Sixth Committee, 26th plenary meeting - General Assembly, 81st session

Good morning, everyone. I call to order the 26th meeting of the Sixth Committee for the 81st session of the General Assembly. Distinguished delegates, this morning, the Sixth Committee will continue its consideration of agenda item 83, report of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the strengthening of the role of the organization. I draw your attention to the two documents that have been issued in connection with this agenda item and which are available on the website of the Sixth Committee. As always, I remind delegations of the decision taken at our first meeting that statements delivered in a national capacity should be limited to seven minutes, while those delivered by groups of states to 12 minutes. Delegations are encouraged to adhere to the time limits. The first speaker on the list for today is the distinguished representative of Bahrain on behalf of the Arab States. You have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I would like to deliver this statement on behalf of the Member States of the Gulf Cooperation Council: the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Oman, the State of Qatar, the State of Kuwait, and my own country, the Kingdom of Bahrain. Madam Chair. We have taken note of the Secretary-General's reports and those of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization. We would like to underscore the importance of the work of the Special Committee and the efforts undertaken in its consideration of the legal issues related to the Charter as well as to the respect for the purposes and principles contained therein. The GCC states believe it's important for the committee to continue considering proposals aimed at strengthening the role of the United Nations as regards the maintenance of international peace and security, especially as regards the peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter and in a manner which respects the territorial integrity and sovereignty of states, Madam Chair. We'd like to reaffirm the importance of adhering to the Charter's provisions, in particular Article 2, paragraph 4, which states that all members of the organization shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or the political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations. The Special Committee also recalled in its report the importance of adherence with all principles and purposes of the Charter, especially abstaining from the threat or use of force, as well as the need to respect the territorial integrity of States. On this legal basis, the GCC States vigorously condemn the repeated unlawful Iranian attacks directed against the GCC States, in particular the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Oman, the State of Qatar, the State of Kuwait, and my own country, the Kingdom of Bahrain. These attacks affected civilians, civilian objects, critical infrastructure, in particular, energy and water facilities, as well as commercial vessels. The GCC states call for an immediate cessation of these attacks. attacks, as well as full compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 2817. Those accountable must be held to account in accordance with international law, so as to guarantee they do not recur. We reiterate the right of Arab States affected to have recourse to relevant international and regional law, using diplomatic and legal avenues at their disposal, in keeping with international law, especially as regards accountability and reparations for the damages resulting from internationally wrongful acts of which the aforementioned states were victims. Against this backdrop, we firmly condemn the terrorist attacks carried out by the Houthi militia attacks against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, most recently targeting the King Fahd, King Khalid, and other international airports. not these resulted in casualties and injuries there was also an attack on Mecca and the electricity station serving the al-masjid al-nabawi there were also Saudi cities targeted with ballistic missiles and drones in this regard the GC states reaffirm our unwavering solidarity with the kingdom of Saudi Arabia as it confronts attacks against its sovereignty territorial integrity and security by way of conclusion madam chair dialogue underpinned by the principles of good neighbourliness and the peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with Article 2, paragraph 3, as well as Article 33 of the United Nations Charter, are the best way of enhancing security and stability in our region. Furthermore, we'd like to reaffirm the need to adhere to the purposes, principles, and provisions of the Charter, as well as to implement them in good faith and consistently so, so as to strengthen international law and contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security. I thank you, Madam Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative of Bahrain for her statement on behalf of the GCC. And I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ukraine on behalf of a group of states.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have the honor to speak on behalf of Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, and my own country, Ukraine. The Charter of the United Nations remains the cornerstone of the international legal order and the foundation of international peace and security. The Russian Federation's ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine, alongside its continued occupation and control of territories of Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine, illustrates how persistent violations of the Charter undermine international peace and security and regretfully weaken confidence in the United Nations itself. It is particularly hypocritical and cynical to hear claims to defend the Charter come from a state that systematically violates its most fundamental provisions. The Charter cannot be invoked as a shield by those who use force against its neighbors. Violations of the Charter and international law cannot remain without consequences. We therefore support ongoing international efforts aimed at ensuring accountability for serious breaches of international law, including the crime of aggression, war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, as well as the provision of reparations for victims. Madam Chair, We recall the nine resolutions adopted by the 11th emergency special session of the United Nations General Assembly since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, reaffirming broad international support for Ukraine's sovereignty, political independence, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, including its territorial sea, and underscoring the need for a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in accordance with the Charter. We recall Article 94 of the UN Charter, which stipulates that every member state undertakes to comply with the decisions of the International Court of Justice in any case to which it is a party. We further recall that provisional measures indicated by the court are legally binding and must be complied with in a good faith. Yet the Russian Federation continues to demonstrate blatant disregard for these obligations. On 16 March 2022, in the case concerning allegations of genocide, the International Court of Justice ordered Russia to cease its use of force against Ukraine and withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine immediately, completely and unconditionally within its internationally recognized borders, extending to its internal territorial waters. More than four and a half years later, Russia has not only failed to comply with this binding order, but has continued and intensified its war of aggression against Ukraine. Such open defiance of the principal judicial organ of the United Nations undermines the authority of the Court, erodes respect for international law, and must never be allowed to become the norm. Ensuring accountability for Russia's aggression against Ukraine remains an essential element of restoring respect for the UN Charter and international law. There can be no lasting peace without justice and no justice without accountability. In this regard, Ukraine attaches particular importance to the establishment of the special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine, following the signing of the relevant agreement between Ukraine and the Council of Europe. The Special Tribunal is intending to close a critical gap in international criminal justice by ensuring that those bearing the greatest responsibility for the crime of aggression are held accountable. Equally important is ensuring full reparations for the injury, including any damage caused by Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. Building on General Assembly resolution ES/11/5, Ukraine and its international partners have made significant progress towards establishing a comprehensive international mechanism for reparation for damage, loss or injury arising from the international wrongful act of the Russian Federation in or against Ukraine, particularly the Register of Damage for Ukraine and the International Claims Commission. Ukraine also reiterates its support for the International Criminal Court and its independence and integrity. The Court plays a vital role in ensuring accountability for crimes within its jurisdiction committed in the context of Russia's aggression against Ukraine and in delivering justice to victims and survivors. The court's arrest warrants against Russian officials must be executed. We call on all State Parties to comply fully with their obligations under the Rome Statute, including by arresting and surrendering the persons concerned to the Court. Those responsible for the gravest crimes must be brought to justice. Madam Chair, Russia continues its illegal occupation of Georgia's Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions. in flagrant violations of Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The initial and continuing use of armed force against Georgia, followed by the military occupation of these territories, falls within the understanding of aggression set out in the General Assembly resolutions 3314 of 14 December 1974. Russia's ongoing military aggression and daily provocations in Georgia's occupied regions result in torture, arbitrary detention, and the deaths of innocent civilians, while the security, humanitarian, and human rights situations on the ground continue to deteriorate. Georgia has been adhering to the peaceful conflict resolution policy based on two main pillars. the occupation of the Georgian regions on the one hand, and reconciliation and confidence building between the communities divided by the occupation line on the other. Furthermore, Georgia is committed to utilizing every peaceful means at its disposal inter alia through engagement in negotiation formats. This includes the Geneva international discussions, which are designed to ensure the implementation of the EU mediated on 12 August 2008 ceasefire agreement and the return of IDPs and refugees. Resorting to judicial remedies is another peaceful conflict resolution instrument used by Georgia. In this regard, it is important to recall several landmark judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, including Georgia against Russia and Georgia against Russia, part one in 2021, one in 2024, in which the court confirmed Russia's effective control over Abkhazia and Skhino Valley regions, not only during and after the 2008 invasion, but also in the years preceding it. This ruling stressed Russia's full responsibility for mass human rights violations in the occupied territories. Moreover, the International Criminal Court concluded its investigation in the situation in Georgia in 2022, issued arrest warrants against the representatives of the occupation regime for the alleged war crimes committed during Russia's military aggression in 2008, and uncovered an alleged role of a senior Russian military official. Madam Chair, the Republic of Moldova remains committed to the peaceful Transnistrian settlement through dialogue and negotiation in full respect for international law, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders. The continued presence of Russian military forces on its territory without consent remains a serious obstacle to a lasting political settlement and regional stability. We reiterate the call for Russia's complete, unconditional, and immediate withdrawal, alongside the removal of ammunition stockpiles from the Kobasna depot, in accordance with General Assembly resolutions A/RES/72/282 of 22 June 2018, and the commitments undertaken by the Russian Federation at the 1999 OSCE Istanbul Summit. Russia's ongoing aggression against Ukraine has brought security threats increasingly close to the Republic of Moldova's border. The growing number of Russian drones violating its airspace and the repeated incidents involving falling debris on its territory pose direct risk to civilian safety and critical infrastructure. These developments underscore the urgent need to strengthen regional cooperation, improve airspace protection, and address the wider security consequences of the war. The Republic of Moldova calls for ceasing all actions that violate its sovereignty and endanger its citizens, and stop the war of aggression against Ukraine. As highlighted at the Moldova Security Forum on 8 October 2026, the Republic of Moldova is not merely a recipient of security assistance, but an active contributor to European security. Through its humanitarian support for Ukraine, assistance to displaced persons, facilitation of essential transit routes, and efforts to maintain stability in the Transnistrian region, Moldova contributes to the resilience of the wider region. At the same time, its experience demonstrates how foreign hybrid operations with elements of cyber attacks, disinformation, and foreign information and manipulations, interference in electoral processes. increasingly used nowadays to undermine democratic institutions and national sovereignty. We call for the immediate cessation of the Russian Federation's hybrid threat actions targeting the political sovereignty and democratic institutions of the Republic of Moldova. Madam Chair, in conclusion, the Republic of Moldova, Georgia, and Ukraine remains firmly committed to multilateralism and strengthening the United Nations. We reaffirm our shared determination to uphold and advance the values of the UN Charter and to work with like-minded partners towards a stronger, more credible and more effective United Nations, one that consistently stands for justice, equality and the rule of law. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Ukraine for her statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Belarus.

Madam Chair, distinguished colleagues, the delegation of the Republic of Belarus would like to thank the Secretariat for preparing the Special Committee on the Charter and the Strengthening the Role of the Organization report. Belarus is in favour of consistently strengthening the central role of the UN in international relations, strict compliance with the Charter and the development of international law on the basis of the sovereign equality of states, non-interference in internal affairs and the peaceful settlement of disputes. Today, it is particularly important to ensure the Charter is not interpreted selectively and that universal norms are not replaced by unilateral approaches. The Charter should be the common legal basis for our international order. It should not be used on the basis of short-term political considerations. Belarus reasserts the particular responsibility the Security Council bears for the maintenance of international peace and security. At the same time, we should strike the proper balance between the powers of the various principal organs. The General Assembly is the main deliberative and representative body of the UN. Its role and powers, in keeping with Articles 10, 11, and 14 of the Charter, should be respected and strengthened. The Security Council, on its side, should work strictly within the confines of its powers, ensuring transparency and cooperation with a broader range of member states. On this, we reassert our commitment to the initiative, which aims to request an advisory opinion from the ICJ regarding the legal consequences of the use of force without prior Security Council consent by some States, exempting instances of self-defence. This initiative remains relevant. The ban on the use of force enshrined in para 4 of Article 2 of the Charter is a cornerstone of international law. The fact that there's no one interpretation of the legal consequences of the use of force, aside from the cases of exemptions, creates the risk of international law fragmenting. We believe that this initiative is not aimed against any specific state. The goal here is to get credible legal clarifications on an issue which is of systemic importance to all member states. We also support further consideration of the UCM issue. UCMs, including their extraterritorial implementation and secondary coercive measures, affect not just the states against which they are directed, but third countries, the private sector, humanitarian organizations, and ordinary citizens. They hamper trade, access to medical goods, and have corrosive consequences for the right to development. The General Assembly annually adopts a resolution by an overwhelming majority condemning the negative effects of UCMs on the enjoyment of human rights and socio-economic development. This sends a clear signal to the international community. The Republic of Belarus supports strengthening the transparency of sanctions committees, enhanced quality of rationale for their decisions, and further honing the mechanisms for monitoring the consequences. consequences on regular people, third states, and humanitarian organizations. The Secretariat should have significant and sufficient opportunities to assess not just short-term but long-term socioeconomic consequences of sanctions regimes. We recognize that sanctions adopted by the Security Council in keeping with the Charter are a lawful instrument for the maintenance of the peace, yet their implementation should meet the requisite requirements. Security Council resolution 2664 is an important step towards ensuring there are humanitarian exemptions from sanctions regimes. We're in favour of full and comprehensive implementation of this resolution, as well as in favour of enhancing delisting procedures. An international legal assessment of specific measures should be conducted, given their content, their purposes, consequences and legal rationale. This is why we're in favour of a legal discussion of this issue here at the Sixth Committee, without any double standards. We reassert commitment to the peaceful settlement of international disputes in keeping with Article 33 of the Charter. Contemporary disputes require flexible decisions, consistent or combined use of various instruments. Negotiations can be combined with fact-finding, mediation, conciliation, and subsequent legal settlement. We support annual thematic discussions of the means for the peaceful settlement of disputes, preventive diplomacy, strengthening regional mechanisms, and early warning mechanisms as well. We can extend the Secretariat's work on preparing a repertory of the practice of UN organs and the repertory of Security Council practice. We support the recommendation of the Special Committee on further work on the repertories, broadening electronic access, dealing with the lag in publications, especially volume 3 of the repertory of practice of UN organs. We in a positive light the proposal to update the handbook on the peaceful settlement of disputes and the establishment of a specialized website. This resource could help to maintain institutional memory, to systematize practice, and to broaden the use of peaceful procedures, as well as pinpointing avenues for their development. We support proposals aimed at an objective assessment of the methods of work of the Special Committee, including clearer timelines, expected results, and follow-up on each issue on its agenda. We further support the cooperation with academia from various regions of the world. This cooperation should help ensure should ensure geographic and linguistic diversity, but should not replace the secretariat's responsibility for the quality, objectivity and standardization of the publications resulting therein. We are one of the co-sponsors of the initiative aimed at considering the threats to the purposes and principles of the Charter resulting from broader NGO participation in the organization's work. This proposal is not aimed at restricting constructive dialogue with civil society. NGO input can be useful. Having said that, NPOs should meet the intergovernmental nature of the organization and their Participation should be transparent and non-discriminatory. Resolution 1996/313, an ECOSOC resolution, aims to establish the rules for consultative relationships with NGOs. It's the basis for this work. We believe that excessive concentration of access to the organization for NGOs from a limited number of states can result in an imbalance on our international agenda and weaken the principle of sovereign equality. Genuine openness means not just a quantitative broadening of participation, but fair representation for various regions and legal traditions. We're convinced international law can only be effective if it is not selective. It should be the same for all states, irrespective of their political clout and their military and political unions. Only respect for the charter, sovereign equality, noninterference, and collective security mechanisms can help us to strengthen trust between organizations. between States' apologies and ensure the UN remains a key component of the international legal order. We stand ready to participate constructively in further work on Special Committee 8. We thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Belarus for his statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of China.

