UNSC meeting: Regional arrangements for peace

UN Security Council Session: Strengthening International Peace through Regional Cooperation and Dialogue

The UN Security Council convened a session to discuss the role of regional, sub-regional, and bilateral arrangements in maintaining international peace and security. The debate centered on several key themes, including the importance of regional organizations, the need for conflict prevention and peaceful dispute resolution, and calls for UN Security Council reform.

Regional Organizations and Frameworks

Many speakers emphasized the crucial role of regional and sub-regional organizations in conflict prevention and resolution. These bodies were seen as uniquely positioned to understand local dynamics and foster trust among member states. The African Union, ASEAN, and the European Union were frequently cited as examples of effective regional frameworks.

Slovenia highlighted that regional organizations possess in-depth knowledge of local situations and have developed innovative early warning mechanisms. The Russian Federation noted that regional arrangements often manage to maintain their course even in troubled waters. Kenya, however, cautioned that not all regional frameworks contribute positively to peace efforts, urging discernment in supporting such arrangements.

Several countries, including China and Algeria, called for strengthening partnerships between the UN and regional organizations. The United States welcomed cooperation between the UN and various regional bodies, while emphasizing the need to integrate human rights and rule of law into peacebuilding efforts.

Conflict Prevention and Peaceful Dispute Resolution

A recurring theme was the importance of preventive diplomacy and peaceful conflict resolution. Many speakers advocated for greater utilization of Chapter 6 of the UN Charter, which outlines tools for pacific settlement of disputes.

Brazil urged the Security Council to dedicate more energy to conflict prevention and peaceful solutions, suggesting a reduction in reliance on Chapter 7 measures. Germany supported this view, calling for better utilization of Chapter 6 tools and emphasizing the role of the UN Mediation Support Unit.

Several countries shared their experiences with peaceful conflict resolution. Ecuador and Peru highlighted their 1998 peace agreement as a successful example of regional conflict resolution. Malaysia emphasized ASEAN’s dispute resolution system based on negotiation and mediation.

The importance of dialogue was stressed by multiple speakers. Qatar, for instance, emphasized preventive diplomacy, dialogue, and mediation as cornerstones of its foreign policy. Turkey highlighted its role in facilitating prisoner exchanges and hosting peace talks in Ukraine.

UN Security Council Reform

Many speakers called for reform of the UN Security Council to make it more representative and effective. India advocated for comprehensive reform, arguing that the Council’s current ineffectiveness undermines peaceful dispute resolution. Pakistan proposed enlarging the voice of small and medium-sized states and introducing periodic elections for accountability.

Africa’s representation in the Council was a particular focus. Algeria supported addressing the issue of Africa’s presence within UN institutions, specifically the Security Council. Italy echoed this sentiment, aiming to make the Council more representative, democratic, accountable, transparent, and effective.

Women’s Participation in Peace Processes

Several speakers emphasized the importance of women’s participation in peace processes. Spain highlighted its creation of the Latin American Network of Women Mediators and its work with the African Union on women’s mediation. Denmark stressed that peace processes should always reflect the needs and perspectives of all stakeholders affected by conflict, including women and youth.

Josefina Echavarría Alvarez, representing the University of Notre Dame, presented research showing that peace accords are more likely to succeed when they are comprehensive and inclusive, particularly of women and other marginalized groups.

Financing for Peace Operations

The need for predictable and sustainable financing for peace operations, particularly those led by the African Union, was discussed by several speakers. France, Ghana, and others supported providing UN-assessed contributions for African Union-led peace operations. Egypt called for increased funding for the UN Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund.

Current Global Challenges

The session took place against a backdrop of ongoing conflicts and tensions. Many speakers referenced the situation in Ukraine, the recent escalation in Gaza, and other global hotspots. The United Kingdom noted that last year saw 55 active conflicts and more battle-related deaths than any year since 1984.

These current challenges underscored the urgency of strengthening international cooperation and enhancing the tools available for conflict prevention and resolution. Speakers emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach to addressing root causes of conflicts, including poverty, inequality, and lack of inclusive governance.

In conclusion, the session highlighted the complex nature of maintaining international peace and security in an increasingly multipolar world. While there was broad agreement on the importance of regional cooperation and peaceful dispute resolution, divergent views emerged on specific issues such as Security Council reform and the role of certain regional organizations. The debate underscored the ongoing challenges in achieving consensus on global security issues, but also demonstrated a shared commitment to strengthening the international framework for peace and security through dialogue and cooperation.

President – Brazil:
The 9,448th meeting of the Security Council is called to order. The provisional agenda for this meeting is maintenance of international peace and security, peace through dialogue, the contribution of regional, sub-regional, and bilateral arrangements to the prevention and peaceful resolution of disputes. The agenda is adopted. I would like to warmly welcome the distinguished ministers and other high-level representatives present in the Security Council Chamber. Your presence today underscores the importance of the subject matter under discussion. In accordance with Rule 37 of the Council’s Provisional Rules of Procedure, I invite the representatives of Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Denmark, Egypt, Ethiopia, Georgia, Germany, India, Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Italy, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, and Ukraine to participate in the meeting. It is so decided. In accordance with Rule 39 of the Council’s Provisional Rules of Procedure, I invite the following briefers to participate in this meeting. Mr. Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary General for Middle East, Asia, and the Pacific in the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations. Your Excellency, Ms. Michelle Bachelet, former President of Chile. His Excellency, Mr. Thabo Mbeki, former President of South Africa. Ms. Josefina Echevarria Alvarez, Director of the Peace Accords Matrix. It is so decided. In accordance with Rule 39 of the Council’s Provisional Rules of Procedure, I also invite His Excellency Mr. Olof Skoog, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations, to participate in this meeting. It is so decided. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of Item 2 of the agenda. I wish to draw the attention of Council members to Document S-2023-732, a letter dated 3 October 2023, from the Chargé d’Affaires at the interim of the permanent mission of Brazil to the United Nations, addressed to the Secretary General. I now give the floor to Mr. Khaled Khiari.

Khaled Khiari – Assistant Secretary General for Middle East, Asia, and the Pacific in the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations:
Mr. President, I would like to express my gratitude to Brazil for hosting this important open debate. Today, the stakes for preventive diplomacy and dialogue could not be higher. The dangerous and escalating situation in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory is a bitter reminder of the urgent need for an end to the horrific violence, an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, and a pathway to negotiations toward a just, lasting and comprehensive political solution. Absent a negotiated two-state solution, this vicious cycle of violence risks plunging the entire region into conflict for years and generations to come. Excellency, the world has entered a new era. The post-Cold War period is over and the transition is underway to a new global order. As history teaches us, transition periods come with heightened risks. This new era is already marked by deepening divisions and re-entrenchment. Geopolitical tensions are at their highest in decades. Contestation and competition among states is increasingly testing the boundaries set in the United Nations Charter. The ensuing loss of trust and the risks of escalation affect almost all regions. At the same time, many states are skeptical and have been for some time of how the multilateral system is working for them. They have profound grievances regarding unmet commitments and double standards. Women and men everywhere also have a deep sense that governments and international organizations are failing to deliver for them. With increasing geopolitical strife and challenges to international norms, negotiated settlements of conflict have been harder to achieve. Pursuit of military solutions has sadly been a prominent feature of recent conflicts for which the civilians are paying a heavy toll. The deterioration of global and regional arms control frameworks and crisis management protocols which had helped stabilize great power rivalries has increased the possibilities of dangerous standoff, miscalculation, and escalation. In some regions, polarized global politics are mirrored in the unravelling of integration efforts that had previously contributed to regional stability for decades. Against this backdrop, the Secretary General’s policy brief on a new agenda for Peace outlines how member states can take action to re-engage, de-escalate, recommit to diplomacy for peace, and rebuild trust. Mr. President, the driving forces for a more effective collective security system must be diplomacy. Diplomacy requires risk-taking, persistence, and creativity. Diplomatic engagement is important among countries that think alike, but it is crucial between those that disagree. Diplomacy demands, above all else, a commitment to the pacific settlement of disputes. Chapter 6 of the United Nations Charter prescribes that all states shall rely on peaceful means as their first option to resolve disputes. It offers a range of options to address our differences within the framework of this Council, within our respective regions, or bilaterally. Adherence to the principles set out in the United Nations Charter remains an essential precondition. It is our collective obligation under international law to prevent and resolve armed conflict. Regional organizations and frameworks have a critical role to play in this regard. They can bring credibility and legitimacy for preventive diplomacy. They can help increase trust and reduce misperceptions. And they can enhance mechanisms for crisis management. In the face of growing competition at the global level and increasingly transnational threats, regional frameworks and organizations can offer avenues for trust-building and detente. Regional actions have successfully prevented conflicts and escalation throughout recent history. Not all lessons are transferable from one region to another, but their essence is important. How to initiate dialogue to overcome differences and seek assistance of a trusted intermediary when needed, sometimes from within the region and sometimes from outside. How to ensure that channels of communication remain open even when the disputes escalate into violence. How to take account of the fears and concerns of one’s rival and actively work to reduce these by building frameworks and enhance trust. Strengthening, building, or rebuilding regional frameworks and organizations is particularly important in regions where longstanding security architectures are collapsing or mired in stalemate or where they have never existed. We also need strong partnerships between the United Nations and regional organizations. Mr. President, as the new Agenda for Peace recognizes, the member states of the United Nations have the responsibility and the means to meet the shared obligations entrusted to them by the United Nations Charter. The good offices of the Secretary General and his envoys remain at your disposal, not only as a tool to prevent and mediate conflict, but as an impartial vehicle to bring member states together to seek mutually acceptable solutions. Good offices can help manage and reverse the deterioration of global and regional relations. It is also the responsibility of the United Nations Secretariat to put forth proposals that can help enhance trust and increase space for cooperation. A shared understanding of challenges is an essential prerequisite to agreeing on potential solutions. That is why a new Agenda for Peace aims to provide a unifying analysis of the current geopolitical moment as the basis for joint problem solving. It is our duty to seize every moment to forge a common understanding of the threats and challenges before us. The impartiality of the Secretariat is vital. An impartial Secretariat can help forge common ground between states or conflict parties, even in the most complex of circumstances, and assist decision-making in Security Council with analysis that takes into account divergent perspectives around this table. In this increasingly divided world, we need at least one institution in which all can trust. Mr. President, we cannot afford to leave any stone unturned in search of avenues for de-escalation and trust-building. For this to work, we need courage to listen to the views of others and consider them in good faith. Regional frameworks and institutions play a key bridging-building conduit in this regard. I commend them and all those that expand tireless efforts every day in pursuit of building bridges across divides. At a time of heightened tensions, it is our shared responsibility to do everything in our power to maintain the system of collective security that our predecessors built. Thank you, Mr. President.

