‘Powers That Violate International Law Sit On Security Council’, Says UN Secretary-General Guterres

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has directly criticised the conduct of major powers on the UN Security Council, saying some states that “themselves violate international law” are sitting on the body responsible for maintaining international peace and security.

Responding to a question at a press conference ahead of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly on Wednesday about why repeated calls to respect international law have gone unheeded, Guterres pointed to divisions among the world's major powers.

“We have geopolitical divides, and in these geopolitical divides, we have powers that themselves violate international law and sit in the Security Council … and that has been paralysing the Security Council,” Guterres said.

He linked the problem directly to the need for reform of the Council. “That is why the reform of the Security Council must be an absolute priority,” he added.

‘A Factor Of Paralysis’

Guterres also criticised the Council's current composition, arguing that it no longer reflects the distribution of power in the world. “It is unacceptable to have a Security Council with a composition that reflects the world of many decades ago instead of reflecting today’s world, and that is a factor of paralysis,” he said.

He said the problem ultimately went beyond the Council's structure to the way global power is distributed and exercised. Adding further, he said that, “The question is a question of power, and the question is that the way power is distributed and power is used in our world does not allow multilateral institutions to act effectively.”

He also warned that the conduct of major powers could influence the behaviour of other countries. “Because the example coming from the biggest powers is not a good example, every country around the world feels that they are entitled to do whatever they want,” he said.

“And they know that they will do it with impunity because the Security Council, that is the organization that is supposed to maintain peace and security in the world, is paralyzed,” he emphasised.

UNSC Reform

Guterres has repeatedly called for reform of the Security Council, including during his visit to India for the 18th BRICS Summit earlier this month.

Addressing the summit in New Delhi, he argued that the institutions created after the Second World War no longer adequately reflect today's economic, demographic and geopolitical realities. The UN said he called for an overhaul of institutions including the Security Council.

The reform push also featured in his remarks ahead of the summit, when UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Guterres would argue that “today's economic, demographic, and geopolitical realities are not those of 1945”.

India has long sought permanent membership of an expanded Security Council and has called for greater representation of developing countries and the Global South.