Madame Chair. Madam Chair, the Special Committee on the Charter of the UN is the only permanent body within the UN framework dedicated to discussing the Charter and strengthening the role of the UN. China has always attached importance to the role of the Special Committee and supports its active work in accordance with the mandate of the General Assembly. This year marks the first anniversary of China's President Xi Jinping's proposal of the Global Governance Initiative. This initiative calls for upholding sovereign equality, observing the international rule of law, practicing multilateralism, promoting a people-centered approach, and emphasizing actions, all of which are highly consistent with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. Guided by the global governance initiative, China will work with all parties to uphold the status and authority of the UN and promote a more just and equitable global governance system. like to emphasize the following three points. First, we must firmly uphold the UN Charter. The Charter is a solid foundation of contemporary international law, carries the highest authority within the international legal system, and provides the fundamental norms governing international relations. The current international situation is complex and volatile. Upholding the international system with the UN at its core and the international order based on international law, and ensuring that the purposes and principles of the Charter are observed and implemented, are more urgent and necessary than ever before. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the opening of the Tokyo Trials. And all parties should draw lessons from history and jointly safeguard the hard-won achievements of peace and the post-war international order. Second, we must practice genuine multilateralism. All countries, regardless of size, strength, or wealth, are equal. International affairs should be handled through consultation amongst all countries, and the future of the world should be shaped jointly by all nations. Major countries in particular should take the lead in observing the charter and firmly oppose unilateralism. China opposes unilateral sanctions imposed without Security Council authorizations and reiterates that council sanctions should aim to facilitate political solutions to relevant issues, complying with the purposes and principles of the charter, be imposed only after other peaceful means have been exhausted and minimize their impacts on ordinary people and third countries. Third, we must uphold the peaceful settlement of disputes. The peaceful settlement of international disputes is a fundamental principle of the Charter. China has always advocated that parties to disputes resolve their differences through dialogue and consultation, and maintains that international judicial bodies should resolve disputes objectively and impartially on the basis of the consent of the countries concerned, without arbitrarily expanding their jurisdiction. As a responsible major country, China has maintained an objective and impartial position on issues including the Ukraine crisis and the Palestinian-Israel conflict, actively undertaken diplomatic efforts, and played a constructive role. In recent years, China and like-minded countries have initiated the establishment of the International Court of Mediation, filling a gap in the international peace mediation mechanism and contributing an important public good to the peaceful resolution of disputes. Chair, this year marks the 55th anniversary of the restoration of the People's Republic of China's legitimate seat in the United Nations. Over the past 55 years, China has consistently supported the UN in playing a central role in international affairs. As the second largest contributor to the UN regular budget, China pays its assessed contributions in full and supports the UN in advancing the implementation of the Pact for the Future and the UN80 Initiative. China has joined almost all universal intergovernmental organizations and has become party to more than 600 international conventions and amendments, fulfilling its treaty obligations in good faith and upholding the authority of the rule of law at the international level. As the first country to sign the Charter and a permanent member of the Security Council, China will continue to honor its solemn commitment to the Charter through concrete actions and work with all countries to safeguard world peace, promote global development, advance mutual learning among civilizations, and strengthen global governance. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of China for his statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the State of Palestine.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The State of Palestine reiterates its support to the Charter of the United Nations, its purposes and principles, to the UN and to its organs, including to its principal judicial organ, the ICJ. We reiterate our support to the Special Committee and appreciate its role in strengthening the role of the organization. The Charter was birthed out the ruins of entire cities, out of the mass and indiscriminate killing of civilians, out of colonization and illegal occupations, out of aggressions and land theft, and out of genocides and war crimes. It was birthed out as a pledge that the light will emerge out of the darkest night and protect the dignity and humanity of all persons, all peoples, all nations, all states, with no exception. The two cardinal rules and the two pillars on which the Charter was built are the right of peoples to self-determination and the prohibition of acquisition of territory by force. These are the rules that Israel has been violating openly and brazenly for decades without consequences. In its historical advisory opinion on the illegal presence of Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory, The ICJ rendered an authoritative opinion and concluded that Israel's occupation is illegal and must be brought to an end as rapidly as possible. The ICJ provided us with its authoritative interpretation of binding rules of international law and spelled out Israel's obligations as well as the obligations of all states and of the United Nations. The ICJ concluded in no uncertain terms that the violations by Israel of the prohibition of the acquisition of territory by force and of the Palestinian people's right to self-determination have a direct impact on the legality of the continued presence of Israel as an occupying power in the occupied Palestinian territory. The ICJ was also unequivocal in its determination that the sustained abuse by Israel of its position as an occupying power through annexation and an assertion of permanent control over the occupied Palestinian territory and continued frustration of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination violates the fundamental principles of international law and renders Israel's presence in the occupied Palestinian territory unlawful. The Court reminded Israel, all States, and the United Nations of their respective obligations under international law. The General Assembly, by an overwhelming majority, voted to reaffirm the primacy of the Charter and endorsed the Court's determinations, including that Israel has no sovereignty rights in the territory in which it is illegally present, in grave breach of the Charter. The General Assembly supported the rapid end of Israel's illegal occupation in all its manifestations on the right of the people to self-determination. The court also added that it's for all states, while respecting the charter of the UN and international law, to ensure that any impediment resulting from the illegal presence of Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory to the exercise of the Palestinian people of its right to self-determination is brought to an end, and to ensure compliance by Israel with international humanitarian law as embodied in the Fourth Geneva Convention. The court spelled out the policies and actions for third states and set up the mechanisms necessary to ensure compliance with the charter. These include states are under an obligation not to recognize any changes in the physical character or the demographic composition, the institutional structure or status of the territory occupied, except as agreed by the parties. States also have an obligation of distinction, which encompasses the obligation to abstain from treaty relations with Israel in all cases in which it purports to act on behalf of the occupied Palestinian territory, and to abstain from entering into economic or trade dealings with Israel concerning the occupied Palestinian territory, and to abstain in establishing or maintaining diplomatic missions in Israel from any recognition of its illegal presence in the OPT. and also to take steps to prevent trade or investment relations that assist in the maintenance of the illegal situation. The court also underlined that all states are under an obligation not to recognize as legal the situation arising from the unlawful presence of Israel in the OPT and not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation, and also to ensure that any impediment resulting from the illegal presence to the exercise of our people's right to self-determination is brought to an end. Finally, the efficacy of the UN Charter is embodied in the universal, judicial, and peaceful power of the ICJ. There is no multilateral order without the ICJ as its cornerstone. It remains the world's court for all and excluding none. States have an obligation to protect and preserve the Charter, and the Court in its advisory opinions provided the way through. States have to adhere to their obligations. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of the State of Palestine for her statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of India.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, we thank you and the Bureau for your leadership of the Special Committee. The Committee reviews proposals on the Charter, particularly those aimed at maintaining international peace and security, fostering cooperation among nations, and promoting international law in relations between States. Its work on the interpretation and effective implementation of the Charter is vital for our delegation. We have taken note of the report in A/81/33 on the session held from 18 to 26 February 2026. We welcome that the Committee adopted its report by consensus. Our remarks cover peace and security, sanctions, peaceful settlement of disputes, and the Committee's working methods. The Security Council acts on behalf of all Member States and bears primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security. Sanctions, when necessary and applied in accordance with the Charter, are an important tool. They should be a last resort, clearly defined in objective, time-bound and periodically reviewed. They should comply with international law, including international humanitarian law, and should not hinder humanitarian assistance to civilians. Article 50 of the Charter gives third states facing special economic problems from sanctions the right to consult the Security Council. This places on the Council a responsibility to find effective solutions. We note the Secretariat's observation that targeted sanctions have reduced unintended consequences for third States and that no formal appeal has been received since 2003. We nevertheless encourage the Secretariat to strengthen its capacity to assess the humanitarian and socio-economic impact of sanctions, and we value the Secretariat's regular briefings to the Committee. Madam Chair, Peaceful settlement of disputes is a fundamental obligation under Article 2.3 of the Charter. Article 33 provides the means which parties are free to choose. We appreciate this year's thematic debate on the exchange of information on state practices regarding the use of adaptation and combination of traditional means. It showed that negotiation, mediation, conciliation, and adjudication are often used in complementary or successive ways, and that flexible approaches can build trust between parties. We encourage Member States to share their practices in the annual thematic debate. Madam Chair, we commend the Secretary-General for continuing to update the repertoire of practice of United Nations organs and repertoire of the practice of Security Council. These are valuable references and part of organization's institutional memory. We welcome the progress on the repertoire, the new online dashboard on Council voting records, and the wider electronic availability of both publications. We thank those Member States that have contributed to the trust funds and encourage further contributions. We also support publication in all official languages. We support efforts to make the Committee more efficient and productive. It should focus on practical, legally grounded proposals that do not duplicate work elsewhere in the United Nations. We value consensus and hope the Committee will be able to adopt its report by consensus again. I thank you, Madam Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative of India for her statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Nigeria.

Madam Chair, Nigeria aligns itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the Africa Group and makes the following remarks in its national capacity. We thank the Chair and the Bureau of the Special Committee for their work at the 26th session. held from 18 to 26 February and welcome the adoption of its report contained in document A/81/33, including the presentation by Poland as chair of the committee. Nigeria's approach to this item rests on principles it has consistently upheld: the sovereign equality of states, respect for territorial integrity, non-interference in their internal affairs, the peaceful settlement of disputes, and the strict application of the Charter in all situations. The Special Committee remains a useful forum for examining the legal aspects of these principles and of the reform of the Organization, and Nigeria reaffirms support for its mandate. Madam Chair, Nigeria reiterates its long-standing position on sanctions in the maintenance of international peace and security. Sanctions imposed by the Security Council under Chapter VII are a legitimate tool, but they should be used only after peaceful means have been exhausted, and should be clearly targeted, time-bound, and subject to regular review. They must include effective humanitarian exemptions and minimize harm to civilian populations and to third states. Nigeria supports continued consideration of assistance to third states affected by sanctions in line with Article 50 of the Charter. In this regard, Nigeria rejects unilateral coercive measures and the extra-territorial application of national legislation. Such measures, in our view, are inconsistent with the Charter and with the principles governing friendly relations among States, and they fall most heavily on the population of developing countries. Nigeria takes note of the proposals before the Committee, including those of Libya, Cuba, Belarus and the Russian Federation, and encourages their consideration in a constructive manner with the aim of reaching consensus. Madam Chair, Nigeria attaches great importance to the peaceful settlement of dispute as required by Article 2, paragraph 3 of the Charter, and to the freedom of states to choose amongst the means listed in Article 33. We therefore welcome this year's thematic exchange on the adaptation or combination of traditional means of settlement. Nigeria has contributed to preventive diplomacy, mediation, and good offices within the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union, and its experience confirms that these means are mostly effective when used together and adapted to circumstances of each dispute. Regional arrangements are central to this effort. Nigeria supports cooperation between the United Nations and regional arrangements under Chapter 8 of the Charter, and in particular, the partnership with the African Union. In this context, we welcome Security Council Resolution 2719 on the financing of African Union-led peace support operations and call for its full implementation. Nigeria also supports the proposal to update a handbook on the peaceful settlement of disputes between states, which should reflect the practice of all regions, including Africa. Madam Chair, Nigeria commend the Secretariat for its work on the repartitory practice of United Nations organs and the repertoire of the practice of the Security Council, which serve as an important record of the application of the Charter and encourages voluntary contributions to the relevant trust funds. We continue to support measures that make the committee more efficient while preserving its mandate. New subjects should be taken only where there is broad agreement on their relevance and should not duplicate the work of other organs. Nigeria remains committed to the Charter of the United Nations and to the work of the Special Committee in strengthening the organization based on its purposes and principles. I thank you, Madam Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative of Nigeria for his statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of El Salvador.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Fifty-seven years have passed since one delegation first suggested undertaking a review of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations in light of the prevailing circumstances at that time, of the experience accumulated by the organization since its establishment, and of the need to endow it with the right legal instruments to be able to more effectively address the challenges of the present and the future. Fifty-seven years on, this need remains just as valid. In this context, El Salvador is grateful for the valuable work carried out by the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization and its Secretariat, and we welcome the adoption of its report A/81/33, through which it provides an account of the work carried out this year pursuant to its important mandates. These include the ongoing review of proposals on the maintenance of international peace and security in all of their aspects, so as to strengthen the role of the United Nations, promoting the peaceful settlement of disputes among states through alternative means, as well as a priority fine-tuning of its working methods, increasing its efficiency and making best use of its resources. Over the years of our participation in the Committee, we have granted particular importance to the discussions on the peaceful settlement of international disputes, in particular exploring alternative mechanisms for dispute resolution among States. In this context, we'd like to highlight the invaluable contribution of the Manila Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes, which remains one of the most significant and substantive instruments adopted by the Committee. The recognition of the principle of the free choice of means of settlement of dispute in accordance with the obligations under the UN Charter and the principles of justice and international law is essential to giving effect to the principle of the sovereign equality of states, which is enshrined in the Charter. It is specifically on this basis that my delegation believes it is important to continue promoting the discussion and greater visibility of national good practices in the area of the alternative means of dispute resolution, always in the context of international law. Of particular relevance is the experience under certain international treaties which, in keeping with their very nature and purpose, incorporate preventive and uncontentious mechanisms for managing disputes. These include the implementation and compliance committees which are frequently used in trade and environmental instruments to facilitate dialogue, monitor the implementation of the commitments made, and to resolve disputes before they escalate to arbitral or judicial proceedings. These examples show just how international law is continuing to develop progressively and highlight the importance of continuing to explore innovative mechanisms that contribute to preventing and ensuring the peaceful settlement of disputes. Madam Chair, turning now to working methods. We believe that the work of the Special Committee should be conducted so as to ensure synergy, consistency and complementarity with other processes that also address aspects related to strengthening and reforming the Organization. These include the Working Group on Revitalizing the Work of the General Assembly and the informal ad hoc group on the UNAT initiative. and seen in this light, the Committee could review existing proposals under the maintenance of international peace and security so as to identify legal elements that could contribute to ensuring better coordination with the work carried out in other relevant fora. The aim here is not to discard proposals, as has been suggested in some meetings of the Special Committee, rather to identify areas of convergence, to harness complementarities and to promote greater institutional consistency. This approach could even be materialised through informal dialogues between the Special Committee and other subsidiary bodies of the General Assembly. to identify areas where this committee can contribute added value and strengthen its contribution from the legal sphere to the efforts to reform and strengthen the UN. Focusing on complementarity would reinvigorate the work of the committee, facilitate the consideration of new initiatives and speed up the review of proposals that remain on the table, including those relating to the legal scope of obligations under Article 51 of the Charter. All of this to improve the working methods of that committee. Madam Chair, the Republic of El Salvador reiterates its steadfast commitment to continuing to participate actively in the work of this Committee and to collaborate constructively with all Member States to promote the principles and purposes that inspire our Charter. Thank you very much.