President – Brazil:
I thank Assistant Secretary General Chiari for his briefing. And I’ll give the floor to Her Excellency Ms. Michelle Bachelet.

Michelle Bachelet:
Mr. President, I want to thank the Permanent Mission of Brazil for inviting me to participate in this important and timely debate. We must recognize that the world order is shifting. It must adjust to a more fragmented geopolitical landscape. We witness the growing complexity of the conflict environment, making its resolution more difficult as local and regional dynamics intersect in complex ways with the interests of its external parties. For these new challenges, we must build a robust and universal approach to preventing conflict and violence that aligns with the approach guiding actions through across the human rights and sustainable development pillars. Prevention saves lives and safeguards development gains. Chapter 6 of the Charter describes the tools available to them for that purpose. Negotiation, inquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement and other peaceful measures and means. Preventing crisis is primarily the responsibility of member states. We have to rebalance our approach to international peace and security and do everything to help countries avert the outbreak of crisis that take a high toll on humankind. But in order to be effective, dialogue, mediation, etc. needs to be planned ahead and implemented at early stages. They need to be persistent, substantive, and agreements need to be respected and implemented so you can really build trust among the parties in conflict if you want to really prevent it. Even when conflict already arises, those tools can be useful in terms of maintaining channels or bridges between the parties or through third parties. Mr. President, the role of regional organizations and their work in cooperation with the United Nations are crucial. Regional and sub-regional intergovernmental security mechanisms are fundamental and relevant in this context, but they need to be effective. Chapter 8 of the United Nations Charter contains provisions concerning regional arrangements, their role in maintaining peace, and their relation with the Security Council. More than ever, the United Nations is called on to play a vital role by encouraging and promoting dialogue among its members to achieve the goal of strengthening regional organizations and enabling them to play an increasing role in maintaining international peace and security. In the policy brief of the new Agenda for Peace published in July by the Secretary-General, he calls for robust regional frameworks and organizations in the face of growing competition at the global level and says that increasingly transnational. These regional frameworks and organizations should promote trust-building, transparency, and intent. But we cannot forget that conflicts breed where there is poor governance, human rights abuse, and grievances over the unequal distribution of resources, wealth, and power. Mr. President, as we mark the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, human rights are facing pushback in all regions. Painfully, we see a significant global retrenchment of human rights and an erosion of the rule of law, including in the context of armed conflict. We urgently need to come back to the core principles. The United Nations is a norms-based organization. Rebuilding consensus among member states is an essential task for the international system. Diplomacy should be a tool not only for reducing the risk of conflict, but also for managing the heightened fractures that mark the geopolitical order today, and carving out spaces for cooperation for shared interests. Women’s participation in mediation is essential for achieving lasting positive peace, which goes well beyond just the silencing of guns. Women are crucial partners in economic recovery, social cohesion, and political legitimacy, and women’s participation in a mediation process can help ensure that more diverse members of the community become engaged in peacemaking. Precipitating women’s meaningful participation in all decision-making, eradicating all forms of violence against women, both online and offline, and upholding women’s rights would not just help shift power, but also result in giant steps forward in sustaining peace. Mr. President, I want to highlight the positive experiences of bilateral, sub-regional, and regional arrangement as a crucial part of our collective endeavor to build confidence and maintain international peace and security. In this regard, I would like to conclude by recalling that we are close to the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Brasilia Agreement on the 26th of October. 1998, which marked a truly historic moment, ending a boundary dispute in the Americas, with active participation as guarantors of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and the United States. This is clear evidence of the value of regional actors in building sustainable peace. I thank you, Mr. President.

President – Brazil:
I thank Her Excellency Ms. Michelle Bachelet for her briefing, and I’ll give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Thabo Mbeki.

Thabo Mbeki:
Your Excellency, President of the UN Security Council, Your Excellency Michelle Bachelet, Your Excellencies, Ministers and Permanent Representatives to the UN, distinguished fellow participants at this important open discussion, ladies and gentlemen. Speaking as an African, Mr. President, I thank you most sincerely both for placing on the Security Council agenda the important question of peace through dialogue, as well as inviting me to participate in this Security Council open discussion on various elements of the global struggle for peace in the world. As Your Excellencies know very well, for many decades now to date, the overwhelming majority of UN peacekeepers has been deployed in Africa, for the obvious reason of the regularity of conflicts on our continent, which were and have been a threat to international peace and security. As the Council also knows, some years ago the African Union took the solemn decision to silence the guns by 2020. The concrete reality, however, obliged the African Union later to extend its target date to 2030. I make this comment, Mr. President, to emphasize that obviously Africa and specifically the African Union will continue to require direct cooperation with the Security Council to address the challenge of securing peace on our continent, Africa. And only three years ago, in September 2020, On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the UN, a former UN staff member, Mark Cogan, made some observations relating to UN-Africa cooperation on matters of peace. He wrote that, quote, since the start, UN peacekeeping in Africa has been a miserable failure, unquote. He then cites a number of examples, including the 1961 UN intervention in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the intervention in Rwanda during the 1994 genocide, the second intervention in the DRC in 1999 to stop a civil war which had already killed more than a million, three million people, pardon me, as well as the interventions in South Sudan and Mali. Obviously, neither the UN nor the AU want to perpetuate any failures regarding conflict prevention and resolution in Africa. In this context, Mr. President, I’d like to remind Council of elements of the 2015 report of the United Nations High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations, called HIPO. One of these elements is what the HIPO calls the primacy of politics. In this regard, it says, and I quote, lasting peace is not achieved nor sustained by military or technical engagements, but through political solutions. The primacy of politics should be the hallmark of the approach of the United Nations to the resolution of conflict during mediation, monitoring of ceasefires, assistance to the implementation of peace accords, and management of violent conflicts, and long-term efforts at sustaining peace, unquote. The second element refers to what HIPO calls global and regional partnership for peace and security, about which it says, and I quote again, the panel fully endorses the Secretary General’s recent statement that we have entered an era of partnership peacekeeping, partnership peacekeeping. With a new conviction, the United Nations and regional organizations must mobilize their comparative advantages in responding to emerging crises while sustaining support to long running ones. A bold new agenda is required to build a strong global regional framework to meet those challenges through responsible and principled strategic partnerships, unquote. I mentioned these two elements, Mr. President, in the HIPAA report because of their direct relevance to what needs to be done to strengthen the peace effort globally. Concerning our continent, it goes without saying that our continental organization, the African Union, which has a strong African peace and security architecture has the comparative advantage that it is best placed to ensure the primacy of politics in its area of jurisdiction, Africa, on which the HIPAA insisted in terms of the prevention and resolution of conflict, even where violent conflict has already broken out. It is obvious from this, that this observation would also apply to the various important international interventions to the prevention and resolution of conflict mentioned in chapter six of the UN Charter. I would like to believe that this observation about the AU, the African Union, applies equally to other regional organizations. All this emphasizes the important point made by HIPAA that a bold new agenda is required to build a strong global regional framework to meet those challenges through responsible and principled strategic partnerships. It is in the vital interest of the Security Council. to ensure that its regional partners, like the African Union, are strong enough to discharge their responsibilities as part of the global peace architecture. In this regard, it would be important that agreement is reached to use some of the UN resources to fund AU-led peace operations. This would help to elevate the practical importance of Chapter 8 of the UN Charter, as President Michel Bachelet just said. Nothing I have said seeks to weaken the Security Council. To the contrary, for it successfully to discharge its solemn obligation to guarantee international peace and security, the Security Council requires strong regional partners capable of assisting it in the context of Chapters 6, 7, and 8 of the UN Charter. And I hope this important session of the Council, Mr. President, will help towards the realization of this objective. I thank you very much.

President – Brazil:
I thank His Excellency Mr. Thabo Mbeki for his briefing. I now give the floor to Ms. Josefina Echevarria Alvarez.

