General Assembly Security Council

Statement by Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin, Permanent Representative, at the United Nations Security Council Open Debate on 'Respect to the Principles and Purposes of the Charter of the United Nations as Key Element for the Maintenance of International Peace and Security' on  February 15, 2016.

 

 

 

Mr. President, 

 

          Let me at the outset compliment you  and your team for the useful Concept Note circulated for today's open debate. We also convey our appreciation for the briefing by the Secretary General. 

 

Mr.  President

 

2.       The Security Council has taken the lead in referring to the purposes and principles of the Charter while attempting to maintain international peace and security. However, its own actions have not always been in the spirit of the Charter. For illustrative purposes, I would like to focus on three areas symptomatic of where the spirit that imbues the purposes and principles that underpin the Charter is no longer evident in the Council's day to day functioning. 

 

3. First, we are all fond of emphasizing that the UN Charter was adopted in the name of 'we the people'. Yet, rarely a week passes when there is no incident reported from some part of the world and where the 'people' in whose name the Charter was adopted are the targets of terrorist attacks. While terrorism remains a cardinal threat to maintenance of international peace and security, the efforts of the United Nations and the Security Council in taking decisive action to combat terrorism leaves much to be desired.      

 

4. By way of example, let me take the requirement of consensus for listing any terrorist or a terrorist organization in the UNSC Sanctions regime.  This extension of the veto to all members of the Committee has in practice resulted in the 1267 ISIL-Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee many a time being held hostage to the whims and fancies of one Member State or the other. There is no explanation required and a simple statement of 'objection' or a 'hold' or a 'block' kills the listing request assiduously built against those who have undertaken heinous activities.   Who bears the responsibility of such decisions or rather indecisions when well known terror groups and individuals whose listing has been blocked or put on hold behind the anonymous consensus decision making process resort to carnage at a subsequent date? Furthermore, we have noticed that even brazen public violations of the sanctions regime by listed individuals and entities, far from attracting punitive measures, do not even elicit the mildest censure. Yet, we the general membership of the UN are expected to comply with the decisions of the Council's Sanctions Committees decisions or lack thereof.

 

Mr.  President,

 

5.     Second, 'peacekeeping' is the signature activity of the Security Council in the maintenance of international peace and security. In this context we would like to raise the lack of consultation between the Security Council and the Troop contributing countries despite Article 44 of the Charter, which explicitly requires the Council to invite Member States contributing troops, who are not members of the Council, to participate in the decisions of the Council. This has seriously compromised the objectives of peacekeeping. We, the TCCs have our troops on the ground and have important inputs to provide the Security Council, which is tasked to formulate the mandates of peacekeeping operations. The lack of consultations is at the cost of the efficiency of Peacekeeping Operations. While we stand ready to fulfill the mandate finalized by the Council, it is logical that we expect the Council to consult the TCCs. 

 

Mr. President,

 

6.      Third and finally, the Council needs to be reminded that charity begins at home. It is ironical that the Security Council is working towards the establishment of democracy and Rule of Law in various parts of the world when its own house is not in order. The current structure and methods of work of the Security Council are divorced from reality and represent a bygone era. To regain its legitimacy there is no option but for the Security Council to reform. We hope it does not require a cataclysmic crisis to foster this fundamental change. There has never been a greater need for reform of the Council which is a sine quo non for the optimal efficiency of the Council and would be the real form of tribute to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.  

 

I thank you Mr.  President