I thank the distinguished representative of El Salvador for her statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Cote d'Ivoire.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, my delegation would like to align itself with the statement delivered by Cameroon. On behalf of the African Group, we would now like to make the following remarks in a national capacity. Cote d'Ivoire would like to commend the chairperson of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization. Congratulations to the Chair and the entire team for the report they drafted, A/81/33. The report speaks to the means of the maintenance of international peace and security, as well as the settlement of interstate disputes, in keeping with the mandate given to the Committee in 2025 in a GA resolution. Madam Chair, confronted with ongoing challenges to peace and security, the international system has various instruments, the most important of which is the United Nations Charter. Indeed, it is absolutely necessary that efforts aimed at upholding international peace are rooted in the norms set forth in the Charter, in particular in Chapters 6 and 7, where it indicates the path to the settlement of interstate disputes between states and the maintenance of international peace and security. This is one of the historic successes of the Special Committee, the fact that there is a myriad solutions proposed striking a balance between the various principal organs of the UN. Recourse to the ICJ, one of the key UN organs, is also a way of settling interstate disputes peacefully. Not to mention the countless multilateral conventions which help to further peaceful cooperation and integration between states at both the regional and international levels. Despite the use made of these instruments, as well as the unstinting efforts of Member States, international peace and security continues to pose challenges for the international community. The United Nations is seeing an uptick in armed conflicts of all sorts, as well as scourges such as cybercrime, terrorism, climate change, and the spread of weapons. This requires additional efforts so as to maintain peace and security. On this note, a number of Member States have for decades been calling for an in-depth revitalization of the UN system, generally speaking, as well as for Security Council reform, more specifically, regarding the Security Council, the organ tasked with the maintenance of international peace and security. The current composition of the Council does not reflect today's world, and this undercuts its ability to tackle the crises the international community is facing. Madam Chair, much like the majority of United Nations members, Cote d'Ivoire believes it is high time that we reform the Security Council, especially as regards its geographical configuration and the prerogatives of its permanent and non-permanent members as well as its working methods. The Security Council can only become more effective if it involves in its decision-making the permanent and non-permanent representatives of all of the world's geographical regions, endowed with the same prerogatives. The majority of states facing armed conflict and breaches of the peace and security are states of the Global South, states who are not represented or little represented in the permanent Security Council member category. It is time for the Council to hear everyone's voice to ensure a more holistic, comprehensive approach to the maintenance of international peace and security. Regarding the use of the veto, the use of which sometimes undermines the peace, we must garner a consensus on the non-use of the veto. in cases of mass atrocities being committed, as the Franco-Nexon initiative aims to do in its winning signatories. By way of conclusion, Madam Chair, we'd like to reiterate our unswerving support to the common African position on Security Council reform, enshrined in the Izolani consensus, as well as the Siet Declaration of 2005. We harbor hopes that an in-depth reform of the Security Council will have a positive impact on the management of international peace and security. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Cote d'Ivoire for his statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the United States of America.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair, for giving me the floor. The United States commends the Secretariat for its diligent work supporting the Special Committee on the UN Charter and strengthening the role of the Organization. We would like to offer several observations about the work of the Committee. First, the United States affirms its commitment to the Charter of the United Nations, including its purposes and principles. During this year's annual thematic debate on means for the settlement of disputes, We listened carefully to delegations' views regarding the use of adaptation or combination of traditional means, and we appreciated the dialogue on innovative and creative approaches to the peaceful settlement of disputes. Looking ahead to the next meetings of the committee, the US delegation welcomes the opportunity to continue a productive conversation on this topic among member states. As always, the United States continues to work with parties to disputes whenever and wherever possible, to facilitate and reach peaceful solutions. Madam Chair, we were deeply disappointed yesterday to hear certain delegations utilize this forum once again to raise extraneous issues and level political allegations at member states. We do not intend to engage in repeated back-and-forth exchanges on such issues. However, we feel compelled to address them briefly in our intervention. The United States has repeatedly rejected the unfair singling out of Israel for inflammatory and false accusations of genocide, which make no mention of Hamas, its horrific terrorist attack against Israel on October 7, 2023, or its numerous other atrocities. Additionally, with respect to yesterday's statements by the delegation of Iran regarding U.S. actions, U.S. officials have consistently made clear the United States takes seriously its obligations under international humanitarian law, including regarding the protection of civilians. The protection of civilians is of utmost importance, and we will continue to take the necessary precautions to reduce the risk of harm to civilians and civilian objects. Madam Chair, on the topic of sanctions, The United States appreciated the annual briefing on sanctions from representatives of the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and the Secretary-General's report on the implementation of the provisions of the Charter related to assistance to third States affected by the application of UN sanctions. The United States continues to emphasize that sanctions adopted and imposed by the Security Council are carefully targeted and implemented with due process and monitoring and review mechanisms. They are vital instruments in the maintenance of international peace and security. We strongly reject the contention expressed yesterday that snapped back UN sanctions on Iran are "null and void." To the contrary, last September, The Security Council decisively voted against a resolution introduced pursuant to Resolution 2231 to continue sanctions relief, thereby reinstating six previously suspended UN Security Council resolutions relating to Iran. The UN sanctions that were reimposed are not arbitrary. They are narrowly scoped to address the threat posed by Iran's nuclear, missile, and conventional arms programs. as well as Iran's ongoing support for terrorism. Sanctions that are imposed directly by member states or regional groups are administered outside the UN framework and are beyond the purview of the Special Committee on the UN Charter. However, we will again note our view that such sanctions remain an appropriate, effective, and legitimate tool of foreign policy. enabling states to address threats to national security and issues of international concern, such as human rights abuses. The United States was a lead supporter of the landmark UN Security Council Resolution 2664 to minimize any unintended humanitarian consequences of sanctions. In addition, the carve out for humanitarian efforts in UN sanctions regimes also applies to many US-run sanctions programs. In this regard, we note in response to comments made yesterday by the Cuban delegation that the U.S. embargo and related sanctions are lawful. All countries have the right to decide who they want to trade with. The U.S. embargo has important long-standing exceptions for exports of critical consumer goods, and the United States is a major exporter of food, medicine, and medical devices to Cuba. With respect to the proposal of new subjects for consideration by the UN Charter Committee, the United States reiterates its longstanding view that the Committee should welcome practical, nonpolitical, and non-duplicative proposals. The United States notes with regret the use of the Special Committee as a venue to air disputes that would more appropriately be addressed through bilateral engagement or that would be more appropriately handled in other fora in the UN. On proposals concerning Article 51 of the UN Charter, we would note once again that it is not the role of the Special Committee to amend the UN Charter or to pronounce new interpretations or practices with regard to existing obligations under the Charter. Finally, Madam Chair, The United States was pleased that the Special Committee once again was able to adopt a substantive report this year to memorialize the contributions and deliberations of Member States. The historical record and the continuity of work of the Special Committee require that divergent positions be accurately and clearly indicated. We welcome the return of the Committee's well-established tradition of accurately representing the exchange of views by Member States. I thank you, Madam Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative of the United States of America for his statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Philippines.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Philippines aligns itself with the statement of the Non-Aligned Movement. As a founding member of the United Nations and an original signatory of its charter, the Philippines attaches great importance to the Special Committee's mandate to strengthen the organization and promote the peaceful settlement of disputes. The 1982 Manila Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes remains among the Special Committee's most enduring achievements. It demonstrates the practical contributions that this body can make in strengthening the international legal order. We therefore appreciate the 2026 thematic debate on adapting and combining traditional means of peaceful dispute settlement. The mechanisms under Article 33 of the Charter are neither exhaustive nor mutually exclusive. Their effective use requires flexibility, good faith, and respect for international law. The Philippines' recourse to arbitration under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea illustrates how international law provides states, regardless of size or power, peaceful means of resolving disputes. On the 10th anniversary of the 2016 South China Sea arbitral award, we underscore that peaceful settlement entails not only access to adjudication, but also respect for its outcomes. Compliance with judicial decisions and arbitral awards rendered in accordance with international law is essential to legal certainty and the rule of law. We likewise reaffirm our support to the International Court of Justice and the wider use of international dispute settlement mechanisms. Madam Chair, the Philippines welcomes continued examination of legal questions concerning the Charter, including the revised proposal of Mexico and Brazil on Article 51 in relation to Article 2, paragraph 4. The prohibition of the threat or use of force remains fundamental. Discussions on self-defense must be grounded in international law and state practice. Meanwhile, discussions on the respective roles of the General Assembly and Security Council should likewise complement existing reform process, while the Special Committee should pursue more focused and results-oriented working methods. On sanctions, the Philippines reiterates that these should remain measures of last resort, consistent with the Charter. We welcome targeted sanctions and humanitarian exemptions while emphasizing the protection of civilian populations through process and the interests of affected third states. We also welcome progress in updating the repertory of practice of the United Nations organs and the repertoire of the practice of the Security Council, addressing publication backlogs and improving electronic accessibility, including through enhanced resources are essential to preserving institutional memory and ensuring a transparent understanding of charter practice. Madam Chair, we thank Ambassador Joaquin Alberto Perez Ayestaran of Venezuela and the Bureau for guiding the Special Committee's work this year. The Manila Declaration reminds us that the Special Committee is capable of producing lasting contributions to international law. Its continuing relevance should inspire us to ensure that this body remains not merely a forum for discussing the Charter, but an effective instrument for strengthening its observance. Thank you, Madam Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative of the Philippines for her statement, and I give the floor to the Republic of Korea.

