UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed his criticism of the Security Council for its inefficiency in maintaining peace worldwide. During the debate in the Security Council at the ministerial level, he mentioned the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Guterres pointed out that the tools provided by the UN Charter – negotiation, mediation, reconciliation, arbitration – are becoming critically important in situations of rising tensions and violations of international law. He warned that the need for these tools is greater now than ever, as violent conflicts spread and legal security is at risk.
'From Gaza to Ukraine, from the Sahel to Sudan, Haiti and Myanmar, as well as in many other parts of the world, conflicts are raging, international law is being ignored, and hunger and displacement have reached record levels'
According to the Secretary-General, members of the Security Council, especially the permanent members, must actively promote conflict resolution. He emphasized that even during the Cold War, dialogue in the Security Council was the basis for diplomatic missions and helped avoid a world war.
Guterres also underscored the importance of strengthening cooperation between the Security Council and regional and sub-regional partners. In his view, the participants of the Security Council must fulfill their obligations under international law and the UN Charter.
Guterres expressed serious criticism of the UN Security Council for its failures in supporting conflict resolution and noted that immediate action is necessary to prevent further violence and violations of international law.