Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hugh Todd has told the United Nations Security Council that countries must continue to demonstrate by their collective actions that the UN remains the moral compass of the world.

Speaking on the issue of the emerging trend of eroding respect for the UN Charter, Minister Todd said there must be recommitment to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.

He told the Security Council that the UN must make it consequential for those Member States who violate established global norms and standards, including international law, adding that member states must not and cannot accept double standards in the application of the legal norms to which they have all agreed.

“It is, after all, only we the Member States who can ensure that this happens, and I take this opportunity to urge a recommitment, by all of us, to uphold the Charter as the standard for all decisions and actions. Membership of this organization is voluntary but adherence to the purposes and principles of the Charter is not. It is a legal obligation. Our world is replete with painful examples of the consequences of violating the provisions of the Charter. Gaza, Sudan, and Ukraine are three such cases that are particularly concerning owing to the depth of human suffering and destruction taking place”, Todd said.

Todd said although there is political will on the part of most Council members to make the right decisions to bring the wars to an end, and to create conditions for the protection of civilians, the Council is stymied by one or the other veto.

He said as various wars rage on in the world, the UN Security Council must use all tools at its disposal to protect civilians wherever they are. He said the Security Council must also work alone with regional organisations more.

“It is therefore important for the Security Council to continue working closely with regional organizations such as the African Union (AU), the European Union (EU), and my own Caribbean Community (CARICOM), inter alia, to jointly develop responses to threats to peace and security in the respective regions, the Minister said.

He said Peace is the foundation for development, and development itself is critical for sustainable peace, adding that Guyana urges bold and visionary leadership for development and sustainable peace and commits to doing its part towards this global endeavour.

Guyana is a non-permanent member member of the UN Security Council.

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