Josefina Echavarría Alvarez:
Thank you, Her Excellency President Michel Bachelet, His Excellency President Thabo Mbeki, His Excellency Mr. Igli Hasyani, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania, Her Excellency Ms. Noura Bin Mohamed Alkavi, Minister of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, Honorable Assistant Secretary Mohamed Khaled Kiari, distinguished members of the Security Council. I want to thank Brazil for this invitation which honors me greatly as a representative of the University of Notre Dame. In these times of peril, tension, and increased securitization of international relations, this debate on peace through dialogue is urgent. Sustained dialogue is most needed when there are disagreements. and political difficulties. These are the best times to deepen our understanding on how and when the implementation of peaceful arrangement fails, which is not an uncommon occurrence, and focus our attention on how to design and implement peaceful arrangements that can succeed in the short, mid, and long term. At PAM, the Peace Accords Matrix Project at the Kroc Institute, we have researched more than 34 intrastate comprehensive peace accords since 1989. We tracked the implementation process for up to 10 years following the signing of each agreement. We assigned a methodology specialized in monitoring the implementation of the commitments so that we can compare accords among themselves and also look at the performance of the provisions in their own right. PAM data offers insights into the types of provisions that are more or less likely to be implemented, how implementation processes unfold over time, how implementation affects different post-accord outcomes. We make use of this research-based knowledge to engage conflict parties, mediators, negotiators, and civil society organizations in dialogues with technical advice on process and content issues. The findings from our database and analysis provide us with relevant insights as to the reason for peace accords failure. Most peace accords fail when they are not comprehensive in relation to the issues they cover, when not all actors and stakeholders are engaged in negotiation and implementation, and importantly, when the peace accords lacks a strong and independent verification and monitoring mechanism. Let me expand on each of these factors. First, peace agreements are more likely to succeed when the commitments included in the accord go beyond military and security provisions, such as those dealing with demobilization and integration of ex-combatants, and they are more likely to succeed when they incorporate questions of political and social development, gender and ethnic rights, as well as justice-related reforms that benefit society as a whole. More often than not, these reforms are brought to the negotiation table by the victims of the war and other representatives of civil society organizations. Here we find a second key factor for successful peace. accords, the actors and stakeholders sitting at the negotiation table must include those most affected by the war, such as women, youth and ethnic communities. Listening to the victims helps to understand the deep transformations needed to overcome violence and their ownership of the accord further supports the implementation process. Hence, putting human dignity at the center of peacemaking is not only an ethical decision, but also a strategic and sound decision for conflict parties, mediators and negotiators. The third and last factor that contributes to the success and resilience of peace accords is having strong, independent and reliable monitoring and verification mechanisms. PAM’s research shows that peace accords with third party mechanisms have almost a 47 percent higher rate of implementation success over those that do not. These mechanisms must be included in the design of a peace accord and should be chosen based on their validity, legitimacy and reliability. Their value to a peace accord underscores the importance of academic institutions and research centers lending their technical knowledge and credibility for independent monitoring. Please allow me to zoom in on the Colombian final peace accord signed between the government of President Juan Manuel Santos and the former Farkepeque Regis in 2016. After providing technical support during the negotiations in Havana, the signatory parties gave a mandate to the Kroc Institute to be part of the international verification mechanism and monitored the implementation of the entire accord in real time. We created a matrix based on 578 concrete, observable and measurable commitments. More than 35 Colombian staff in the capital and rural areas gather information from public sources and are in constant dialogue with the parties to the agreement, implementation agencies, the international community and civil society. We rate the implementation of the implementation of the commitments from non-initiated to complete and highlight milestones, challenges and opportunities for improvement. The Colombian Peace Accord’s strong, independent and reliable mechanism for verification has a crucial component, the UN Verification Mission, which has been vital for maintaining the momentum, support and resources of the United Nations and the international community on the peace building process. I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the UN Security Council and its Special Representative Carlos Ruiz Massieu for their work. This hybrid mechanism of monitoring is, without a doubt, a best practice with great potential for replicability at regional and sub-regional levels. Recently, the signatory parties of the Bangsamoro Peace Agreement in the Philippines have invited the Kroc Institute to provide monitoring and verification support for implementation. Together with Catholic Relief Services and other civil society organizations, our aim is for PAM data to continue being used as a centerpiece for conversation and peace building. I hope that the data areas and concrete examples I’ve shared with you today serve as a proof that sustained dialogue leading to peaceful arrangements can succeed when the issues included in the peace accord involve a wide range of policy domains, when the negotiation table is generous and includes victims of the war, and when independent mechanisms for verification and monitoring accompany the process of implementation. Peace through dialogue is possible and can be successful. The University of Notre Dame’s commitment to peace building is a permanent task. Let us never flag in our efforts to build peace in any and all environments. Thank you.

President – Brazil:
I thank Ms. Josefina Echavarria Alvarez for her briefing. I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of Brazil. Excellencies, dear colleagues, I thank Her Excellency President Michelle Bachelet, His Excellency President Thabo Mbeki, Assistant Secretary General Khaled Kiari, and Dr. Josefina Echavarria for sharing their views and experiences with mediation and the peaceful settlement of disputes. I also welcome His Excellency Mr. Igli Hasani, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania, and Her Excellency Ms. Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, to this debate. I would like to begin by conveying that His Excellency Ambassador Mauro Vieira Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil deeply regrets not being present here today. He was asked to represent Brazil at tomorrow’s Cairo summit and thought rightly that the urgency and graveness of the situation required his presence there. Colleagues, Brazil’s current mandate at the Security Council coincided with a big turmoil in international politics, with many challenges to the maintenance of the international peace and security. Our second presidency started with renewed violence in perhaps the oldest and most protracted situation of conflict since the UN was established. In some of the new conflict situations arising, just as in this very long conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, which is again claiming so many innocent lives, the Security Council has been ineffective, and it continues to lose its credibility and legitimacy. But the collective security system built upon the UN Charter remains our best option. Let’s work to improve it. There are some ways to do it, but there is one that has not gotten the attention it should. The Council must dedicate more energy to revitalizing its role as promoter of conflict prevention and peaceful solutions. We should talk more about peace, about how to achieve peace. We owe this to that quarter of humanity striving to survive under conflict. Distinguished representatives, there are two things the Council can do to improve its effectiveness today. It should look inwards and it should also look outwards. Looking inwards means revisiting its original mandate and rediscovering some of its own tools for fulfilling that mandate. And looking outwards means referring to initiatives that have been successful in other mechanisms at other levels of governance. Article 36 gave the Council wide latitude to be creative in its use of peaceful means. Beyond the long list of tools described in Article 33, Article 36 empowers the Council to recommend appropriate procedures or methods of adjustment without limitations on what those may be. Unfortunately, creativity in providing political solutions has waned in the past several years as the Council has focused increasingly on coercive measures. Over half of the resolutions adopted last year explicitly referenced Chapter 7 and others still included actions that would best be placed under Chapter 7. This over-reliance on Chapter 7 has had negative effects. It has made consensus harder to reach. It has limited the Council’s ability to adapt to specific crises. It has also made it more challenging to engage the parties on the ground, which has often led to less durable solutions. Yet elsewhere, peaceful solutions have continued to be used creatively and effectively. That is why the Council must also turn outwards to examine where preventive diplomacy, mediation and other tools of peaceful settlement have proven successful and what lessons that might bring to the Council’s own activities. We can find a wealth of examples of peaceful resolution of conflicts in all regions of the world. Sometimes solutions have taken place through institutions, sometimes through direct bilateral or plurilateral action. In our region, Latin America, we have had successful direct bilateral settlements on territorial disputes and trilateral diplomatic settlements on the use of rivers, for instance. The Brasilia Accord between Peru and Ecuador, signed 25 years ago, putting an end to a long-standing territorial dispute, is a wonderful example of this kind of achievements. We have also developed successful bilateral confidence-building initiatives through the establishment of institutions, such as the Brazilian-Argentine Agency for Accounting and Control of Nuclear Materials, the ABAC, as well as broad regional confidence-building initiatives, such as the Rio Group and the Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean, OPANAL, to name but a few examples. These are the product of the determination to put rivalries and disputes behind and look ahead, tackling our true common challenges such as poverty, inequality, social and regional disparities, economic bottlenecks, sustainable development and so many others that face our societies and defy our sovereignties. Despite the many different contexts, regional experiences have one thing in common, the strengthening of trust, the good use of diplomacy, true political will and confidence-building. Trust and confidence-building are the common denominators of any successful process of a peaceful settlement or conflict resolution through peaceful means. When a trusted third party is available, it can act as mediator, making up for lack of trust between the parties in conflict. When regional institutions are considered more reliable, they can step in and perform a similar role. When a trusted international institution, such as the International Court of Justice, is consensually chosen to help, it can decide effectively on a dispute. Colleagues, the Council may use its reinvigorated tools under Chapter 6 in a variety of ways, supporting these regional and sub-regional processes more robustly. The establishment of special political missions is an example of action under Chapter 6 that can be further explored and improved. For them to be more effective in their objective of sustaining peace, they require appropriate funding, separate from the regular budget, under a mechanism that reflects the special responsibilities of the permanent members, just as is the case with peacekeeping operations authorized by this Council. They also require realistic and achievable mandates, carefully tailored to specific situations. They cannot be seen as a lower-cost version of peacekeeping operations. Finally, they would be strengthened by closer coordination between the Council and the Peacebuilding Commission, which in turn would contribute to more durable results. There is still room for more creativity. The Security Council has been prolific in creating subsidiary bodies to monitor sanctioned regimes. Yet, there is scarcely any subsidiary body dedicated to accompanying and supporting political processes under Chapter 6. Such bodies could be created today under the Council’s current powers. Finally, the Council should look to regional experiences in the peaceful settlement of disputes with a healthy degree of humility. We must seek to actively learn from successful experiences elsewhere. We can find inspiration in different regions of the world for initiatives that complement UN efforts. Our briefers today have offered many examples. Distinguished representatives, we need to expand the Security Council in order that it becomes more representative of the United Nations membership. More voices around the table can help overcome the logic of rivalry that periodically paralyzes many decisions here. And not only now, in these almost two years that Brazil has been watching it again from the inside, but for many decades, as is the case when it comes to the conflict between Israel and Palestine. In the past, even in the midst of fierce competition and deep-seated mistrust in several specific circumstances, political leaders and governments could find space for cooperation and confidence-building by looking inward and outward. They came up with different types of tools to prevent or resolve conflicts. We now desperately need leaders and governments as courageous and farsighted. While we continue to strive for the Council we want, we must not lose sight of how best to work with the Council as it is now. That was the reason behind proposing this debate. I hope it will offer us some thought-provoking ideas. I thank you for your participation and for the long list of speakers willing to share their views. I resume now my function as President of the Council. And I’ll give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Igli Hasani, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania.