Madam Chair, thanks for giving me the floor. My delegation thanks the Bureau of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and the Codification Division of the Office of Legal Affairs for their continued support. We also express our sincere appreciation to the Special Committee for its comprehensive report, document A/81/33, and the Secretary-General's report, A/81/206. Today, the international community faces complex, interconnected threats to global stability, security, and the international rule of law. In these turbulent times, the Republic of Korea firmly believes that the collective adherence to the principles and the purposes enshrined in the UN Charter remains our most essential, irreplaceable shield. True multilateralism can only thrive when all member states respect the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence of others as mandated by the charter. Against this backdrop, I would like to highlight a few points. First, with regard to the maintenance of international peace and security, our delegation notes the various proposals submitted during the special committee session. The Republic of Korea maintains that targeted sanctions under the Chapter 7 of the Charter are an important tool for ensuring the maintenance of international peace and security. For sanctions to remain credible and effective, they must be implemented strictly, uniformly, and in good faith by all member states. Simultaneously, we support efforts to refine sanction regimes to minimize unintended humanitarian consequences on civilian populations and protect due process rights. Second, turning to the peaceful settlements of disputes, my delegation reaffirms its unwavering commitment to Article 33 of the Charter. For a country like the Republic of Korea, which has transitioned from the devastation of war to a vibrant democracy and thriving economy under the auspices of the UN, the peaceful resolution of conflicts through international law is foundational. We continue to advocate for the rules-based international order and the role of the International Court of Justice as the principal judicial organ of the United Nations in promoting the peaceful settlement of disputes. Third, we commend the Secretariat's ongoing efforts on the repertory of practice of the United Nations organs and the repertoire of the practice of the Security Council. These publications serve as indispensable institutional memory and legal toolkits for member states. We look forward to continued progress in eliminating the backlog of these volumes. First, regarding the working methods of the Special Committee, the Republic of Korea echoes the call made by several member states for greater efficiency. The Special Committee operates optimally when it focuses its resources on pragmatic, legally oriented initiatives that genuinely strengthen the organization. We should exercise caution regarding proposals that duplicate the mandates of other UN bodies or those that risk overly politicizing this legal forum. Madam Chair, the Republic of Korea remains a steadfast champion of a stronger, more efficient United Nations. We stand ready to engage constructively with all member states in the spirit of consensus to ensure the UN Charter continues to guide humanity toward shared peace, security, and prosperity. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of the Republic of Korea for her statement, and I give this floor to the distinguished representative of Mexico.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. For Mexico, it is essential to preserve the authority of the Charter of the United Nations. This means ensuring that its provisions are applied consistently, transparently, and in accordance with international law. It also means enabling the bodies established to strengthen the functioning of the Charter to deliberate and deliver results. Against this backdrop, the mandate of the Special Committee on the Charter remains as relevant as ever. Mexico welcomes the fact that the recommendation to continue in formal dialogue during the intersessional period on the proposal submitted by Mexico and co-sponsored by Brazil was adopted by consensus. This relates to the application of Article 51 in light of its relationship with Article 2, paragraph 4 of the Charter. This outcome, while modest, represents tangible progress after years of stalemate. It shows that through open consultations, flexibility and a willingness to build gradual understandings it is possible to bridge differences even on complex legal questions. Our proposal is based on the premise that self-defence is an exception to the prohibition on the threat or use of force and that for exactly that reason any invocation of the right to self-defence must be subject to particularly rigorous scrutiny. The steady increase in communications to the Security Council under Article 51 together with the lack of a systematic discussion of those communications, raises legal and procedural questions of concern to the entire UN membership. It once again underscores the continued relevance and urgency of addressing this issue collectively. Mexico reiterates that the initiative is not intended to examine specific situations, to make specific determinations, or take over the responsibility of the Security Council. Its aim is to establish an open space for technical and legal discussion in which States can set out their positions on the operation, scope and limits of the right to self-defence in the present day, without duplicating efforts and while making special use of the specialized forum that we have available to us. The Special Committee on the Charter is the right forum for this discussion. since its mandate encompasses the consideration of proposals concerning the maintenance of international peace and security, as well as matters relating to the interpretation and application of the Charter and to the strengthening of the role of the Organization. Mexico, therefore, has proposed that the issue be considered sequentially. At the first stage, the Committee could focus exclusively on transparency and the public availability of communications submitted pursuant to Article 51. This would allow it to consider ways to facilitate their circulation, accessibility and systematic compilation, as well as ensuring access to the responses and reactions of other States. In a second stage, the Committee could address procedural matters, such as the right timing for notifications, minimum information that such communications should contain, and how they should be considered within the organization. At the third stage, the Committee could turn to substantive discussion of the interpretation of Article 51 and its relationship with Article 2, paragraph 4, of the Charter. This gradual approach would allow discussions to proceed according to the level of difficulty and ensure a structured debate in which States could move progressively from less contentious issues to those requiring greater consultations. I take this opportunity to mention that my country will be organizing an event next week on the margins of International Law Week. to continue the dialogue on this issue and to present a revised version of our proposal for consideration at the next session of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations in February 2027. We would be delighted to enjoy to if you could join us for that event which will take place next Wednesday at 8:15 at the Mexican Permanent Mission. Madam Chair, in light of the obstacles that the Special Committee on the Charter has faced in making progress on substantive issues due to the abuse of the consensus practice, Mexico also believes that it is essential to review the Committee's working methods. Addressing the difficulties involved in reaching consensus, to progress on significant matters in the Committee's work should be seen as part of the efforts to reinvigorate the work of the General Assembly and its subsidiary bodies. Strengthening the Committee requires greater deliberation, adaptability and the delivery of results. It is unacceptable for a United Nations forum to be unable even to place an item on its agenda for discussion simply because a small number of States exercise what amounts to a de facto veto, which is a practice that is also contrary to the General Assembly's rules of procedure. Mexico will continue to participate in meetings, listening to the positions of all delegations and promoting a gradual development of the substantive issues discussed in the committee. We likewise hope that other delegations will demonstrate their flexibility and openness to dialogue. Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative of Mexico for his statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Nicaragua.

Muchas gracias.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Our delegation wishes to align itself with the statement delivered by Iran on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement and by Cuba on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defence of the Charter of the United Nations. This committee has always been important in ensuring the necessary and imperative transformation, refounding and democratisation of the UN and its bodies so that they can act for the benefit of peoples rather than for the benefit of hegemonic powers and their egotistical interests. This committee also carries out important work in making specific recommendations to prevent the abuse of functions and mandates, as in the case of the Security Council, which oversteps its authority and claims for itself the power to discuss matters that fall exclusively within the legitimate competence of the General Assembly. We fully support the promotion of the peaceful settlement of disputes. Continuing to consider these means in the Committee can contribute to more efficient and effective use of peaceful means, while also promoting a culture of peace among Member States. The meetings of this Committee have always been important. We note that the time currently allocated is adequate for its work, but the Committee should step up its efforts inter alia to consider proposals concerning the Charter and strengthening the UN's role. Madam Chair, only through true multilateralism, with respect for international law and the Charter of the United Nations, can we counter the impact of unilateral decisions imposed by certain powers to the detriment of peace, international security, the independence and sovereignty of states and the self-determination of peoples. Nicaragua categorically condemns the use and the imposition of unilateral coercive measures, which serve as an instrument of terror in the policies of Western countries. These measures have a brutal impact on populations. They are a flagrant violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, and they represent an act of economic warfare and state terrorism. We reiterate that respect for the UN's Charter, based on the sovereign equality of States, is a guiding principle. For this reason, we reject any attempt to reinterpret the principles and purposes of the Charter so as to advance political agendas of interventionism and interference to the detriment of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of developing countries. Nicaragua reaffirms its commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes. As has been demonstrated in every case before the International Court of Justice to which we have been a party, Nicaragua has faithfully fulfilled and continues to do so its international obligations, and we demand reciprocity. We support the initiatives brought before this high judicial body to halt the genocide against the Palestinian people. We denounce Western governments since they continue to facilitate, supply and deliver ever more weapons to the Israeli government every day, thereby enabling the extermination and genocide of the Palestinian people. Chair, when we drafted and ratified the Charter 81 years ago, we committed to a better future for humankind. Regrettably, Even now in 2026, we see persistent scourges that are an obstacle to international peace, development, and security. Our most urgent task is to fulfill the aspirations and ensure the rights of our peoples. With the emergence of multiple crises and the increase in Western aggression, we are seeing more see a more just, democratic, sustainable, multipolar world being consolidated, a world of solidarity and of struggle against forms of colonial, neo-colonial, imperialist domination. The UN will have to accept this reality in the interests of this new world order. We reaffirm our determination to continue contributing to an agenda that places security, education, food, health, peace and development at its heart. They are inseparable pillars of a future of greater well-being, dignity and justice for our peoples. In that spirit, we renew Nicaragua's commitment to multilateralism, to respect for the principles and purposes of the Charter, and to building mutual understanding that will enable us to move forward together towards a world of peace, solidarity, cooperation and development for all. Thank you very much.

I thank the distinguished representative of Nicaragua for her statement. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Burkina Faso.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The delegation of Burkina Faso would like to align itself with the statements delivered by the Islamic Republic of Iran and Cameroon on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement and the African Group, respectively. We would like to make the following comments in a national capacity. We would like to thank the chairperson of the Special Committee on the Charter of the UN and the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization for its report A/81/33. We welcome the work done by the chair and his team throughout the session, so as to garner consensus on the key issues on the agenda. Madam Chair, the Special Committee plays a key role in considering proposals aimed at improving the functioning of the Organization and at bolstering the application of the Charter. The Committee's work contributes to a better grasp of the fundamental issues such as the peaceful settlement of disputes, the maintenance of peace, global governance and respect for international law. With a view to boosting its leadership and credibility, the Special Committee could consider in depth, and transparently so, all of the proposals inscribed in its agenda. assessing these on the basis of legal and technical criteria, shorn of any political or ideological considerations. This approach is all the more important as it would allow the UN to fulfill its original role, while respecting the letter and spirit of the Charter. Madam Chair, Burkina Faso welcomes the Special Committee considering the maintenance of international peace and security, especially in its debates on the Secretary-General's report entitled "Implementation of the provisions of the United Nations Charter related to the assistance provided to third States affected by the application of sanctions", as well as the 1998 report on this matter. My delegation also welcomes the annual thematic debate organized by the Committee on the means for settling disputes in accordance with chapter 6 of the Charter, in particular the means listed in article 33, and this in keeping with the Manila Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes. We are instinctively committed to using endogenous means for the settlement of disputes. We therefore followed with a keen interest the debates on the Exchange of information on state practices regarding recourse to adaptation or combined use of traditional means. The settlement of disputes should be tailored to developments in our world and factor in the diversity of legal and cultural systems, which are an inexhaustible source of wealth. Madam Chair, distinguished delegates, we would like to reaffirm our firm commitment to the principles of the sovereign equality of states and respect for the territorial integrity of states, non-interference in the internal affairs of states, and the peaceful settlement of international disputes. These principles are fundamental pillars of international law and the UN Charter. They seek to uphold the independence of States and to guarantee stability in international relations. Furthermore, we would like to reiterate our commitment to the central role played by the UN as a universal organization tasked with ensuring the maintenance of international peace and security, the promotion of human rights and sustainable development, with strict respect for the sovereignty of Member States. Therefore, my delegation firmly condemns the illegal practice of unilateral coercive measures which some States are imposing on others. Madam Chair, Burkina Faso would like to thank the Secretary-General for his report A/81/206 on the repertory of practice of United Nations organs as well as the repertory of practice of the Security Council. We recognize the salience of these two repertories. which provide information about the application and interpretation by the Organization of each article of the UN Charter. This helps to bolster knowledge and understanding of the Charter as it's applied in practice in UN bodies, all the while maintaining the institutional memory of our Organization. It's necessary to continue efforts aimed at diversifying the list of universities which can contribute to studying these repertories. The choice of universities should be made in a transparent, inclusive and equitable fashion, with due regard for various legal systems. By way of conclusion, Madam Chair, Burkina Faso would like to call for heightened cooperation between the UN and regional organizations so that we can respond to crises in a more effective fashion. We call on the Special Committee to revise its working methods to ensure that political resistance does not compromise the chances for in-depth analysis being conducted any longer. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Burkina Faso for his statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Algeria.

Thank you, Madam Chair, for giving us the floor. We align ourselves with the statements delivered on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, the African Group, and the Arab Group, respectively, and wish to add the following remarks in our national capacity. My delegation takes note of the report of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization, contained in document A/81/33. We seize this opportunity to reiterate our support for and appreciation of the work of the Special Committee in upholding the purposes and principles enshrined in the UN Charter, strengthening international cooperation and fostering constructive dialogue among Member States. We also recognize its significant role in enhancing the effectiveness and legitimacy of the United Nations in addressing contemporary global challenges. We further appreciate the efforts undertaken by Member States to explore ways and means of improving the efficiency of the Special Committee and revitalizing its working methods. These efforts are essential to enabling the Committee to fully discharge its mandate, encouraging greater interactions among Member States, and fostering substantive discussions on the proposals before it, beyond any political or ideological differences that have occasionally hindered its work. Madam Chair, Algeria reaffirms its unwavering commitment to multilateralism, international law, and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. including the principle of self-determination of peoples, the sovereign equality of states, non-interference in the internal affairs of states, and the prohibition of the threat or use of force in international relations as fundamental pillars for the maintenance of international peace and security. Algeria reaffirms its steadfast commitment to the peaceful settlement and resolution of disputes as a fundamental principle enshrined in the UN Charter and reflected also in the Constitutive Act of the African Union. In this regard, we underscore the importance of resolving disputes through peaceful means. We also reaffirm our support for the International Court of Justice as the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. Its contribution is essential to the maintenance of international peace and security and to the promotion of a rule-based international order. Madam Chair, while welcoming General Assembly resolution 79/327 on the revitalization of the work of the General Assembly, which recognizes the important role played by the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations, including in matters related to the maintenance of international peace and security, Algeria reiterates its full support for the mandate and continued work of the Special Committee. We underscore the importance of enabling the Committee to give due consideration to the proposals and suggestions submitted by Member States including the proposal to discuss the implementation of Article 51 of the Charter and the proposal to update the United Nations Manual on the Peaceful Settlement of Disputes. In conclusion, Madam Chair, my delegation stands ready to engage constructively in these discussions with a view to strengthening respect for the UN Charter, promoting the peaceful settlement of disputes, and further reinforcing the role of the United Nations in maintaining international peace and security. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Algeria for his statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Qatar. Okay, moving. I therefore give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ghana.

