The Secretary General of the United Nations (UN) said Thursday that the world is at “serious risk of anarchy”, from the development of nuclear weapons to the illegal use of force, citing the Russian invasion of Ukraine as an example.
In a ministerial-level debate convened by Japan at the UN Security Council, on the topic “Rule of law among nations”, Guterres highlighted the importance of the rule of law for peacekeeping missions in the world and classified it as the first line of defense. against heinous crimes, including genocide.
However, for Guterres, the international situation shows that there is still a long way to go.
“We are at grave risk from the state of lawlessness. In all regions of the world, civilians are suffering the effects of devastating conflicts, loss of life, increasing poverty and famine. From the illegal development of nuclear weapons to the unlawful use of force, states continue to violate international law with impunity,” Guterres said.
Naming a number of countries where the rule of law is violated, the UN leader singled out Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which “created a human rights and humanitarian catastrophe, traumatized a generation of children and accelerated global food and energy crises.” “.
“Any annexation of the territory of a State by another State as a result of the threat or use of force is a violation of the Charter and international law,” stressed the former Portuguese Prime Minister.
Going ahead of other nations, António Guterres considered 2022 “a deadly year” for Palestinians and Israelis; He appreciated that unconstitutional changes of governments and coups “unfortunately are back in fashion” and was particularly concerned about these attacks in places that already face conflict, terrorism and food insecurity, such as the Sahel region.
North Korea’s illegal nuclear weapons program was not left out of the Secretary General’s analysis, who described it as a “clear and present danger” that “raises geopolitical risks and tensions to new heights.”
In Afghanistan, unprecedented systemic attacks on the rights of women and girls and failure to comply with international obligations “are creating a gender-based apartheid,” Guterres said, also referring to the collapse of the rule of law in Myanmar since the 2021 military coup. , as well as the “deep institutional crisis and weak rule of law, widespread human rights abuses, rising crime rates, corruption and transnational crimes” in Haiti.
“As these examples illustrate, adherence to the rule of law is more important than ever. All Member States have a responsibility to uphold it at all times,” he stressed.
Source: TSF