Albania:
Thank you, Mr. President. I thank the Brazilian presidency for organizing this open debate today. I also thank Presidents Bachelet and Becky and the other briefers for their valuable input in today’s deliberations. The timing for such a debate couldn’t be more appropriate in an ever-evolving global landscape where our collective commitment to peace remains steadfast. We find ourselves confronted with an array of serious challenges of historic proportions. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine and its disastrous consequences have marked a historic turning point for European security. It continues to have a detrimental effect beyond the continent and remains a stark reminder of the pressing need to return to dialogue and cooperation to deal with grievances and resolute disputes. The unbearable suffering of Ukrainians and the blatant breach of international law underscore the imperative of ending this unjust war and achieving a just and lasting peace. Likewise, the recent dramatic escalation of the situation in the Middle East following the despicable terrorist attack by Hamas has turned into a source of immense human suffering for both Israeli and Palestinian people and a threat for the entire Middle East. Furthermore, severe human rights violations in various parts of the world, conflicts and power rivalries, terrorism, the return of authoritarianism, unconstitutional seizures of power by force, and strong polarization of the public sphere are affecting different societies, minorities, women and children, who are often disproportionately affected by these aberrations from our shared vision for a peaceful and stable world. Faced with complex and interlinked challenges, the rules-based international order serves as a foundation for addressing these issues through peaceful and cooperative means. This is not a panacea. It may require adaptation to address emerging threats and always a serious engagement in good faith, but it remains nonetheless an essential tool. for promoting peace and stability in the national system. Mr. President, the Secretary General’s new agenda for peace calls for strong partnerships between the UN and regional frameworks as part of the networked multilateralism. Current geopolitical challenges make it imperative to reflect on how such partnerships should function, what could be the most efficient form of cooperation between this council and regional organizations in the maintenance of international peace and security. This becomes crucial, especially for small states, which sometimes have to struggle for their voice to be heard. Regional organizations offer to small states a range of tools and platforms to enhance their visibility and influence in the international arena. And by working collectively, advocating for shared interests and leveraging the resources and expertise provided by their regional organization, small states can have a more significant impact on global affairs and gain a stronger voice in international decision-making processes. Mr. President, as an EU candidate country, Albania underscores with conviction the undeniable role that the European Union plays on a wide range of issues in full congruence with the work of the UN, including the Security Council, such as peace and security, meeting humanitarian and development needs in the world, promotion and full respect of human rights, mitigating climate change, as well as to ensure full respect for the international law and strengthen accountability for serious violations of the international law. Only a few days ago, we hosted in Tirana the 10th Summit of the Berlin Process for the Western Balkans, the first one held outside the EU and in the region. This initiative has put into motion a delicate yet irreversible process of reconciliation, a peaceful resolution of bilateral issues between countries, a better understanding between societies in the region, the improvement of regional economic cooperation, but also the creation of a basis for sustainable growth. of individual countries and the entire region. It has provided a win-win formula for all, because the European security architecture needs a stronger and more consolidated Europe. The accelerated EU enlargement process and the Berlin process are complementary mechanisms for bringing all six Western Balkan countries into the European Union. It has proved an efficient investment in strengthening the bonds between these states and the broader European community, promoting cooperation, peace and prosperity in the entire region. Mr. President, the power play between rival powers and competing interests can either exacerbate conflicts or facilitate their resolution. It is always a matter of choice. Multilateral dialogue and cooperation are essential to prevent any manipulation of disputes for geopolitical gains. Dialogue is essential in dealing with and resolving any conflict. No matter if it is an old or an emerging one. In fact, dialogue is not just a better way. For us, it is the only way to deal with issues, however difficult they appear, however complex they are. This is what we have chosen in our part of the world. It is not always an easy one. It can prove difficult and frustrating, but there is no denial. It is a winning formula for everyone. More than ever, today’s shaken world reminds us of the need to commit to dialogue based on fundamental universal values and acknowledge that we constitute a community of faith despite our different national perspectives and interests. Our duty is to make them converge, and when they don’t, to continue to seek tirelessly the ways and means to solve issues through peaceful means by using the mechanism we have created to this purpose. To this end, Albania strongly believes that regional and sub-regional organizations, as the transmitter of the unified voice of any given group of states, can play a pivotal role in ensuring that power politics do not hinder the peace. pursuit of peace. Let me emphasize that by harnessing the potential of regional and sub-regional organizations and uniting in our resolve to uphold values of multilateralism and international cooperation which underpin the UN Charter, we can navigate the current global challenges and work towards a world where conflicts are prevented and peace is achieved, ensuring a brighter and more stable future for all. Thank you so much.

President – Brazil:
I thank His Excellency Mr. Hasani for his statement. And I’ll give the floor to Her Excellency Ms. Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates.

United Arab Emirates:
Mr. President, thank you to our briefers today, Assistant Secretary General Khiari, President Bachelet, President Mbeki, and Ms. Al-Faraz for their valuable statements. Peacemaking is not the preview of the few alone, but a shared responsibility of the many. This Council has often spoken with a united voice on conflict prevention, and today’s meeting presents us with the opportunity to reflect on how the shared responsibility can be best harnessed. Ultimately, the impact of our prevention work will be in its results, not in our statements. In light of this, the United Arab Emirates would like to make three points today. First, the diversity of the UN membership offers us entry points for conflict resolution when others have failed. The pursuit of peace is too important not to rally all stakeholders guided towards the same goal. Whether this Council, member states, or regional organizations are involved, the focus should not be on who leads or who follows, but who is best placed to build trust. The path to peace is a difficult journey. The efforts of a broad range of actors should not be seen in opposition to one another when their end goal is the same. Rather, the work of both regional and international organizations should be mutually reinforcing. The endorsement of this Council of initiatives and outcomes from mediation efforts at the regional and bilateral level can go a long way towards peace, for example. This is why it is so important for the Council to speak with a united voice on the catastrophic crisis unfolding in Gaza. Regional efforts are critical to provide immediate humanitarian assistance, as well as to prevent the risk of the conflict spilling over. Your voices are also crucial in reviving the political horizon that Israel and Palestine so desperately need. Second, trust must be in place as the foundation to build upon. Confidence-building measures can build crucial links during conflict when there is no end in sight. At times, this means starting small. Mediation efforts or the establishment hotlines among militaries can prevent miscalculations or escalation and begin to build confidence. Humanitarian agreements, such as the exchange of detainees, can also serve to open channels of communication that would otherwise be closed. This does not mean politicizing humanitarian issues, but securing progress on humanitarian priorities, such as the protection of civilians or the safe delivery of humanitarian access. These measures, based on humanitarian principles, may one day contribute to a broader political discussion. And where multilateral institutions struggle or fail in their endeavor, trust can be built from the ground up through regional and sub-regional organizations, harnessing the nuanced knowledge surrounding local dynamics, the threads of the social fabric, and the historical context are valuable resources that regional and sub-regional actors possess when it comes to peace efforts. These can be leveraged for even greater impact. The UN Secretary General’s new Agenda for Peace highlights the way in which local peace initiatives can foster this bottom-up approach. The UN Security Council Resolution 2686 on Tolerance and Peace and Security encourages the UN to involve local communities, women, youth, civil society, and religious leaders in the mediation of peace agreements. In particular, we welcome the growing establishment of and support for women’s regional mediator networks, as well as the growing commitment to ensure the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women in sustainable peace efforts. Third, coordination is critical. The benefit of a multi-level, multi-pronged approach is the reinforcement of efforts towards conflict prevention and mediation. But the multiplicity of mediators-to-be can give rise to mixed messages and risks-undermining process. Understanding coordination mechanisms can help avoid forum shoppings and much of the confusion, especially in scenarios where urgency is key. So when crises arise, the Council and regional institutions are ready and able to leverage each other’s strength for the best possible outcome. For example, in Somalia, the UN support for the African Union mission and the work of the Quintet on security-related matters are good examples of the potential of a coordinated approach to achieve results on the ground. Mr. President, the raging crisis in the Middle East today is the result of the belief that conflict can be managed indefinitely, without addressing its root causes. That is not a solution, and it highlights the need to mobilize all the tools available to international and regional actors to prioritize preventive diplomacy and conflict resolution. The tools are clear, and so too are the best practices when it comes to preventive diplomacy. What we need is the political will to deploy them, even when the risks of failing are high. Thank you, Mr. President.

President – Brazil:
I thank Her Excellency Ms. Al-Kaabi for her statement. And now I give the floor to the representative of Malta.

Malta:
Thank you, President. I also thank ASG Khari, Ms. Bachelet, Mr. Mbeki, and Ms. Alvarez for enriching today’s discussion with their thoughts and insights. I begin by thanking Brazil for organizing today’s open debate on this important topic. It is an increasingly interdependent, connected and rapidly changing world, and we now find ourselves at a critical juncture. Violations of the UN Charter and international law are increasing distrust amongst nations. Such actions are jeopardizing, perhaps irreparably, the multilateral system on which we all depend. At the same time, the international community must also tackle new and evolving existential threats such as climate change, terrorism, disinformation and misinformation, and cybercrime. The pushback on human rights, and in particular women’s rights, is evident across the world. The importance of human rights and an inclusive approach to civil society is key, especially in view of the shrinking space for civic participation. If left unaddressed, all these situations will have far-reaching negative effects. The fact that conflicts are more likely to spill over to the region and beyond adds to the gravity and urgency of the situation. It further underlines the relevance of multilateralism and the United Nations in the contemporary world, and the need to invest in more prevention. President, over the years we have developed a wide array of mechanisms that can play a key role in the resolution of disputes. Now, more than ever, we must maximize the resources and tools at our disposal. We must explore innovative and creative ways to use them to their full potential and more effectively. Regional and sub-regional organizations are an integral part of the multilateral system. Their in-depth knowledge of their region is an invaluable and indispensable asset that can greatly help them in facilitating progress towards peace. Since its establishment, the European Union has played a fundamental role in ensuring peace and stability in Europe. Born from the ashes of the devastating Second World War, the EU is a living example of how multilateralism and regional integration brings peace, stability, prosperity, and growth. The road was a long and gradual one. Nevertheless, political will and sustained efforts aimed at building trust, facilitating trade, and promoting solidarity amongst nations led to tangible and lasting results. Furthermore, the existence of a comprehensive UN-EU approach to crisis management, mediation, and peace operations, including the support in different regions, has helped several countries to navigate the difficult path from conflict to peace. The African Union’s efforts are also remarkable and commendable. It is actively contributing to sustainable peace and security in Africa. The notion of indivisibility of peace and security has led to the establishment of AU-led PSOs such as ATMIS. The AU is also acting on key issues such as Women, Peace and Security Agenda, the Youth, Peace and Security Agenda, and CAC. Partnerships between international and regional organizations are also worth investing in. The trilateral UN-AU-EU cooperation on peace and security is an example. It is also fundamental that actions taken at the global level, including those agreed by the Security Council, are supported by actions at the regional level. President, mirroring Malta’s commitment to diplomacy and multilateralism, our belief in the peaceful resolution of disputes remains intact. The war in Ukraine, the conflicts in Africa and the Middle East, and instability in other parts of the world highlight the challenges we continue to face. The United Nations, and more specifically the Security Council, must use all means and measures provided for in the UN Charter to prioritize the peaceful settlement of disputes and advance conflict prevention and resolution efforts. We reiterate the necessity to enhance the capacity of the UN to act as a mediator and implement effective UN-led mediation. The new Agenda for Peace puts a strong focus on prevention and further strengthening mediation capacities. The use of the good offices of the Secretary-General remains crucial for promoting the peaceful resolution of disputes. To further operationalize these efforts at different levels, Malta welcomes increased exchanges between UN Special Envoys and representatives and their regional, sub-regional, national equivalents. Malta also attaches great importance to arbitration and judicial settlement. tribunals are indispensable to maintaining peace and security. The Council could better utilize this tool by, for example, promoting the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice and ensuring compliance with its decisions. I conclude, President, by reiterating our belief that cooperation through effective multilateralism remains the best way to advance our collective efforts. Malta remains deeply committed towards an effective multilateral system that acts to address contemporary challenges and prevent future ones. Thank you.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Malta for their statement and I now give the floor to the representative of Gabon.