Madam Chair, Ghana aligns itself with the statement delivered by the Cameroon on behalf of the African group. We now speak in our national capacity. My delegation takes note of the report of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization, contained in document A/81/83, on a session held from 18 to 26 February 2026. Ghana reaffirms the central importance of the Charter in maintaining international peace and security. All Member States must uphold its purpose and principles. including sovereign equality, respect for territorial integrity, non-intervention, the peaceful settlement of disputes, and the prohibition of the threat or the use of force. These obligations must be fulfilled in good faith. We remain concerned about the violations of the Charter and international law and call for renewed efforts towards a just and lasting peace in accordance with the Charter. The Special Committee should continue to examine questions concerning the maintenance of international peace and security. Its work should support cooperation and dialogue among the principal organs of the United Nations, respecting their respective functions and powers under the Charter and the Security Council's primary responsibility of maintaining international peace and security. Madam Chair, Ghana attaches particular importance to practical approaches to the peaceful settlement of disputes. Exchanges of states practice on adapting or combining traditional means of dispute settlement offers valuable opportunities for mutual learning. Negotiations, mediation, conciliation, arbitration and judicial settlement may be used in complementary ways or in succession to build confidence and help resolve disputes. We encourage member states to participate actively in our annual thematic debates and to share lessons from their experience while respecting the freedom of parties to choose peaceful means and the importance of consent and good faith. On sanctions, we underscore the need for full compliance with the Charter and international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Sanctions should have a clear, defined objective, be subject to monitoring and periodic review, and safeguard due process. They should not punish entire populations or hinder humanitarian assistance from reaching civilians. Their adverse effects on civilian populations and third states require careful attention. We are also concerned about the negative humanitarian and socio-economic effects of unilateral coercive measures, particularly on vulnerable populations and their access to food, medicine and medical equipment. We encourage constructive dialogue on the outstanding proposal concerning these measures acknowledging the divergent legal views recorded in the report. Madam Chair, improving the Special Committee's working methods is essential to enhancing its effectiveness. Ghana supports focused discussions guided by clear objectives and aimed at practical results. We also encourage the efficient use of resources and coordination with other United Nations bodies to avoid duplication. Progress will require political will and constructive engagement from all Member States. We therefore encourage renewed efforts to advance consideration of outstanding proposals and ensure the committee's work remains relevant and responsive to the evolving challenges facing the international community. In conclusion, Ghana reaffirms its commitment to the purpose and principles of the Charter and to strengthen the role of the United Nations in maintaining international peace and security. We stand ready to work constructively with all member states to enhance the effectiveness of this special committee advance the peaceful settlement of disputes, and promote respect for international law. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Ghana for his statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Qatar.

Madam Chair, we reiterate our support for you as you lead this committee. We'd also like to thank the Special Committee on the Charter of the UN and on Strengthening the Role of the Organization. We take this opportunity to align ourselves with the statement made by Bahrain on behalf of the GCC states. We further align ourselves with the statement of the Arab Group. Madam Chair. The Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization plays a fundamental role in strengthening the implementation of the provisions of the Charter. We welcome the thematic debate this year on States' practices in the peaceful settlement of disputes. We also welcome the efforts made under the repertory of practice of UN organs and the repertoire of practice of the Security Council. Madam Chair, we are steadfastly committed to the principles and purposes of the Charter, particularly the peaceful settlement of disputes. This is a constitutional commitment for my country. In Article 7 of our constitution, dating from 2003, our foreign policy relies on strengthening international peace and security, particularly the peaceful settlement of disputes. Therefore, we remain a reliable partner in international mediation. We call for peaceful mediation, which is a cornerstone of peaceful settlement. We strive to work in diplomatic prevention. In addition, we believe in the importance of the principles and purposes of the Charter, which call for all to respect its principles. on this basis, day by day, we must step up our efforts to ensure that the rule of law prevails. This so as to ensure that we do not undermine the principles of the Charter, particularly the sovereignty of states, their territorial integrity, and the prohibition on the threat or use of force. These are the threats that we have recently seen in the context of attacks suffered by Gulf Cooperation Council states. We condemn these attacks, which affected our sovereignty, territorial integrity, and our territorial waters, coming from the Islamic Republic of Iran. We also condemn the attacks on brotherly states. These are a violation of international law and the UN Charter. We reiterate that it's necessary to respect Resolution 2817 of the Security Council, particularly with regard to the rights and freedom of navigation, particularly also international maritime waterways, main international waterways. We have opened the door to all diplomatic efforts and we've had discussions with partners to bring perspectives closer together and to reach a peaceful settlement preserving freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. In addition, we condemn attacks by Houthis on the Wafad airport in Dammam in Saudi Arabia, which led to the death of several people, in addition to several wounded. This was a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and affected the security of the region. In addition to that, we saw attacks on civilian infrastructure and civilians. We stand alongside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and support it in all options available to it to defend its territory and interests. The security of Saudi Arabia is also an integral part of our security in Qatar and is a principal matter, a main matter for the GCC as a whole. To conclude, we support the efforts of the Special Committee aiming to strengthen the principles and purposes of the Charter. so as to strengthen international peace and security. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Qatar for his statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Nepal. Moving to the next speaker on our list, I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Thank you, Madam Chair. My delegation aligns itself with the statements made by the distinguished representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Cuba on behalf of the NAM and the Group of Friends in Defense of the UN Charter. Taking note of the report of the Special Committee contained in the document A/81/33, my delegation would like to highlight the following points in its national capacity. First, The principle of sovereign equality should be strictly observed in all activities of the United Nations in terms of maintaining international peace and security. Regardless of the size, populations and development, every state is entitled to exercise its sovereign rights on equal footing as reflected in the Charter of the United Nations. Today, international peace and security are facing grave challenges due to undisguised infringement on national sovereignty, outrageous violations of international law, and unprecedented global security crisis, resulting in political and economic upheavals and chaos. The just self-defensive measures to defend sovereignty are misrepresented as the alleged threats to international peace and security, whereas crimes against humanity, targeting one nation are connived at as the alleged self-defense, thereby aggravating antagonism and confrontation among the states. My delegation holds that the Special Committee should take action-oriented measures to reject arbitrariness, high-handedness, and unilateralism in international relations, and to maintain international peace and security in accordance with its mandate. On that note, my delegation looks forward to a meaningful progress in the deliberations on proposals and working papers related to maintaining international peace and security, peaceful settlement of disputes, and NGO participation in the work of the United Nations, built on the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, in particular, sovereign equality and non-interference in internal affairs. Second, In terms of strengthening the mission and the role of the organization, it is imperative to address the illegal act of abusing the name of the UN without any further delay. The United Nations Command in ROK is a typical example of illegally abusing the UN. In 1950, the United States unlawfully rigged up the US-led Unified Command in an attempt shift to blame for the outbreak of the Korean War to the DPRK and thus legitimize its military intervention. Thereafter, it coined it into the UN Command. There is not a single word of the UN Command mentioned in the then resolution of the Security Council argued by the US and ROK as a legal ground. At the 30th plenary session of the UN General Assembly in 1975, a resolution was adopted to dissolve the UN Command in reflection of the aspiration and demand of the member states. Key figures of the UN Secretariat, including former Secretaries General, affirmed that the UN Command is not a subsidiary body of the UN covered by the UN budget and the commanding power rests with the United States. The above facts clearly prove that the UN Command is an illegal entity from the very beginning and has nothing to do with the United Nations whatsoever. Nonetheless, the flag of the UN was abused once again. in August when the massive US-ROK joint military drill, called the Freedom Shield, aimed at the DPRK was breached. It is a continuation of the attempt to transform the illegal UN command into an Asian version of NATO. In order for UN to regain its authority and fairness and remain faithful to its mission to maintain durable peace and security of the world as enshrined in the UN Charter, it should put an end to the history of of the name abused for retaining political aims by disrupting immediately the UN command in ROK, which is a product of the Cold War, aggravating the situation of the Korean Peninsula and beyond. The DPRK remains firmly committed to actively engaging in the work of the Special Committee and fully discharging its role as a responsible member of the international community towards the maintenance of regional and international peace and security. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of the DPRK for his statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Zambia. You have the floor.

Madam Chairperson, the delegation of the Republic of Zambia aligns itself with the statement delivered by the distinguished delegate of Cameroon on behalf of the African Group. We extend our appreciation to the Chair and the Bureau of the Special Committee for their stewardship and for the comprehensive presentation of the report contained in document A/81/33. Zambia attaches profound importance to the mandate of the Special Committee. As the world navigates complex geopolitical shifts, the Charter remains our primary shield against unilateralism. For developing nations across Africa, a rules-based international order rooted in the UN Charter is the only guarantor of sovereign equality of states and sustainable development. Madam Chairperson, in line with Chapter 8 of the UN Charter, Zambia emphasizes the critical role that regional and subregional organizations play in maintaining international peace and security. The appropriate use of regional arrangements can diffuse tension and prevent disputes from escalating into full scale conflicts. At the sub-regional level, Zambia is an active member of the Southern African Development Community, SADC. SADC's active engagement in conflict resolution and preventative diplomacy demonstrates how regional frameworks directly assuage the burden on the wider United Nations system. Zambia welcomes the Special Committee's continued focus on the peaceful settlement of disputes. Zambia underscores that the utilization of mediation, arbitration, and judicial settlement mechanisms, as practiced both within SADC and the African Union, must always be prioritized over coercive or unilateral measures, which often circumvent the lawful authority of the Charter. Madam Chairperson, Turning to the substance of the report of the Special Committee, my delegation welcomes the constructive discussions held during the February 2026 session. We note with appreciation the progress made regarding the maintenance of international peace and security. Specifically, Zambia emphasizes that the implementation of targeted UN sanctions must strictly adhere to the Charter. Sanctions should never be used as a punitive economic weapons against civilian populations, but must strictly serve as objective tools for peace, featuring clear parameters and regular review mechanisms. Madam Chairperson, Zambia further welcomes the report's focus on the peaceful settlement of disputes, particularly the ongoing thematic debates concerning state practices in arbitration and mediation, which legal mechanisms remain, in our view, significantly underutilized. We underscore that the international community can, by prioritizing judicial and negotiated settlements, decisively mitigate conflicts before they mandate Security Council intervention. Our positions on the international stage are a direct reflection of our national values. Domestically, Zambia is fundamentally committed to the rule of law, constitutionalism, and the preservation of civil space, and in this respect, strongly institutionalizes alternative dispute resolution, mandating court-annexed mediation and arbitration for the purpose of settling domestic grievances peacefully and efficiently. This legal philosophy directly informs our foreign policy. Our domestic ethos of consultative peacebuilding is exactly why Zambia continues to advocate for dialogue and preventative diplomacy at the United Nations, proving that the culture of peace must begin with our borders before it can be effectively projected globally. My delegation also commends the Secretary-General's updated briefings detailed in the report concerning the repertory of practice of United Nations organs and the repertoire of the practice of the Security Council. Maintaining these publications is not a mere bureaucratic task. It is an invaluable effort to preserve institutional memory, ensure legal transparency, and streamline the operational functions of the UN. We call for continued voluntary contributions to eliminate the remaining backlogs in these documents. Madam Chairperson, turning to the issue of the reform of the Security Council, Zambia persists that true strengthening of the organization cannot be achieved without comprehensive institutional reform. The current structure of the United Nations, particularly the Security Council, does not reflect contemporary global realities. Zambia stands firmly with the Ezulwini Consensus and the SOTR declaration, reiterating the African group's demand to correct the historical injustice of Africa's underrepresentation on the Security Council. We emphasize that the democratization, I beg your pardon, of the Security Council is fundamental to restoring global trust in the charter's enforcement mechanisms. In conclusion, Madam Chairperson, the Republic of Zambia reaffirms its unwavering commitment to uphold the principles and objectives of the United Nations Charter. We pledge our constructive engagement to ensure that the Special Committee continues to be effective in safeguarding the relevance and legitimacy of the United Nations. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Zambia for her statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Cuba.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Cuba aligns itself with the statement delivered by the Islamic Republic of Iran on behalf of the NAM, and we'd like to make the following comments in our national capacity. Our delegation is grateful for the reports presented by the Secretary-General in documents A/81/33 and A/81/206, and we support the work of the Special Committee on the Charter. Cuba will continue to cooperate to foster the work of the Committee pursuant to the mandate granted by resolution 33/49 of the General Assembly. The importance of this mandate is strengthened by the current status of international affairs, in which some States are striving to reinterpret provisions of the UN Charter to promote their own political agenda of interventionism and interference in the domestic affairs of States, this to the detriment of their sovereignty, particularly developing countries. The special committee on the charter is the right framework to negotiate any amendment to the UN charter, including those deriving from the current reform process of the organisation. It is the right space to propose recommendations that make it possible to amend provisions of the charter and to ensure that member states act in accordance with the principles and purposes thereof. In this context, the Special Committee on the Charter should encourage and be open to full discussion of any proposed resolution, decision or action taken by the UN's bodies when such action has implications on the compliance with and implementation of the Charter. Madam Chair, Those who stand opposed to the work of the committee refer to their lack of outcomes, and obviously they are the same who systematically refuse to discuss substantive proposals and hamper the adoption of any decision. This repeated scenario shows the lack of political will to move towards analysing these proposals. We continue to encourage delegations to study the Cuban proposal to achieve a consensus thereon. We advocate for full respect with the principles and methods of work of the Committee and for them to be implemented in the next session. I see they still have some time left, so I'd like to respond to the statement of the US delegation on the alleged legality of the financial economic blockade that has been strengthened this year as collective punishment. The US delegation seems to overlook international law. There is a profound inconsistency between those who are, on the one hand, subjecting the Cuban people to collective punishment through economic suffocation, on the other hand, they seem to represent themselves as a benefactor. Let's talk about international law. Have we forgotten that the Charter isn't a simple political declaration, rather it is a treaty and the treaty should be respected? Perhaps extraterritoriality is not a principle that runs against international law. Are UACMs not contrary to international law? It's worth underscoring the resolution of 2008 of the Security Council in which it is declared that hunger cannot be used as a weapon of war, Madam Chair. It would be good to remember that the next week we will have once again a vote against the economic blockade imposed on my country. We will win again and we will win overwhelmingly. I would like to recall or suggest to the North American delegation that they stop living in a parallel reality, something out of a chapter of Jose Saramago novel. Obviously, this chapter that is being lived by the U.S. delegation is written not through the fine prose of the Nobel Prize winner, but rather through their own arrogance. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Cuba, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Russian Federation.

