charter\u2019s principles that leaves entire populations defenseless.\u00a0 In that context, she affirmed that the Mexico-France initiative \u2014 a push to suspend veto powers in cases of mass atrocity \u2014 is as relevant today as it was nine years ago.<\/p>\n

Echoing that sentiment, the representative of France said that such initiative would\u00a0not require amending the Charter for it to be implemented and would apply to current permanent Council members. \u00a0She also pointed out that this initiative is supported by 106 States.\u00a0 Stressing that\u00a0the veto is not a privilege \u2014 but a responsibility \u2014 she recalled that her delegation has only used the veto 18 times since 1945, and has not cast one for more than 30 years.<\/p>\n

Similarly, the representative of the United Kingdom noted that his delegation has not exercised its right to veto since 1989 and remains committed to never voting against a credible draft resolution that seeks to prevent or end a mass atrocity. \u00a0London is a proud signatory of the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency Group\u2019s code of conduct regarding Council action against genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes, and he encouraged all Member States \u2014 including other permanent Council members \u2014 to support this initiative.<\/p>\n

Noting that the veto\u2019s role in preventing armed confrontations between major military powers may be exaggerated in the nuclear age, Kenya\u2019s representative said that Member States, then, can more easily embrace the France-Mexico proposal to prevent the veto from obstructing resolutions that aim to address and halt genocides, war crimes and crimes against humanity.\u00a0 He also proposed a \u201cconstructive veto\u201d system, in which any veto should be accompanied by an alternative proposal that is agreed to by at least one other permanent member, or a majority of elected members, to make use of the veto more judicious.<\/p>\n

Also voicing support for the France-Mexico initiative, the representative of Singapore expressed regret that use of the veto has continued unabated on draft resolutions that have received support from an overwhelming majority of Council members. \u00a0\u201cWe cannot tolerate war because it affects all of us as a community of nations,\u201d stressed Guatemala\u2019s representative, demanding that the Council \u2014particularly its permanent members \u2014 fulfil their obligations to avoid serious humanitarian crises, underdevelopment and the spilling of civilian blood.<\/p>\n

While welcoming the veto initiative, the\u00a0representative of Brazil noted that\u00a0it does not tackle a root cause of the problem \u2014 the Council\u2019s anachronistic composition.\u00a0 \u201cWe will continue to witness the erosion of the legitimacy and the effectiveness of the Security Council as long as developing countries remain sidelined and whole regions \u2014 such as Latin America and the Caribbean and Africa \u2014 are not represented among the permanent members,\u201d he affirmed.<\/p>\n

The Council has obviously been politicized, observed Nigeria\u2019s\u00a0representative,\u00a0calling for a comprehensive reform of the UN system towards a fairer world based on universalism, equality and regional balance. \u00a0This must include a transformed and expanded structure to ensure full participation by Africa and others that remain marginalized in Council decisions.<\/p>\n

The representative of India similarly attributed the Council\u2019s dysfunctionality to the \u201cbinary nature\u201d of its composition, which does not reflect contemporary realities and ensures the Council takes decisions in a vintage \u201ccold war\u201d mode.\u00a0 Unless this is changed, diplomacy and dialogue will not get a real chance to find solutions to present challenges.<\/p>\n

Stressing practical action, Costa Rica\u2019s representative called on Member States to consider each use of the veto as an opportunity for collective action.\u00a0 The Assembly must be assertive; for example, it could establish a global monitoring body to impartially support peace efforts and strengthen the UN human-rights system.\u00a0 She also urged a shift away from the use of binding and non-binding resolutions, with the focus instead being on their efficacy \u2014 regardless of legal status.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SEVENTY-EIGHTH SESSION, 70TH & 71ST MEETINGS (AM & PM) GA\/12593 23 April 2024 Amidst ongoing paralysis in the Security Council due to the proliferating use \u2014 and misuse \u2014 of the veto despite escalating global crises, speakers in the General Assembly today called for action to ensure that casting\u00a0one is not the end of United […]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":301,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"country":[],"document-category":[1329],"document-source":[1365,6169],"committee-meeting":[],"document-subject":[2005,1741,2385,6898],"entity":[],"document-language":[],"class_list":["post-295409","document","type-document","status-publish","hentry","document-category-press-release","document-source-general-assembly","document-source-united-nations-department-of-global-communications","document-subject-gaza-strip","document-subject-human-rights-and-international-humanitarian-law","document-subject-security-issues","document-subject-un-charter"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/295409","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/document"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/301"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/295409\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":295410,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/295409\/revisions\/295410"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=295409"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=295409"},{"taxonomy":"document-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-category?post=295409"},{"taxonomy":"document-source","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-source?post=295409"},{"taxonomy":"committee-meeting","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/committee-meeting?post=295409"},{"taxonomy":"document-subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-subject?post=295409"},{"taxonomy":"entity","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/entity?post=295409"},{"taxonomy":"document-language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-language?post=295409"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}