Gabon:
Thank you, President. I’d like to congratulate you on taking the initiative to convene this high-level debate which provides us with an opportunity to make our contribution and discuss the contribution of regional, sub-regional and bilateral arrangements to the prevention and peaceful resolution of disputes. I would like to thank Assistant Secretary General Khalid Kyari for his briefing. I’d also like to thank President Michelle Bachelet and President Thabo Mbeki for their helpful contributions to this discussion. I also listened very carefully to the briefing from Ms. Echevarria Alvarez. President, the United Nations were founded on and built around a rejection of the worst atrocities, barbarity and the hegemonic ambitions which inflicted inutterable suffering on humanity during the Second World War. It is to spare future generations from the scourge of war that the peoples of the world took the responsibility on to build the bedrock of their coexistence and build it around a matrix of values. peace, development, and human rights. Today, still, peace and security remain threatened by pandemics. The now recurring effects of climate change and global warming, the increase of terrorism, particularly in the Sahel, chronic tensions in the Middle East, as well as several crises within and between states which sap international relations and have reached ever more worrying proportions. We are witnessing the risk of tipping into global instability with potentially chaotic consequences. The crisis in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas calls us to reflect on the scale of the risks and the breadth of the responsibilities that need to be shouldered. This is the point and scope of this important debate, which provides us with the opportunity to revisit our values, our commitments, rebuild confidence, reinvigorate diplomacy, and breathe new life into prevention and the peaceful resolution of disputes. President, beyond peacekeeping and the use of force, the UN Charter provides a whole host of tools, particularly contained in chapters 6 and 8, which we should use more given the rise in tensions in regions that have already been made fragile by recurring crises, particularly in Africa and the Middle East, including the perceptible turmoil in regions of Europe, which seem to have been hitherto spared. Dialogue is a priority for prevention and peaceful resolution of conflicts. However, as indicated in the new agenda for peace with the UN Secretary General, distrust and mistrust, which have taken root during the various clashes, violations of international law, international humanitarian law. law, and human rights law, alongside expansionist logic, have made a significant contribution to atrophying states’ commitments to cooperate towards a peaceful resolution of international crises. It has also contributed to reducing the potential for multilateral solutions. We know it all full well. Trust is the cornerstone of a sustainable collective security system. In this connection, rebuilding trust is an imperative to give diplomacy the space to strengthen and pool efforts to prevent and effectively contain threats to the peace and security of our world. President, Gabon remains deeply committed to the role of regional and sub-regional organizations in the work towards peace. This is a commitment that prevailed when we created in our sub-region mechanisms to prevent and manage crises and conflicts, such as the Central African Early Warning System, MARAC, which my country hosts the headquarters of, as well as the Peace and Security Council of Central Africa, COPACS. The work of regional offices of the UN, whose mandate includes inter alia this mission of prevention, is crucial. Activities carried out by the UN Office for Central Africa, with the headquarters in Libreville, seeks to reduce tensions between states and spread peace, stability, and development across the region. And these are activities that are particularly precious. Also, the centrality of the Luanda and Nairobi agreements in the process of resolving the crisis in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo shows that sub-regional frameworks remain credible bridges with international action. It’s important also to underscore the driving role of the U.N. Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy in Central Asia, which serves as a platform for discussion. And it proposes, well, solutions to resolve regional threats, such as those that pertain to the fight against terrorism and extremism. It also covers cross-border water management, climate change, the promotion of the youth peace and security agenda, as well as the promotion of the women peace and security agenda. Regional and sub-regional arrangements, then, are standard-bearing partnerships in the promotion of peace. And particularly because they include the specific aspects of each and every situation, and they can then grasp the real needs of stakeholders, particularly women and young people in the most vulnerable communities, the participation of these people in peace processes is a crucial issue. Regional and sub-regional mechanisms also provide an ideal platform for peace negotiations, as well as for mediation. President, the role of regional and sub-regional organizations in the processes of peaceful resolution of disputes is being showcased more and more, given the growing relationship that has been built between the United Nations and several organizations, the most emblematic of which is the UN-African Union Cooperation, which has had very visibly working across several fields, particularly the fight against terrorism with the deployment in Somalia, for example, of African contingents supported by the United Nations. Peacebuilding in the Great Lakes region, with a UN office that is dedicated to this region, and a trilateral mechanism, UN-African Union IGAD, which was created to address the crisis in Sudan. Cooperation between the UN and the African Union is an essential tool to ensure that the peace and security agenda in Africa is efficient, because it is based on the on the principles of complementarity and subsidiarity of the partnership between these organizations. That’s why I wish to underscore once again the need and the urgency of providing predictable and adequate financial support based on statutory contributions of the U.N. to peace operations of the African Union. Africa is ready to take its part of responsibility to protect, to guarantee peace and prosperity for the continent, really hopes that the Council will be able to provide it support with the means to take significant action because the main responsibility for maintaining international peace and security lies with this Council. I’d like to conclude reaffirming the importance that my country attaches to regional, sub-regional and bilateral arrangements and the need to highlight these important tools for the benefit of international peace and security. Thank you very much.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Gabon for their statement and I now give the floor to the representative of the United States.

United States:
Thank you, Mr. President, for convening today’s important debate. Thank you, Assistant Secretary General Khiari, former President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet and former President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki for your insightful briefings. I also want to thank Dr. Josefina Echevarria for your important research on the implementation and verification of peace agreements. We appreciate Brazil’s work to strengthen the partnership between the United Nations and regional and sub-regional organizations, including through the Organization of American States. These partnerships, which often manifest themselves through regional peace operations, are essential to address new and emerging global and regional challenges arising from climate change, food and energy insecurity, conflict, violence and terrorism. In the Western Hemisphere, we welcome cooperation between the UN, OAS, CARICOM, regional economic communities, regional mechanisms and other partners in support of conflict prevention and mediation and we welcome further collaboration through UN peace building efforts. Globally, and noting that this council met most recently on October 12th to discuss African Union-UN cooperation efforts, we welcome UN cooperation with other regional and sub-regional organizations, including the European Union, ASEAN and ECOWAS. The Security Council has a broad mandate with respect to peaceful settlement of disputes outlined in Chapter Six of the UN Charter. These include calling on parties to use the means listed in Article 33, that is, negotiations, inquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration. arbitration, judicial settlement, resort to regional agencies or arrangements, as well as recommending procedures and methods of adjustment, as outlined in Article 36. The Summit of the Future process, including the new Agenda for Peace, offers an important opportunity to take stock of UN tools in the maintenance of international peace and security, including those outlined in Chapter 6. In this regard, strengthening the UN’s Mediation Unit to allow for greater national and local work remains a priority. As we prepare for next year’s Summit, the United States will continue to support the critical convening role of the UN at the regional, country, and subnational level in emerging and ongoing crises, bringing together civil society, major donors, local government, and other key stakeholders to establish clearly defined, shared goals and to coordinate efforts across the range of actors. We welcome the new Agenda’s focus on prevention and an expanded role of the UN Peacebuilding Commission. We would underscore the need for full integration of the promotion of respect for human rights and the advancement of national rule of law and international law into the Commission’s context – development and peace cannot advance without full consideration of these issues. The Security Council must also be responsive to regional organizations’ requests for support to help address the conflicts they are working to resolve. ASEAN, for example, while playing an important role in addressing the situation in Burma, has in parallel called for the UN to support its efforts. To that end, this Council should look to use all tools at its disposal to support ASEAN in its efforts to facilitate peace in Burma. The new Agenda for Peace also recommends, and the United States supports, an enhanced role for regional and sub-regional organizations in the maintenance of international peace and security. In that regard, we reiterate our support to transition processes in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea, and continue to call for a return to civilian-led democratic governance. UN and ECOWAS leadership remains critical in holding transition governments accountable to their stated timelines and for promoting stability in the region. Separately, the worsening situation in Haiti underlines the critical need for robust and flexible policy responses to growing insecurity, including through regional partners. We reaffirm our commitment to working with Haitian partners, including local leaders and civil society, regional bodies, and governments, to support democratic institutions. PARACOM has been an essential partner in efforts aimed at restoring security in Haiti. The United States looks forward to working together as the multinational security support mission begins plans to deploy. Additionally, the United States is committed to working closely with multilateral organizations like the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. We appreciate and support the work these organizations are undertaking to bring peace, stability, and economic prosperity to all their member states. In conclusion, Mr. President, the United States will continue to support close cooperation among the U.N., regional organizations, including ASEAN, the AU, League of Arab States, CARICOM, EU, OAS, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and sub-regional organizations to advance peace and security throughout the world. Thank you, Mr. President.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of the United States for their statement, and I now give the floor to the representative of Mozambique.