Thank you, Chair. A very good morning, ladies and gentlemen. The Russian Federation has traditionally attached great importance to the work of the Special Committee on the UN Charter and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization. Its open composition and its singular mandate allow us to substantively discuss issues, the resolution of which affects the effectiveness of the UN and the stability of international relations, which is underpinned by the Charter. We note with satisfaction that for a second year in a row, after a lengthy pause, it was possible to adopt a final report following the Special Committee session. This positive trend sends an encouraging signal. If there is openness to cooperation on the basis of the principle of consensus, states can find common ground, and this even under today's testing international conditions. We hope that a resumption adoption of the practice of substantive reports being adopted will inject impetus into further work on initiatives under consideration by the Committee. Madam Chair, as we know, the Committee is currently considering a number of proposals, and the Russian Federation is in fact the author or the co-sponsor of these initiatives. We stand ready to discuss them in a focused fashion with all interested delegations, including during the intersessional period. We would like to remind you that the Russian proposal to update the Handbook on the Peaceful Settlement of Disputes and the establishment of a relevant web page on the UN website has a concrete, practical objective, that is, to give States a systematic and very accessible toolkit for settling differences. The experience we have accumulated, including the outcome of the annual thematic discussions at the Special Committee, should be compiled. Such a resource could significantly assist States as they select the appropriate means for settling disputes. Equally relevant is the joint proposal by Russia and Belarus, a proposal to request an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice regarding the legal consequences of the application or the use, rather, of military force without a Security Council authorization, with the exception of the use of force in self-defense. The implementation of this initiative would foster the clarification of the legal consequences of some states straying from the framework for the use of force set by the Charter. We stand ready to continue professional discussions and to consider constructive proposals on how to finalize the document. We will continue, together with other co-sponsors, to promote the initiative on the participation of NGOs in the work of the UN. What we suggest is that we craft approaches which ensure equitable geographical representation transparency regarding the funding of these organizations, as well as their responsibility for misuse of UN procedures. This would allow us to, on the one hand, broaden NGO opportunities, opportunities for NGOs from developing countries specifically, and on the other hand, to ensure that decision-making remains intergovernmental. We invite interested delegations to partake in this joint work. We support Iran's revised proposal on the crafting of guidelines on the negative consequences of UCMs. The use of such legal measures so as to exert external political and economic pressure is incompatible with the principle of sovereign equality as well as that of non-interference. What's more is UCMs, they're increasingly becoming one of the main contemporary tools for committing crimes against humanity. The practical value of the Iranian initiative lies in the search for ways of countering such coercion, protection of the affected states and peoples, as well as the ensuring of access to foodstuffs, medicines and other critically important necessities. Given the insinuations we heard regarding the Iranian initiative, we'd like to underscore the fact that there is no legal rationale, no basis for assertions regarding the use -- the triggering of the so-called "snapback" mechanism in keeping with Security Council Resolution 2231. Detailed arguments on this issue is contained in a whole host of joint letters that were sent. by the delegations of Iran, China and the Russian Federation. These were published as official documents of the General Assembly and the Security Council. Madam Chair, we note with disquiet the proposal to supposedly streamline the work of the Special Committee by reducing the duration of its sessions or by shifting from annual sessions to biannual sessions. Such ideas hardly merit our support under conditions when the issue of how to properly interpret the Charter is becoming an exceptionally acute matter. We'd like to talk specifically about what paragraph 105 of the Special Committee says. It speaks to hypothetical new topics to be considered by the Committee. We do not support attempts to use the discussion of para. 3 of Article 27 of the Charter to revise the established procedure for decision-making in the Security Council, nor the suggestion that it could be used to restrict the prerogatives of permanent Security Council members. We harbour serious doubts about the idea of simplified and more flexible procedures for requesting advisory opinions from the ICJ. The need for swift legal clarification cannot serve as justification for weakening requirements for the requests, nor for reducing the opportunities to submit legal positions, nor can it justify the interference in the ICJ's functions. Existing procedures already allow for the urgency of a request to be factored in. The ICJ is not a printer, it's not a chatbot that's supposed to simply meet out advisory opinions when there's a political request. This is the principal judicial body of the UN, and each of its opinions is underpinned by a study of all the materials, an analysis of international law, as well as a collegial discussion thereof. The Court already has a very heavy workload related to the countless proceedings on its docket. Incentivizing additional requests without an assessment of available resources to do so might exacerbate the existing situation and threaten the timeliness and the quality of the Court's work. Madam Chair, for the Russian Federation, The priority for the Special Committee is the tackling of the serious legal issues which the Organization is facing. These should be addressed on the basis of generally recognized principles and norms of international law, including the provisions of the UN Charter. The demand for this work is particularly high today. The Charter should be applied in good faith and consistently. All of its provisions should be applied in conjunction. with the division of powers contained therein between the principal bodies. That should also be maintained. Against this backdrop, we regret that the Charter Committee and here the Sixth Committee, well, in both, we for years have been compelled to listen to the same strange narratives which have nothing to do with the agenda. These narratives emanate from delegations which continue to promote their own agenda, although the prospects of such a narrative are pretty null and void. We do not intend to engage in polemics on this matter. However, much like at previous sessions, we would like to once again the to draw your attention to the fact that we cannot speculatively use the term aggression. This has very clear legal has a very clear legal meaning. Nor should we distort the decisions of the International Court of Justice. We'd like to remind you that the special military operation is being conducted on the basis of the inalienable right to self defense as per Article 51 of the UN Charter. Once again, we'd like to emphasize that in keeping with Article 39 of the Charter, the only organ empowered to determine whether there's a threat to the peace, a breach of the peace, or an act of aggression, the only organ is the Security Council. The crisis in Ukraine and surrounding Ukraine began long before 2024, with the active support of forces outside Ukraine. We cannot but note that the ICJ despite unprecedented external pressure from the sponsors of the Kyiv regime, remains unbiased. The club of the so-called victims of the Russian aggression continues to turn a blind eye to the reality of the situation, which is obvious. And that is the following. In 2024 already, the ICJ issued a decision on the basis of a proceeding initiated by Ukraine, and this on the basis of the Genocide Convention, and there it rejected all of Kyiv's insinuations and the insinuations of its backers. The ICJ agreed that the allegations Kyiv leveled have nothing to do with the Convention. As a result, on the court's docket, there is just one issue, did Ukraine commit genocide in the Donbas. Throughout the court's work under Ukraine's proceedings initiated under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the Counter-Terrorism Financing Convention, years and piles of lies and false allegations leveled at the Russian Federation were rejected and overturned. The ICJ's decision showed that Kyiv for years illegally proclaimed the people of the Donbass terrorists. And in fact, this qualification was used to wage a bloody war against its own people. Many of the fakes debunked by the court, for instance, discrimination against the Crimean Tatars in the Crimea, were reflected in politicized resolutions of the GA, which were pushed through at the time by Ukraine and its group of Western cheerleaders. As things stand, it's obvious that these anti-Russian resolutions are simply the figments of the imagination of a small group of countries. We'd like to remind you also that Georgia has also tried to has been trying to promote its anti-Russian agenda at the ICJ, but it's lost its case filed on the basis of the Convention for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. It is high time to call a spade a spade and to stop disseminating disinformation at the United Nations. References to the Council of Europe and the Human Rights Council have gotten and the European Court of Human Rights, which can no longer really be called a court, they're inappropriate in this chamber, as is inappropriate the reference made to the completely discredited so-called International Criminal Court. There's a clear trend of a decrease in support at the General Assembly for this court, and this speaks for itself. Our delegation stands ready to continue to work constructively in the framework of the Special Committee, as well as to foster convergence of legal approaches and the crafting of decisions which strengthen the Organization on the basis of the UN Charter. I thank you for your kind attention.

I thank the distinguished representative of the Russian Federation, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Nepal.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Nepal Alliance itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the non-aligned movement and wishes to make the following remarks in its national capacity. We appreciate the report of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the strengthening of the role of the organization. We commend the committee's substantive deliberation on the maintenance of international peace and security, peaceful settlement of disputes, working methods. and new proposals aimed at strengthening the effectiveness and efficiency of the United Nations. Madam Chair, Nepal reaffirms the primacy of the UN Charter as a cornerstone of advancing international peace and security, sustainable development, human rights, and a rule-based international order. We call upon all Member States to uphold their Charterial obligations, particularly respect for sovereign equality, territorial integrity, political independence, refraining from the threat or use of force, and peaceful resolution of disputes. At a time of intensifying geopolitical tensions, protected conflicts, climate disasters, humanitarian crisis, and widening inequalities, an effective, representative, transparent, and accountable United Nations is more indispensable than ever. Nepal recognizes the important role of the Special Committee in strengthening the organization, promoting international cooperation, facilitating dialogue, and advancing the development of international law within the framework of the Charter. Nepal firmly believes that the effectiveness, credibility, and legitimacy of the United Nations depend on the consistent, impartial, and universal application of its Charter and international law. Selective application of international legal obligation undermines the rule-based international system and erodes confidence in multilateral institutions and the United Nations itself. For Nepal, the Charter represents not merely a moral legal framework, but also an indispensable safeguard of collective security and a bedrock of our foreign policy. We underscore the central role of the General Assembly as the principal deliberative policymaking and representative organ of the United Nations and reaffirm the importance of revitalizing it to meet the scale of cross-cutting challenges we are facing today. The respective mandates, functions and powers of the UN's principal organs must be respected in accordance with the Charter, while promoting greater coherence, cooperation and complementarity. Madam Chair, Nepal reiterates that sanctions should be employed as a measure of last resort, consistent with the principles and purposes of the UN Charter, and applicable international law, including international humanitarian and human rights law. Their application must be guided by clear objectives, proportionality, impartiality, and appropriate safeguards against unintended humanitarian consequences. Nepal supports meaningful and comprehensive reform of the United Nations, including the Security Council, to reflect contemporary geopolitical realities and make the organization more representative, democratic, transparent, accountable, and fit for purpose. Such reforms must adequately reflect the interests and concerns of developing countries, particularly countries in special situations, while strengthening their voice and participation in global decision-making. Nepal welcomes the Special Committee's contribution to examining proposals concerning the implementation of the Charter, international peace and security, working methods, and peaceful settlement of disputes, among others. We encourage the Committee to prioritize practical, constructive, and action-oriented proposals capable of securing broad agreement and producing tangible outcomes. We reaffirm the view that differences in political perspectives should not prevent progress on matters of common interest. Madam Chair, as a mountainous, landlocked and climate-vulnerable country, Nepal has suffered first-hand the devastating consequences of increasingly frequent and intense climate-related disasters. The recent climate disasters have demonstrated how quickly they can overwhelm national capacities, destroy decades of development gains and threaten human security. This reinforces our conviction that international solidarity, cooperation, and effective multilateral responses are indispensable to addressing challenges that transcend national boundaries. The Charter's commitment to international cooperation must therefore translate into a stronger partnership, enhanced preparedness, adequate financing, technology transfer, and capacity building support, particularly for countries facing structural and climate vulnerabilities. In conclusion, Madam Chair, Nepal reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the UN Charter, international law, and an effective, inclusive, and rule-based multilateral system with the UN at its core. Despite multi-front challenges the UN is facing from within and without, we must not give up rebuilding a United Nations that fosters multilateralism, restores trust among all nations, and upholds equal dignity, shared prosperity of all Member States. Nepal stands steadfast to engage constructively with all Member States in advancing the work of the Special Committee and strengthening the Organization to make it more agile, effective, and capable of responding to complex challenges of the 21st century. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Nepal for his statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Gabon.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, Gabon would like to align itself with the statements delivered by Cameroon and Iran on behalf of the African Group and NAM, respectively. We'd like to thank the Secretary-General for the relevant reports. My delegation would like to thank the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization. The Committee fulfills an indispensable role, strengthening international law and regulating norms. Thus, it merits our undivided attention. We welcome the multifaceted contributions of various States in support of the work of the Committee. We also commend the wonderful work done by the outgoing Bureau of the Committee. We also commend the newly elected Bureau and Mr. Joaquim Alberto Peres of Venezuela, the Chair. Rest assured, you have my delegation's support. We share the Committee member's vision regarding the defense of the principles and purposes of the Charter, especially as regards abstaining from force or the use of force, respecting the principles of territorial integrity, and settling disputes peacefully. This reflects our commitment to multilateralism, creating an organization that is more fit for purpose, more fit for tackling the challenges it faces. Madam Chair, our world is confronting global challenges which are inextricably linked. No nation, no institution, however large or small, can tackle these on its own. Effective multilateralism is therefore not an option, it's an absolute necessity for our time. Even though the fabric of our multilateral system is currently being pulled in various directions in unprecedented fashion, it has served us very well ever since it was woven. Nonetheless, we must recognize that ongoing failure to uphold commitments, double standards and historical injustices have weakened trust that is so necessary, trust in the cement of multilateralism. Efforts aimed at upholding the peace, especially in support of the norms enshrined in the Charter, must factor in the necessary balance between the principal organs of the Organization. We should also be placing particular emphasis on Article 51 of the Charter, how it's interpreted, to ensure that we do not see various reinterpretations of the principles governing the use of force. Madam Chair, we share the Committee's concerns regarding the risks of uncontrolled implementation of sanctions and the effects this will have on small States, on third parties, affected states and populations at large. Therefore, we need to ensure there is meticulous recourse to sanctions so that we effectively promote international norms in this field. We are also of the view that we should limit the scope of sanctions to specific objectives, that they should be time-bound and go hand in hand with a road map clearly sketching out how these sanctions are to be implemented and then phased out. On this note, we support the committee's efforts. aimed at bolstering the transparency of the organization's sanctions regimes, ensuring that the various sanctions are properly implemented, which would allow us to perhaps reduce or fully phase out unilateral sanctions, which can in fact also undermine international norms. Madam Chair, we'd like to welcome the attention the Committee has attached to the peaceful settlement of disputes, we are very much committed to promoting dialogue. We believe that there can be no substitute for negotiations as the best way for settling disputes. On this note, we align ourselves with the recommendations issued by Committee members, according to which the Committee, in keeping with its mandate, should remain seized of the peaceful settlement of disputes. Nonetheless, it's imperative for quantitative and qualitative indicators which have been established to measure the peaceful settlement of disputes. These need to be established on a sustainable footing. No peace can be stable, lasting, nor universal unless there is an interrupted political reserve, as you know full well. This is a very vast topic which includes the Manila Declaration, the advisory opinions of the ICJ, preventive diplomacy, mediation, in addition to traditional methods for settling disputes, a very vast field. By way of conclusion, we'd like to underscore that safeguarding future generations from the scourge of war all over the planet can only be achieved if we once again recommit to promoting collective peace and security, as being indivisible and at the same time reiterate our shared responsibility for these. This is in keeping with the chapter 8 which underscores the important role played by regional organizations in the maintenance of international peace and security. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Gabon for her statement and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

