UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the “law of the jungle” is increasingly replacing the rule of law, pointing to the unlawful use of force, attacks on civilian infrastructure, human rights violations and the obstruction of humanitarian aid around the world.
Guterres said commitments to international law are being ignored with growing frequency.
Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting convened at the initiative of Somalia, the council’s rotating president, Guterres described the rule of law as the cornerstone of global peace and security and the “beating heart” of the UN Charter.
From Gaza to Ukraine and beyond, he said, the rule of law is being treated like an “à la carte menu”, with governments choosing to follow only the rules that suit them.
He warned that such violations set dangerous precedents, encourage impunity and undermine trust among states.
The UN chief urged countries to uphold their obligations to resolve disputes peacefully, protect human rights and respect the sovereign equality of states.
Guterres also stressed the importance of peaceful tools, including negotiation and mediation, to resolve conflicts, and said fair and independent judicial processes are needed to hold human rights violators accountable.
Without accountability, he said, lasting and just peace is not possible.