Mozambique:
Mr. President, Mozambique warmly Commends Brazil for convening this important open debate. We thank the distinguished briefers, Mr. Khaled Khiari, His Excellency President Michelle Bachelet, His Excellency President Thabo Mbeki, and Ms. Josefina Chavarria Alvarez. Their briefings were important and insightful. Mr. President, the theme selected by Brazil’s presidency is of extreme importance to the purposes of the Charter of the United Nations. Dialogue is at the heart of any conflict resolution. It bridges differences. It leads to a mutual understanding, to shared values, to our common humanity. It is ultimately the source of peace and accommodation. Peace through dialogue is, in our view, as important as peace through law. As a matter of fact, law as a social construct can only be derived from dialogue and common understanding of the values that are at stake or embody a society. There can be no genuine dialogue without a degree of trust, and no trust without dialogue. In general, interstate conflicts that appear as a surprise at regional or international levels do erupt where there was a clear deficit of dialogue and consequently a deficit of trust. We speak from our own experience in our region, Southern Africa. It is one of the regions that in the past has suffered most from the lack of dialogue. It is a region that evolved from a past that was infected with a multitude of tensions, conflicts, and wars to a place of relative peace and a firm commitment to dialogue, reconciliation, cooperation, and successful peace agreements. In Southern Africa, when dialogue became possible, colonialism ended. When dialogue was accepted, Apartheid, a crime against humanity, disappeared from the map. When negotiations took a center stage to end conflicts that originated from the heritage of colonialism, plunder, and aggression, the life of our populations was, as a consequence, normalized. And all this through the use of Chapter 6 of the Charter, and sometimes in combination with Chapter 7 and Chapter 8. In this context, this debate is particularly important because it takes place at a moment of heightened geopolitical tensions, particularly at regional and sub-regional levels. In this connection, resorting to Article 33 of the Charter at regional and sub-regional levels, together with bilateral arrangements, is of paramount importance. They constitute a cornerstone of our joint global efforts to address conflicts, build confidence, nurture peace, and promote sustainable development in Africa and around the world. In this process, we believe bilateralism, regionalism, and multilateralism are important mechanisms that are mutually reinforcing. In light of our experience, there is no incompatibility between bilateralism or, for that matter, regionalism with multilateralism. We believe. The African Union’s peace and security architecture, together with its master roadmap of practical steps to silence the gangs in Africa, known as the Lusaka Roadmap, is a clear testament of that interconnectedness. The very concept of African solutions to African problems is a clear recognition of the undeniable contribution of local, sub-regional, and regional entities, as well as bilateral arrangements in the attainment of sustainable peace and security. We therefore wholeheartedly agree with the concept noted by Brazil when it says that, and I quote, the search for peace is a collective duty, end of quote. Because peace and security are a global and indivisible good, therefore they entail global responsibility and, as a consequence, responsibility sharing and solidarity in facing the threats to world peace and security. This is, in our view, the larger vision and content of the latent spirit of Chapter 6 of the United Nations Charter, but also of the Charter as a whole. We strongly believe that we must move in the same direction on the issue of financing African Union peace support operations that need to be assessed with our collective contribution within the United Nations. like very wisely and clearly put it in this meeting. And this is because they serve the cause of global peace and security, they serve a common cause of humankind. We wish to underscore the centrality of effective partnership between international, regional, and sub-regional organizations, as well as bilateral arrangements in ensuring global peace and security. We therefore call on all member states to renew and honor their commitment to the foundational purposes and principles of the United Nations, and continue working resolutely in the spirit of cooperation and unity of peoples. I thank you, Mr. President.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Mozambique for their statement. And I now give the floor to the representative of Japan.

Japan:
Mr. President, I thank Khaled Khiari former President Bachelet, former President Mbeki, and Ms. Alvarez for their briefing. The world is in turmoil with a series of severe geopolitical challenges, including the ongoing aggression against Ukraine, the increasingly tense situation surrounding the Gaza Strip, repeated launches of ICBMs by North Korea, and political unrest in several countries in Africa, to name just a few. These are seriously affecting international peace and security. In order to cope with such varied and complex crises, it is imperative for the international community to stay united and mobilize every single tool available at hand. And in this sense, measures under Chapter 6 of the United Nations Charter, ways and means for pacific settlement of disputes, including negotiation, mediation, arbitration, judicial settlement, and resort to regional arrangements are important and should be fully exploited. Bilateral, regional, sub-regional arrangements are formed based on mutual trust and common interest among parties, with shared affinity and geographic specificity aiming at resolving regional issues through dialogue. Indeed, we appreciate that these arrangements play an important role in addressing issues in each region. Those may include AU and IGAD for Somalia, ECWAS for West Africa, and SADC for South Africa, ASEAN, EU for Europe, OSA for Americas, and others. We should encourage further utilization of such important mechanisms to cope with local challenges and beyond. And in this context, the role of the Peace Building Commission needs to be emphasized as a platform to strengthen partnerships with various actors, including regional organizations, sharing best practices and lessons learned across regions. On the other hand, there remains some challenges where sufficient confidence among countries does not exist, therefore know where little dialogue happens, where dialogue fails. And regrettably, obligations under international law, including those stemming from Security Council resolutions, have not been respected time and again. Furthermore, since today’s crises are often interconnected, an incident in one region tends to have a global impact. This is why the United Nations, especially the Security Council, should work together with regional organizations to tackle common challenges. The UN and regional arrangements must not be mutually exclusive, but rather complementary, consistent with Chapter 8 of the UN Charter. The UN is the largest and last bulwark of multilateralism and can exercise significant convening power around its flag, facing serious challenges threatening international peace and security. We must not exclude any measure or arrangement we can choose – bilateral, regional, sub-regional or multilateral. We should keep our options wide open so that we can utilize the right tools at the right time at the right place. In particular, the Security Council must fulfill its responsibility. Among many options available to the UN, peace operations are an essential tool at its disposal. Effective implementation of the mandates will be possible under unified support by the Council. Enforcement measures by regional organizations function well if they are utilized appropriately. UN sanctions are also a legitimate, effective and important tool under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter if they are used wisely and rigorously. Mr. President, we recognize that these are all useful but ex-post recovery measures. As the new Agenda for Peace stresses, the most important thing is to prevent a crisis from happening in the first place. Upholding the rule of law at both the national, regional and international level will increase predictability, advance economic and social development and ensure respect for human rights. Building upon such foundations, we must push peacebuilding forward to eradicate the root causes of crises. As we see it, the basic concepts behind initiatives such as SDGs, Agenda 2030 and human security are all consistent in this regard. Mr. President, the current complex, interrelated global challenges we are facing cannot be solved by any one country. They require cooperation and collaboration. And in this collective endeavor, every country and group matters. And any arrangement, whether bilateral, regional, sub-regional or multilateral, can make a difference as long as they act in the spirit of solidarity and in accordance with the UN Charter. We should strive to overcome divisions and differences among us, aiming for a world that cares for human dignity, where vulnerable people can live safely and securely. Japan is fully committed to multilateralism and we have been and will always be ready to proactively contribute to world peace, security and prosperity. I thank you.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Japan for their statement and I now give the floor to the representative of the Russian Federation.

Russian Federation:
Mr. President, we’d like to thank Khaled Khiari and also former President of Chile and also former President of South Africa, Michel Bachelet and Thabo Mbeke and Ms. Echavarría Alvarez for their briefings. We’re grateful to Brazil for taking the initiative to discuss such an important topic as the contribution of regional efforts to preventing conflict and a peaceful resolution of disputes. As we know, UN Charter Chapter 6 gives member states the opportunity to avoid the use of force and also achieve sustainable long-term resolutions to conflicts based on mutual understanding and cooperation. The role of regional and sub-regional organizations in this context is unquestionable. Regional and sub-regional organizations often have a deep understanding of local realities, cultural, economic and social characteristics too. These organizations can play a role as a bridge between national and international initiatives, ensuring a more effective and efficient resolution to conflicts. At the same time, mutually respectful and equal cooperation between member states, both within these structures and in how they relate to other members of the international community is important too. In this context, we would like to bring a positive example, the Collective Security Treaty Organization, the CSTO, which for more than 20 years is making a real contribution to regional stability. Work is ongoing permanently to counter the common threats and challenges, including those stemming from the territory of Afghanistan. We intend to continue to work to strengthen the CSTO. and strengthen its capacity and authority on the international stage. We advocate for further development of cooperation between the CSTO and the U.N., including on peacekeeping, as reflected in Chapter 8 of the U.N. Charter and on the basis of the Joint Declaration from 2010. Cooperation on maintaining international peace and security is also one of the priorities in a bigger, broader format within the Commonwealth of Independent States, the CIS. This imperative was once again reaffirmed in the CIS Leader’s Statement on International Relations in a Multipolar World, signed at the summit in Bishkek on the 13th of October, 2023. We also fully support the contribution to conflict prevention of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. There are significant opportunities to develop international, mutually-benefit cooperation, thanks to the work of the Eurasian Economic Union, too. Turning now to the Latin American region, we note the high potential of the community of Latin American and Caribbean states, CELAC, and the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America, ALBA. CELAC brings together 33 countries from across the continent and aims to strengthen political and socioeconomic unity in the region and allows states with various interests and approaches to find some common ground and collective solutions. ALBA is inspired by the Bolivarian principles of solidarity, justice, and cooperation. The organization actively works for integration of peoples of the region based on the respect for national sovereignty and the independence of each country. We highly value the more than 50 years of effective functioning of the Treaty of Tlatelolco, the first international legal document establishing a nuclear-free status for a vast and densely populated region of Latin America and the Caribbean. We are ready to engage in productive cooperation with states in the region on questions of strengthening the nuclear nonproliferation regime. Despite the suspension of our country’s status as an observer, observer to the Organization of American States, where we had, we used to have enjoyed productive cooperation, particularly through the Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism and the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission, we are ready to continue specialized cooperation with some partners in the Latin American Caribbean who are still showing interest in doing so. We welcome the strengthening of the authority of the African Union as a leading continental organization international affairs, as reflected in the growing global role and influence of Africa as one of the centers of gravity of the multipolar world. We welcome the effective activity of the African Union on counting threats posed by terrorist organizations, including ISIL, al-Qaida, Boko Haram, and al-Shabaab. We’d advocate for discussing effective measures to increase predictability, reliability, sustainability, and flexibility of funding African peace operations under the aegis of the Security Council, including through assessed contributions to the U.N. budget. There is a great capacity in strengthening regional stability on the part of other regional organizations, too, the League of Arab States, the OIC, ASEAN also. This is more in demand than ever, given the efforts

President – Brazil:
underway to resolve the Palestinian-Israel conflict and also the national reconciliation process in Myanmar. Mr. President, we deem the contribution to international peace and security of organizations such as the European Union to be highly dubious. We must state that in recent years, this organization has produced mainly destructive initiatives ingrained with the logic of a zero-sum game, with only advocating for their own mercenary interests. The EU has been preparing Ukraine to oppose Russia for years, turning a blind eye to the phenomenon that are happening in that country, which would be unthinkable in their own member states. In this debasing their own values, the EU is supplying offensive weaponry and military hardware to Ukraine, violating their own standards of how it’s unacceptable to supply this kind of resources to conflict zones. The EU has not brought anything positive to the process between Armenia and Azerbaijan normalization, only increasing the divergences between these neighboring states. During the negotiations led by the EU in the Belgrade-Pristian dialogue, the EU went from being a neutral broker to openly supporting Kosovar, Alban Kosovars. As a result, each round of negotiation fails time after time, and it ends with another escalation of violence in the cry, I could go on. It’s clear that Brussels is only motivated by geopolitical ambitions and trying to acquire new spheres of influence, once again colonizing political and economically vulnerable states. Because of this, the EU’s involvement in international efforts on peace and security only lead to violence, chaos, and disorder. A similar neocolonial approach is being closed by the North Atlantic bloc, which is a clear hangover from the Cold War. NATO operations are characterized by many civilian casualties, the destruction of infrastructure, and significant economic damage to the de jure or de facto collapse of states. The acts of the islands have for many years been focused on the strategic defeat of Russia. This is currently stated in current doctrines of NATO. Much like the EU, NATO today is particularly paying attention to Ukraine, which has become the main platform for opposing Russia. Moreover, there has been a recent notable efforts of the islands to expand their activity to the Asia Pacific region to contain another country that Washington and Brussels have