Madam Chair, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is grateful for the presentation of the report of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on Strengthening the Role of the Organization. We thank the Bureau of the Special Committee for leading the work at the session in February this year, and we extend those thanks to the Codification Division of the OLA for all their support. Madam Chair, as was noted by the President of the Republic, Delsy Rodriguez, our country continues to be guided by a strong belief in dialogue, understanding among nations, mutually beneficial cooperation and respect for international law. Through this constructive spirit and with commitment to multilateralism, we contribute to the consideration of this agenda item. 81 years on from the adoption of the Charter, the San Francisco Charter, Venezuela reaffirms that its principles, sovereign equality, self-determination of peoples, non-interference, the peaceful settlement of disputes, refraining from the threat or use of force, are legally binding obligations and an essential framework for coexistence among nations. Madam Chair, turning to the substantive work of the Special Committee, we welcome the review of the sanctions imposed by the United Nations and their effects on third states. We concur that sanctions should be an instrument of last resort with clearly defined objectives that are subject to periodic review and applied in accordance with the Charter and international humanitarian law with adequate procedural guarantees. We also take note of the revised version of the proposal on unilateral coercive measures contained in Annex 2 to the report. Venezuela, which is well aware of the effects of these measures on access for our population to food, medicines and other essential goods, believes that it would be helpful for the Committee to continue considering this topic technically, and we trust that dialogue and cooperation among States will be the right way to overcome this. We also support the review of the working paper put forward by Mexico and also on behalf of Brazil on the implementation of Article 51 of the Charter and its interrelationship with Article 2, paragraph 4. The sustained rise in communications invoking self-defense calls for a rigorous technical analysis that is open to all states without prejudice to particular situations and to benefit normative clarity. In terms of the peaceful settlement of disputes, we welcome the exchange of practices over the measures provided in Article 33 of the Charter. We underscore that free choice of these means by the parties, beginning with direct negotiation, is the right basis for lasting solutions. We also support the update of the manual on the peaceful settlement of disputes among states. the last version of which dates from 1992. At the regional level, we reaffirm our commitment to the proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a zone of peace adopted by CELAC in 2014, as well as our readiness to keep channels of dialogue open with all countries, both within and outside our region, for the benefit of the stability and well-being of our peoples. Madam Chair, to conclude, we appeal to all Member States to demonstrate the necessary flexibility to ensure that the Special Committee can advance towards specific outcomes on the proposals that have been on its agenda for years. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela reaffirms its commitment to the Charter, to multilateralism and to the peaceful settlement of disputes. We will continue to contribute constructively to the work of this Committee. Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative of Venezuela for his statement. And I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Kuwait.

Madam Chair, we would like at the outset to align ourselves with the statement delivered by Libya on behalf of the Arab Group, the statement delivered by the Kingdom of Bahrain on behalf of GC member states, as well as the statement of the Non-Aligned Movement. The State of Kuwait reaffirms its steadfast commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the UN as the foundation of the contemporary system of international relations and the comprehensive legal framework governing the rights and obligations of states. The principles of the sovereign equality of states, the refraining from the threat or use of force, and the peaceful settlement of international disputes are of particular importance in light of the growing challenges facing international peace and security. The provisions of the Charter are not selective obligations to be interpreted according to political interests or strategic calculations. Rather, they are binding rules upon all member states and must be implemented in good faith without double standards or attempts to justify conduct that runs counter to the purposes and principles of the organization. The international rule of law cannot be strengthened unless declared commitments are accompanied by genuine respect for legal obligations. While adhering firmly to these principles, the State of Kuwait strongly condemns the criminal and unjustified Iranian attacks that have targeted its territory since 28 February 2026. through the use of missiles and drones. These attacks have struck civilian facilities and vital infrastructure, including Kuwait International Airport and the headquarters of the Public Institution for Social Security. Such as attacks constitute a flagrant violation of sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state of Kuwait, a direct threat to the security and safety of civilians, and a breach of the obligations set forth in Article 2, paragraph 4 of the Charter, which prohibits the threat or use of force in international relations. We reject any attempts to justify these attacks through selective interpretations of the Charter or narratives that do not alter their unlawful nature. At the same time, we reaffirm our inherent right to self-defense in accordance with Article 51 of the Charter, in compliance with international law, in order to safeguard our sovereignty and protect the security and safety of our people. In this context, We underscore the central importance of Article 25 of the Charter, which requires members of the UN to accept and carry out the decisions of the Security Council in accordance with the Charter. We call upon Iran to comply with Security Council Resolution 2817, which condemned the Iranian attacks against the State of Kuwait, GCC member states, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Compliance with Security Council resolutions is not a political option, but rather part of legal responsibilities arising from membership in the United Nations. Failure to comply undermines the credibility of the collective security system and confidence in the effectiveness of multilateralism. The State of Kuwait also condemns the attacks targeting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and stresses the need to halt all actions that threaten the security and stability of the countries of the region, including attacks carried out by armed groups. It further emphasizes that respect for the sovereignty of states, good neighborliness, and non-interference in their internal affairs are obligations that cannot be circumvented, whether directly or indirectly. The State of Kuwait attaches particular importance to the work of the Special Committee on the Charter of the UN and Strengthening the Role of the Organization. We consider the committee a multilateral framework for examining legal and practical means of enhancing the UN capacity to fulfill its responsibilities. We believe that discussions within this committee should remain focused on practical outcomes that strengthen compliance with the Charter, improve the implementation of relevant decisions, and support the organization's role in preventing and peacefully resolving conflicts. In this regard, we emphasize the importance of devoting greater attention to the peaceful means of dispute settlement in accordance with Chapter VI of the Charter, including negotiations, mediation, good offices, and other means chosen by the parties concerned. It also stresses the need to strengthen coordination among UN organs within their respective mandates and to respect the institutional balance established by the Charter, thus enhancing the organization's efficiency and effectiveness without prejudice to the power of its organs. Strengthening the role of the UN cannot be achieved merely by adopting additional texts or reaffirming existing principles. Rather, it requires a genuine political will to implement existing obligations, constructive cooperation among member states, and a steadfast commitment to resolving disputes through dialogue and law, not through the use or threat of force. In conclusion, we reaffirm our commitment to the Charter of the UN and to the rules-based international order. We call upon all states to fulfill their obligations in good faith, respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, and implement Security Council resolutions in accordance with the Charter. The credibility of our Organization is preserved not merely by professing adherence to the principles of the Charter, but by respecting them in practice and strengthening the rule of law rather than the logic of force, thereby promoting security, stability, and justice for all peoples. Thank you, Madam Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative of Kuwait for his statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Sierra Leone.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Sierra Leone aligns itself with the statement delivered by the distinguished delegation of Cameroon and Iran on behalf of the African Group and the Non-Aligned Movement. We offer these additional remarks in our national capacity. Sierra Leone thanks the Chair and Bureau of the Special Committee and the Secretariat for their work. We take note with appreciation of the report contained in document A/81/2017. reflecting the deliberations of the Special Committee at its session held this year. Our delegation reaffirms its commitment to the Charter of the United Nations as the foundation of international peace and security, sovereign equality, and cooperation among nations. At a time of profound international tension, strengthening the Organization requires not selective invocation of the Charter, but faithful and consistent implementation of its purposes and principles. For Sierra Leone, the Charter's promise is practical, that disputes can be resolved without violence, that international law protect all states irrespective of their size, and that collective action can advance peace, justice, and development. Madam Chair, we attach particular importance to the peaceful settlement of disputes under Chapter VI. We welcome the Special Committee's thematic debate on the adaptation or combination of traditional means of dispute settlement. Negotiation, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, and judicial settlement should be understood as complementary tools, capable of being sequenced and adapted to the circumstances of a dispute, consistent with the Charter and the consent requirements applicable to each mechanism. We encourage the continued exchange of practical experiences. how parties move from negotiation to mediation, how regional initiatives can support United Nations good offices. In this regard, Sierra Leone reiterates the importance of Security Council Resolution 2788 in 2025, which calls for fuller use of charter-based mechanisms for peaceful settlement. Our delegation has previously emphasized its reaffirmation of dialogue, diplomatic engagement, and cooperation. We encourage practical follow-through that strengthens prevention and makes these mechanisms more accessible. We recognize the contribution of regional and subregional arrangements consistent with Chapter VIII and the central role of the International Court of Justice as the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. Strengthening peaceful settlement requires both political commitment and sustained institutional support. Madam Chair, on sanctions, CILM supports an approach firmly grounded in the Charter and international law. Sanctions should serve clearly defined peace and security objectives, be appropriately targeted, and remain subject to regular review. Their effectiveness and legitimacy require attention to humanitarian consequences, transparent procedures, and due process. We therefore support continued efforts to strengthen fair and effective listing and delisting procedures and to ensure that humanitarian assistance is not obstructed. We also attach importance to Article 50 and to meaningful consideration of the concerns of those states facing special economic problems arising from the implementation of Security Council measures. These issues remain an important part of the Special Committee's work. Strengthening the Organization also requires respect for the responsibilities and powers entrusted by the Charter to its principal organs. The General Assembly's representative character and the Security Council's primary responsibility for international peace and security should be mutually reinforcing. Institutional cooperation must strengthen rather than blur the Charter's allocation of functions. In the broader reforms process, CILSS reiterates the imperative of correcting Africa's historical underrepresentation in the Security Council, consistent with the common African position reflected in the Ezulwini Consensus and Set Declaration. A more representative and accountable Council is essential to the legitimacy and effectiveness of collective security. This position should be advanced through the appropriate intergovernmental processes without duplicating their mandate. Turning to the working methods, we encourage focused, inclusive, and result-oriented deliberations within the Special Committee. Proposals should be assessed on their legal merits, relevance to its mandate, and potential to command broad agreement. Sponsors and interested delegations should pursue consultations that identify concrete areas of convergence. We also commend the Secretariat's work on the Repertory of Practice of United Nations Organs and the Repertoire of the Practice of the Security Council. These resources support informed consideration of the Charter and institutional practice, We encourage the timely preparation and continued accessibility, including for delegations with limited resources. Madam Chair, the enduring value of the Special Committee lies in helping translate the Charter's commitment in effective practice. CIO stands ready to engage constructively in work that advances peaceful settlement, reinforces respect for international law, and strengthens an organization capable of serving all its Member States. I thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative of Sierra Leone for his statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Bangladesh.