Russian Federation:
identified as a strategic opponent, China. Colleagues, in the context of the confrontation sown by West, which has been a significant deterioration. in what was initially a unique toolkit for conflict prevention and peaceful resolution of disputes with the OSCE. Today, this organization, which is largely made up of member states of the EU and NATO, unfortunately has lost its way once and for all. Last year’s efforts from the Polish presidency and this year’s North Macedonian presidency to promote the West’s agenda and brazenly flouting the OSCE’s rule of consensus and the principle of sovereign equality in states, they’re imposing a Ukrainization of the whole agenda. As a result, the organization is now paralyzed and risks fully losing its role as a backbone in the European space. Addressing this crisis requires serious work and a return to the roots of this structure. So far, we haven’t seen a readiness to do this on the part of our opponents. President, regional organizations, in principle, can make a really substantive contribution to maintaining international peace and security. As long as their efforts to address the problems that arise are focused on political and diplomatic methods and compliance with the norms of international law, we’re the leading role of the UN on the basis of principles of indivisibility of security and mutual respect, and also noninterference in the internal affairs of states. We are ready to a constructive cooperation with all regional organizations and members of the international community who are interested in working in this positive coordination system. Thank you very much.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of the Russian Federation for their statement, and I’ll give the floor to the representative of China.

China:
Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, China commends Brazil for initiating and convening this open debate on the role of regional mechanisms. I thank Assistant Secretary General Khiari for his briefing. I have also listened attentively to the statements made by Ms. Bachelet, Mr. Mbeki, and the civil society representative. The Security Council has a primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. At the same time, Chapter 8 of the United Nations Charter encourages the Pacific settlement of disputes through regional arrangements. Over the years, various regional arrangements have been active in promoting the settlement of conflicts and disputes and safeguarding international peace and stability, playing a role that complements the United Nations. In today’s world, with heightened turmoil at the international and regional levels as well as continuous flare-ups of geopolitical conflicts and hotspot issues, it is all the more important for regional mechanisms to work in sync with the United Nations to maintain common security. This merits our reflection and our discussion. I would like to make the following points. First, abiding by the United Nations Charter, regional mechanisms must always abide by international law and the basic norms governing international relations, respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, and respect the will and choices of the people of the countries concerned. Any enforcement actions must strictly comply with Security Council authorization. Regional efforts must be guided by openness and tolerance. Kemp confrontation is to be avoided. Second, strengthening communication and coordination. International and regional mechanisms should draw on and reinforce each other’s strength in trust-building, good offices, and the maintenance of peace. Regional mechanisms are uniquely positioned to resolve regional issues with regional solutions. The United Nations should strengthen overall coordination, optimize resource allocation, and enhance the capabilities of various mechanisms. Third, prioritizing preventive diplomacy. Regional mechanisms should embrace a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security concept. Peacefully resolve disputes through dialogue, consultation, mediation and good offices to avoid the escalation or proliferation of crises. Extreme caution must be exercised in the use or threat of force. 4. Eliminating the root causes of conflicts. Regional mechanisms should make coordinated efforts along the peace continuum in all three stages namely peacekeeping, peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction. In particular, regional mechanisms should help developing countries and LDCs build capacity and improve living standards. It is also vital to help post-conflict countries join regional cooperation and achieve lasting peace. Mr. President, the Palestinian-Israeli situation is the most pressing issue in front of us. The eruption of fresh conflict between Palestine and Israel shows that piecemeal crisis management is unsustainable and that a comprehensive and just solution to the Palestinian question cannot be delayed. Cooperation supports the League of Arab States and the wider Arab world in playing a leading role on the Palestinian question. The United Nations and its Security Council should heed the calls of Arab countries, strengthen coordination with regional mechanisms such as the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, work on the basis of international consensus including relevant UN resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative, take effective measures to promote an immediate ceasefire, and make every effort to ensure the safety of civilians in order to prevent an even deadlier humanitarian disaster. China supports the United Nations. nations and the African Union to step up their cooperation, take stock of lessons learned in addressing hotspot issues in Africa, and better promote peace and development on the continent. The UN should help Africa improve its capabilities in peacekeeping, maintaining stability, and combating terrorism, and provide Africa with necessary resources. Afghanistan is at a critical juncture of peace and reconstruction. Regional countries, especially neighboring countries, have played a constructive role in promoting a smooth transition in Afghanistan. The UN should strengthen coordination and form synergy with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Afghanistan Contact Group, and the neighboring countries of Afghanistan Mechanism to help the country achieve lasting security, development, and prosperity. Since its inception, ASEAN has been active in promoting regional economic integration and building a regional cooperation architecture with ASEAN at the center. As such, ASEAN plays an increasingly important role in maintaining regional peace, stability, development, and prosperity. As a dialogue partner of ASEAN, the UN should support ASEAN’s leadership and the ASEAN way in resolving the situation in Myanmar and other regional issues, and create conditions for ASEAN to garner consensus and bring its weight to bear. CARICOM has set up a platform for inclusive dialogue among all parties and actors in Haiti, and has made active efforts in support of a political solution that is Haitian-owned and Haitian-led. We support the UN and CARICOM to strengthen their interaction and jointly promote the settlement of the crisis in Haiti. The EU is an active advocate of multilateralism. We hope that the EU will practice true democracy. multilateralism, uphold the principle of sovereign equality, pay equal attention to the legitimate security concerns of all countries, and respect the development path independently chosen by each country. The EU should leverage its resource advantages, respond to the needs of developing countries, and increase targeted financial and technical support to the global South. At the same time, we firmly oppose the use of human rights as a pretext to interfere in the internal affairs of states. Mr. President, The times call for unity and cooperation, without which effective response to various global challenges will be impossible. Ten years ago, President Xi Jinping proposed the Belt and Road Initiative, the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, has just concluded successfully in Beijing with fruitful outcomes. Over the past decade, the BRI has grown from a vision to a reality, translating into more than 3,000 joint projects, mobilizing nearly $1 trillion in investment, lifting 40 million people out of poverty, and supercharging the connectivity and common development of all partner countries. We are guided by the Silk Road spirit of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning, and mutual benefit. We will continue to deepen cooperation with other countries and regional mechanisms around the world, join hands to build a community with a shared future for mankind, and make renewed contributions to promoting common development and safeguarding common security. Thank you, Mr. President.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of China for their statement, and I now give the floor to the representative of Switzerland.

Switzerland:
Thank you, Mr. President. War and violence often erupt suddenly in a loud and painful clash, leading to many victims, often civilians, as we rocket attacks fired by Hamas and its attacks against Israel on the 7th of October, a sad reminder of this in the Middle East. War erupts suddenly, but how do you build peace? This debate gives us an opportunity to address this question. I would like to thank Brazil for having convened us for this purpose. And like my colleagues, I would also like to thank ASG Chiari, as well as Presidents Bachelet, Mbeki, and Ms. Echevarria. Varia Alvarez for their contributions. The Colombian peace builder, Janeth Kitayaketh, recently spoke on this subject. She said, and I quote, peace is the common construction of the river. It may seem a complex path with stones, with multiple settlers, where we women will be the foam that will always seek to win peace and make transformative actions. These words remind us that peace is a collective endeavor. As early as 1945, this conviction was deeply enshrined in the United Nations Charter by its architects. Any common creation, and certainly that of peace, requires trust. This was also the theme of our open debate last May. It is also something that Switzerland has noticed in all its mediation experiences, and in particular in the mediation process in Colombia, which we have been supporting for over 20 years. Of course, trust cannot be taken for granted. It has to be built and earned. Trust often finds fertile ground in regional organizations that encourage ongoing dialogue and technical cooperation. Over the years, these hundreds of sincere exchanges, promises kept, and demonstrations of good faith come together to form a solid basis for ambitious cooperation. It is therefore not surprising that regional organizations often manage to maintain their course, even in troubled waters. Switzerland is the member of the oldest regional organization, the Central Commission for Navigation of the Rhine, one of Europe’s great rivers. As a native of the Rhine city of Basel, I am myself always impressed to see how this river has developed into a source of cross-border cooperation and trust. Regional organizations are therefore well-placed to take the lead in conflict mediation. The Geneva International Discussions on Georgia are a good example of this. Here, under the auspices of the OAC, the EU, and the UN, key practical issues for the conflict-affected populations are addressed. This cooperation is crucial to peace and stability in Georgia, given the challenges that, 15 years after the war, remain unresolved. So what role does a security council play when regional organizations take the lead? The council has a three-fold role to play. The role of a normative guardian, a catalyst, and a preventive role. Allow me to explain. Firstly, the security council has a duty to ensure that regional arrangements comply with universal norms, such as human rights. Respect for norms fosters trust, as the High Commissioner Volker Turk pointed out in this room on May the 3rd. This is the council’s role as a normative guardian. Secondly, the council can amplify An important level in this regard is the sharing of views and recommendations. The Council’s visits to the field and its informal interactive dialogues are opportunities for this kind of sharing, which enables all actors to work more effectively for peace. This is the Council’s role as a catalyst. This is also where the Peacebuilding Commission can play its unifying role. Finally, it is crucial for this Council to assume its preventive role by focusing on cooperation in the broadest sense of the term. This concerns, on the one hand, the UN Special Political Missions. We must ensure that these missions can engage more in prevention, in particular when strengthening regional efforts. On the other hand, the Secretary-General should make full use of all his mediation tools as he pledges to do so in his new Agenda for Peace. President, as the ASG underscored, the new Agenda for Peace can serve as a common reference point for all of us, Security Council, the UN, regional, sub-regional and local actors. It is said that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. This is also true for vectors of peace at the local, regional and international levels. But only if these vectors point in the same direction, uniting for the same purpose, just as small streams make great rivers. This brings me back to the Central Commission of the Rhine that I mentioned earlier. It remains a living testament to the strength of the cooperation that enables us to achieve common goals. Sometimes against the tide, sometimes with the wind in our sails. Above all, the peaceful settlement of disputes, which remains an obligation for all Member States, guided by a shared conviction that every conflict avoided benefits humanity as a whole. Thank you.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Switzerland for their statement and I now give the floor to the representative of the United Kingdom.