Mr. Lahiraman Rahim. Madam Chair, Bangladesh aligns itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. We thank the Chair and Bureau of the Special Committee for its report and the Secretariat of the Secretary-General's report on the reportery and the rapporteur. Japan's 17 article constitution, traditionally dated to 604 and attributed to Prince Shotoku, opens with these words, "Harmony is to be valued and an avoidance of wanton opposition to be honored." Its last article provides that, "Decisions on important matters should not be made by one person alone, they should be discussed with many." The Charter of the United Nations rests on the same two ideas. Article 33 asks states to settle their disputes by negotiation, inquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement, regional arrangements, or other peaceful means of their own choice. Dag Hammarskjold put the purpose plainly. The United Nations was created not to bring us to heaven, but in order to save us from hell. Madam Chair, this year the Special Committee discussed the adaptation and combination of traditional means. Practice shows that the means listed in Article 33 work best not in isolation, but together. When Timor-Leste and Australia could not agree on their maritime boundary, Timor-Leste turned in 2016 to compulsory conciliation under the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea, the first of its kind. The Conciliation Commission did not impose a solution, it helped the two governments to negotiate one. On 6 March 2018, here at the United Nations headquarters, and in the presence of the Secretary General, they signed a treaty establishing their maritime boundary. A legal procedure created the space for diplomacy, and the diplomacy produced the law. Madam Chair, this is exactly what the International Court of Justice described in the Aegean Sea case in 1978. In the judgment delivered under President Eduardo Jimenez de Arechaga, the court observed that Negotiation and judicial settlement are enumerated together in Article 33, and the states have often pursued them paripassu, side by side. The Manila Declaration of 1982 adds a lesson that deserves repeating in every capital. Recourse to the court should not be considered an unfriendly act between states. Madam Chair, the next issue I draw your attention to is access. A right to recourse is only real if a state can afford to use it. International litigation needs specialized counsel, experts and time, and many developing countries have little of any of them. We therefore welcome the suggestion recorded in the Special Committee's report that further consideration be given to making international justice more accessible to developing countries. The Secretary-General's Trust Fund to Assist States in the Settlement of Disputes through the International Court of Justice, established in 1989, already exists for this purpose. Bangladesh has proposed modest language in the draft resolution encouraging contributions to it. It creates no new mandate and has no budgetary implications. Then we need to focus on the memory. The rapporteur and the rapporteur are the institutional memory of this organization. They record how the charter has actually been read and applied, but a record of the practice of all should be written by all. The report itself calls for geographical and linguistic diversity among the institutions that contribute. Bangladesh has proposed that this phrase be reflected in the resolution. On sanctions, Bangladesh recalls Article 50 of the Charter, which gives third states facing special economic problems the right to consult the Security Council. Sanctions should be targeted, limited in time, and accompanied by effective humanitarian exemptions so that they do not fall on those who never made the decisions they are meant to change. Bangladesh has also followed with interest the proposal on Article 51 of the Charter. Article 51 requires that measures taken in self-defense shall be immediately reported to the Security Council. In the Nicaragua case of 1986, the court under President Nagendra Singh observed that the absence of a report may be one one of the factors indicating whether the state in question was itself convinced that it was acting in self-defense or not. Madam Chair, we are open to a technical and procedural discussion of how these reports can be made more accessible. Article 25 of the Constitution of Bangladesh directs the state to base its international relations on the peaceful settlement of international disputes and respect for international law and the principles enunciated in the United Nations Charter. Those words are not written for ceremony. Bangladesh has lived by them and will continue to live by them in this committee and wherever disputes arise. Madam Chair, allow me to close with a thought on why this committee exists. The United Nations was founded to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind. In 1945, the world powers negotiated agreed and built a settlement on law. That settlement will endure only if the failures that brought down the League of Nations are not repeated. And that depends, above all, on the responsibility of all, and especially the powerful. History is generous with its warnings. Rome called itself the Eternal City. Many empires since then believed that they would never end, and none was right. The surest guarantee of peace is not power, but shared growth and well-being. The Charter itself recognizes this in Article 55, which speaks of the conditions of stability and well-being which are necessary for peaceful and friendly relations among nations. Where one part of the world is left in war and some find profit in it, peace everywhere is weaker. The way forward is to keep the promises of the Charter, to uphold international law, and to respect the institutions we created for our own benefit, among them the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court. The philosopher George Santayana warned that those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. History teaches us two lessons, that we seldom learn from it and that it repeats itself. It is still in our hands to prove the first lesson wrong so that we are spared of the second. I thank you, Madam Chair.

I thank the distinguished representative of Bangladesh, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Brazil.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The origins of the Special Committee date back to discussions within the General Assembly on the review of the UN Charter and on the need to enhance the organization's ability to achieve its purposes. The original mandate remains as relevant today as ever. Throughout its history, the Committee has contributed to the development of key instruments and discussions relating to the Charter, including the Manila Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes. It also provided guidance on the implementation of United Nations sanctions. These contributions underscore the value of a forum in which all Member States can exchange views on the implementation of the Charter. Brazil therefore welcomes the adoption by consensus of the committee's report for a second consecutive year. After a period in which the prevailing international environment affected the committee's ability to reach consensus on its report, this is to be lauded. Yet, further progress will require sustained engagement with the substantive issues before the committee. We also need to continue the reflection on its methods of work. We should not allow our commitment to consensus to overshadow our responsibility to advance the committee's work. Brazil welcomes this year's discussions on the adaptation and combination of traditional means of peaceful settlement of disputes. The various means provided for in the Charter, which are broad in scope and non-exhaustive, are well known to us all. It is regrettable, however, that we are now not making sufficient progress in building trust among Member States, so that they make more frequent use of these means. We should advance discussions aimed at reinforcing a trusted pool of providers of good offices, conciliators and mediators, such as the Standby Team, to whom Member States could turn promptly whenever necessary. Groups of countries are already interested in and actively engaged in these discussions, and countries such as Brazil would have much to contribute. In resolutions addressing specific disputes, the General Assembly and the Security Council could encourage consideration of these possibilities. We could also establish a global platform on mediation to gather interested states, NGOs, and academia, as well as the UN, to promote mediation initiatives and exchange best practices. Madam Chair, moving to the discussions in the Special Committee about sanctions, Brazil reiterates that only those adopted by competent multilateral organs, such as the Security Council under Chapter VII of the Charter, are legitimate and lawful under international law. Multilateral sanctions must follow clear and objective criteria and ensure due respect to human rights and international humanitarian law. They must be limited in time and subject to regular periodical reviews. Conversely, unilateral coercive measures are incompatible with international law. As an instrument of unilateral coercion, virtually unchecked by multilateral institutions, they violate the principles of sovereign equality and non-intervention, too often seeking to subordinate developing countries in the exercise of their sovereign rights. They almost never achieve their stated goals. all while imposing grave consequences to affected populations and fostering animosity and distrust between states. Ultimately, UCMs deepen existing inequalities, weaken multilateralism, and hamper the peaceful settlement of disputes, taking us further from, and not closer to, the purposes of the UN. Brazil is further deeply concerned as well with unilateral coercive measures directed against international institutions and officials exercising mandates established under international law. In this vein, we reiterate our support to the independence and integrity of the International Criminal Court, which must carry out its mandate free from any kind of political pressure or influence. Persecuting the court and its members encourages international crimes to go unpunished and sets a troubling precedent for the functioning of multilateral institutions. Madam Chair, Brazil welcomes the continued consideration of Mexico's proposal, which Brazil is pleased to endorse, concerning the application of Article 51. The right of self-defense has clearly defined boundaries under the Charter and international law. Communications on the exercise of the right of self-defense should contain sufficient information to allow for an informed assessment of their conformity with the Charter. Although addressed to the Security Council, these communications are of interest to the international community as a whole. As the most representative organ of the United Nations, the General Assembly is well placed to contribute to discussions aimed at enhancing transparency and legal clarity in this area. Madam Chair, Brazil also welcomes the progress achieved in updating the Repertory of Practice of UN Organs and the Repertoire of the Practice of the Security Council. These publications are invaluable tools. They preserve the institutional memory of the Organization and promote a better understanding of the practices within the United Nations. We commend the efforts undertaken to reduce existing backlogs and expand public access to these resources. Continued progress in this area remains key. In conclusion, the challenges the UN faces today only reinforce the continuing relevance of upholding the Charter. The importance of the Special Committee as a subsidiary organ of the GA is beyond doubt. The United Nations needs a forum in which all Member States can exchange views on the implementation of the Charter and on ways to strengthen the role of the Organization. I thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Brazil, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Equatorial Guinea.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Since this is the first time that we're taking the floor in this session, I'd like to congratulate Your Excellency and the other distinguished members of the Bureau on your well-deserved election. We align ourselves with the statements made by Cameroon on behalf of the African Group, the Islamic Republic of Iran on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, and Cuba on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defence of the Charter of the United Nations. In our national capacity, allow me to highlight the following aspects. I wish to begin by saying that for the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, the Charter of the United Nations isn't merely an historic document. It is a living treaty. It is the supreme source of legitimacy for the international order. For this reason, we welcome the adoption of the report of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations. and the presentation of the Secretary-General's report on the repertory of practice of UN organs and the Security Council. We are well aware of the fact that conflicts, tensions, geopolitical fragmentation, the erosion of multilateralism, and the selective use of international law that is currently being seen in the international community will not find an immediate solution in this forum. However, It is precisely amidst an increasingly complex international scenario that multilateralism is all the more relevant. In this context, the Special Committee is or should be a suitable space for legal analysis, for constructive discussion and for the quest for areas of convergence on essential matters for international peace and security. Overcoming our differences of opinion means involve having a willingness for dialogue, ensuring that we respect international law, and being ready to forge consensus, which contributes to strengthening trust among States and the effectiveness of our collective action. We recognize and we value the important achievements of the UN system in promoting peace, justice and sustainable development. However, current challenges reveal the need to continue building the organization's ability to anticipate and respond effectively to emerging challenges. Through this constructive spirit, we reaffirm our commitment to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and to joint work to strengthen a more effective organization that is able to respond to the needs and expectations of the international community by peaceful means and to advance towards international law-based solutions. Madam Chair, To work towards a more representative, effective organization that is better able to respond to current challenges, my delegation believes that it is urgent to further the reform of the United Nations, particularly the Security Council. It is essential that we address the use of the veto, preventing specific interests prevailing over the protection of the civilian population, particularly where atrocities or humanitarian crises are occurring. In the same way, the Council's enlargement should correct the historic injustice against Africa, whereby it is the only continent in the world which is unrepresented in the category of permanent members of the Security Council, this despite the fact that almost 70 per cent of the items on the Council's agenda concern Africa. Turning now to the sanctions regime, we continue to support a responsible approach that prioritizes the assessment of their humanitarian and socioeconomic consequences, their application as a measure of last resort, and their periodic review. so as to ensure that they can be either amended or lifted when they have achieved their objectives or when their effects are disproportionate. In addition, we reiterate our categorical rejection of unilateral coercive measures. They are incompatible with the principles of sovereign equality and non-intervention, and their effects can hamper development, worsen vulnerability and stymie the effective enjoyment of basic rights. Madam Chair, in our common aspiration to consolidate a culture of peace, Equatorial Guinea reaffirms the value of preventive diplomacy as the essential instrument to anticipate tensions and prevent differences escalating into conflicts. In this context, we believe it's essential to strengthen dialogue, negotiation, and other peaceful settlement mechanisms provided under Chapter 6 of the UN Charter, particularly in Article 33. In addition, we underscore the importance of preserving multilateralism, promoting recourse to the International Court of Justice and respecting its decisions, this as an expression of our commitment to international law and peaceful coexistence among States. Madam Chair, to conclude, we reiterate our commitment to the work of the Committee, and we encourage it to continue promoting specific initiatives, responding to current challenges and contributing to a more effective, transparent and inclusive organization that is able to foster trust and provide responses that are commensurate with the aspirations of all Member States. Thank you very much.

thank the distinguished representative of Equatorial Guinea, the last speaker on the list for this agenda item for this morning. The plenary of the Sixth Committee will hold a further meeting this afternoon at 3:00 p.m. to continue and conclude the debate on agenda item 83, report of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on strengthening the role of the Organization. The working group on the scope and application of the principle of universal jurisdiction will meet immediately following the conclusion of the additional plenary meeting this afternoon. Distinguished delegates, before concluding, I wish to inform the Sixth Committee that Mr. Mohamed Hilal of Egypt will coordinate the preparation of the omnibus draft resolution on the agenda item 83 this year. Furthermore, this year marks the 80th anniversary of the International Court of Justice. The Bureau has recommended that the Sixth Committee consider the negotiation of a draft resolution commemorating the anniversary, as was done 10 years ago on the occasion of the 70th anniversary. The Bureau has requested Ms. Shanchita Haque of Bangladesh to coordinate the negotiation of the draft resolution. I understand that Mr. Mohamed Hilal of Egypt will not be available to take the floor on the draft resolution this afternoon. As such, with the indulgence of the committee, I would like to give Mr. Hilal the floor in order to inform the committee of his plans for the preparation of the draft resolution. You have the floor, sir.

Well, thank you, Chair.

I thank you, and I thank the committee for their indulgence. Madam Chair, dear colleagues, I have the honor to briefly introduce the zero draft resolution on item 83 titled Report of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on Strengthening the Role of the Organization.

The zero draft resolution is based on resolution 80/166 adopted last year with necessary technical updates

in line with the decisions made in previous resolutions, especially paragraph two of the annexed resolution 71/146 regarding the mandate of the Special Committee and paragraph 5B of resolution 77/109 regarding subtopics of the thematic debate in future sessions. It also incorporates the recommendations of the Special Committee on the Repertoire of Practice of the United Nations Organs and the Repertoire of the Practice of the Security Council.

The zero draft resolution was circulated last week and discussed in the first informal consultations

that we held earlier this week.

I invite delegations to submit their written proposals as soon as possible.

The time of the second informal consultation will be announced later, depending on the progress of agenda items in the committee. I will also continue to work with all delegations with a view to reaching a consensus on the draft resolution.

I thank delegations in advance for their support.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I thank Mr. Hilal for his concise update, but very informative. Distinguished delegates, could I also ask Ms. Shanchita Haque of Bangladesh to take the floor on the draft resolution in relation to the anniversary of the International Court of Justice. You have the floor, madam.

Thank you, madam. Madam Chair, dear colleagues, I have the honor to

briefly introduce the zero draft resolution entitled Commemoration of the 80th Anniversary of the International Court of Justice. The zero draft resolution is based on resolution 71/147, adopted in 2016 on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the ICJ, with necessary technical updates. The zero draft resolution will be circulated shortly. I invite delegations to submit their written proposals by close of business, 30th October. The time of the informal consultation will be announced later. I will work closely with all delegations with a view to reaching a consensus on the draft resolution. I thank the delegations in advance for their support. I thank you, Madam Chair.

I thank Ms. Haque, Deputy Permanent Representative of Bangladesh. Before adjourning, I do have some announcements to make. I wish to remind delegations that the informal consultations On agenda item 85, the scope and application of the principle of universal jurisdiction, and agenda item 80, expulsion of aliens, will take place today during the lunch break in this room. Finally, as was decided at the first meeting of the committee, delegations are reminded that the deadline to inscribe for the debates for the first two clusters of the debate on the annual report of the International Law Commission scheduled for next week is this afternoon at 5:00 p.m. I urge you to adhere to that agreed deadline. The meeting is adjourned.