United Kingdom:
Thank you, President, for convening this important meeting. And thanks to ASG Khiari, former President Bachelet, and Mbeki, and Mr. Eceverria Alvarez for their briefings. The Secretary General’s analysis in his new agenda for peace should strike a chord with us all. People around the world are living and dying through a period of conflict unmatched in decades. Last year, according to the Peace Research Institute of Oslo, there were 55 active conflicts, and there were more battle-related deaths than in any year since 1984. For more than a decade now, conflict has been trending relentlessly in the wrong direction. How is it that we seem at times so powerless to shift this tide? And what is it that this Council, YDU membership, and other actors can do to change that trend? Let me offer three reflections. First, we can do more, and in a more coordinated manner, to support national actors prevent and resolve conflict. Indeed, that should be our first port of call. It is enshrined in the UN Charter, which looks first to conflict parties to settle their disputes by peaceful means. Achieving peace is rarely easy, and lasting peace can only be sustained with true and inclusive national ownership. This often requires hard decisions and the help of good-faith friends. The UK has had the privilege of being such a friend through several peace processes, and we continue actively to support conflict resolution efforts bilaterally and through multilateral partners, including as a Majority Voluntary Donor to global United Nations peace programmes. Second, we can support, help strengthen, and coordinate better with regional organizations. This Council’s annual dialogue with the African Union Peace and Security Council is a model that has borne fruit, but it can be further deepened and extended, including through stronger linkages between early warning mechanisms, better use of the wider UN and regional peace-building architectures, and more coordinated support to nationally-led prevention strategies. Our engagement with CARICOM on Haiti and with ASEAN on Myanmar are other examples where regional bodies play an important role and are partners for this Council. The United Kingdom has always been a strong advocate of Chapter 6. of the UN Charter. At times of deep geopolitical division, it is even more important that regional organizations play an active role. Thirdly, President, where national and regional efforts fail, it is the duty of this Council to take action to safeguard international peace and security. This is a last resort we can better avoid by marshalling all the tools at our disposal for effective prevention, mediation, and peacebuilding to avoid escalation. Thank you.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of the United Kingdom for their statement, and I now give the floor to the representative of Ecuador.

Ecuador:
Thank you, Mr. President, for convening this meeting on a subject of great importance. And thank you to the Assistant Secretary General for his briefing. I’d also like to thank the other briefers, former President Michel Bachelet, former President Mbeki, and I would also like to thank Madam Josefina Echeverria Alvarez for her briefing. In 1992, Mr. President, when Ecuador held a seat on this Security Council, we still had a territorial dispute with Peru, one of the oldest border disputes, in fact, in South America, which pushed apart two brotherly peoples for very many years. On the 26th of October next, we will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Brasilia peace agreements signed by my country and Peru in 1998. Mr. President, historically Ecuador has promoted peace and the Pacific settlement of disputes, and we have rejected the threat or the use of the threat of force, principles on which our foreign policy is based and which constitute the priorities of my country during our membership of this council. And that is why we’d like to extend our thanks to Brazil for organizing this important debate. Just as we would like to thank the briefers for their contributions. One of the essential principles of international law is the peaceful settlement of disputes contained in Article 2 of the Charter. The importance that the international community attributes to this can be seen in its reaffirmation in subsequent instruments, such as the Declaration on Friendly Relations of 1970, or the Manila Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes of 1982, and the General Assembly Resolution of 1992 on the Agenda for Peace. Chapter 6 of the Charter, with regard to the Pacific Settlement of Disputes, establishes in its Article 33 the means that states can use to achieve this. Nevertheless, as is pointed out in the Secretary General’s report on a new agenda for peace, the underutilization of these means is one of the greatest shortcomings of the international community in achieving the peaceful settlement of disputes. My country believes that regional, subregional, and bilateral agreements have the potential to complement and strengthen the efforts of the United Nations in the area of prevention and the peaceful settlement of disputes. Regional actors are the first to be able to recognize the signs of a potential conflict. They’re also able to guarantee the implementation of peace agreements through the creation of demilitarized zones, ceasefires, and by supporting political and negotiating processes, amongst others. The experience of Latin America in this area speaks volumes. The region, which historically was marked by armed conflicts and civil wars, has shown in recent decades its ability to prevent and resolve conflicts peacefully, as well as its political willingness to become a nuclear weapons-free zone. Ecuador recognizes the value of regional mechanisms for the peaceful settlement of disputes. Mr. President, as I mentioned at the beginning of my statement, Ecuador and Peru signed the Brasilia Peace Agreements in 1998, following the armed conflict of Cenepa, which started at the beginning of 1995. In February of this same year, the two countries agreed on the Itamaraty Peace Declaration that opened the way for a negotiating process in which we were supported by Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and the United States in their capacity as guarantor countries of the process. We established a mission of military observers for Ecuador and Peru based on what was agreed upon in the Itamarity Declaration, and with the full commitment of the guarantor countries, which made it possible to establish a demilitarized zone. which became one of the key foundations of the peace process. Over more than three years, there were several rounds of negotiations between the parties in Brasilia and then in the various capitals of the guarantor countries. A negotiating delegation was formed and subsequently four committees were formed to deal with issues of trade and navigation, border integration, the tracing on the ground of the common land border, mutual confidence building and security measures, and on the use of water from the Zarumia River. On the 26th of October, 1998, we saw the signing of the Presidential Act of Brasilia for an indissoluble peace. And this showed the historic significance for the development and well-being of the fraternal peoples of Ecuador and Peru, given the understandings reached by the two governments. The peaceful settlement of the conflict through diplomacy and the mediation of international actors proved that conflicts between nations can be resolved. And it established a valuable precedent in the region, such as the peace agreements of 1998 that I already mentioned. Mr. President, to conclude, I’d like to recall that in his first intervention before the Security Council in 2017, Secretary General Antonio Guterres appealed for diplomacy for peace, stressing the importance of regional organizations. Ecuador shares this vision, and we would call for the Security Council to implement actions that are aimed at fulfilling its primary responsibility to maintain international peace and security. That is why, Mr. President, we must remember that with regard to the functions of the Security Council, the decisions of which are mandatory on all members in accordance with Article 25 of the Charter, amongst these functions are the matters related to Chapters 6, 7, 8, and 12. In Ecuador’s view, this obligation to comply also applies to Article 27.3 of the Charter, which says, and I quote, “‘A party to a dispute shall abstain from voting,’ end of quotation, which constitutes a. legal obligation, the fulfillment of which is not only unavoidable, but which must be also implemented in good faith. Thank you very much.

President – Brazil:
The President of Ecuador for their statement. And I now give the floor to the representative of France.

France:
Mr. President, I would like to thank President Michel Bachelet, President Mbeki, ASG Khiari, and Madam Alvarez for their briefings. I’d like to stress three points. France, as a member of the European Union, is convinced that regional integration is of service to the maintenance of international peace and security. This has been the logic at the basis of the EU from its beginnings. European construction began in 1951 with the establishment of a common market for coal and steel strategic sectors during the two World Wars. This vision continues to be the driving force behind the construction of Europe today. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the enlargement of the European Union was a response to the democratic aspirations of millions of Europeans. It was also a factor of stability, and it is this model that we still defend through the European perspective recognized in this regard to Ukraine following the war of aggression launched by Russia. It is a model which respects the principles of the United Nations Charter, namely sovereignty, the right of peoples to self-determination, and the peaceful settlement of disputes. We support all of the regional actors that share this vision. In Africa, the African Union and sub-regional organizations play a decisive role, including recently given the proliferation of coup d’etat. The European Union is by far the first donor, number one donor for the African Union, and it will remain mobilized. We support the African Union via the European Peace Facility, namely 600 million euro for 2022 to 2024. And the participation today of President Mbeki recalls to us his work for peace in Sudan and South Sudan over the last 15 years. We reiterate our support for the efforts of the African Union and all of the actors in the region, as the conflict in Sudan has been raging now for six months. In Latin America, the EU-SALAC summit of July 2023 showed just how close Because the two organizations are, this partnership is essential in order to address common challenges which go beyond international peace and security, I think particularly of the fight against climate change. In Asia, cooperation with ASEAN is also an integral part of the Indo-Pacific strategy of France. In order to together address multilateral challenges and reinforce regional stability is also the spirit of strategic partnership between the European Union and ASEAN. Finally, we must not lose sight of the fact that complementarity is a condition for effectiveness. Regional action must remain complementary to the action of the Security Council. It is the spirit of Chapter 8 of the United Nations Charter. The Security Council retains the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. This is essential since regional powers increasingly try to benefit from their influence or impose situations of fait accompli and hold in check regional mediation efforts. This logic of complementarity is also paramount in the new Agenda for Peace presented by the Secretary General of the United Nations. This initiative substantively reiterates that the United Nations needs collective action on the part of its member states in order to effectively fulfill its mandate, be it the good offices of the Secretary General, the defense of human rights, or in peacekeeping. France contributed to the drafting of this strategy and we call upon all member states to seize this initiative. We particularly support the call of the Secretary General for sustainable funding for African peace operations, notably with regard to assessed United Nations contribution. Thank you.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of France for their statement and I now give the floor to the representative of Ghana.

Ghana:
Mr. President, Ghana is grateful to Brazil for spotlighting during this open debate of your presidency the importance of dialogue and peaceful means in preventing and resolving disputes. We thank ASG Khaled Khiari for his briefing, as well as the remarks of the High Excellencies Michelle Bachelet and Thabo Mbeki, which highlighted the need for greater resort to the tools of Pacific settlement at the national, regional, and international levels. We equally note the perspectives of Ms. Josephine Alvarez, and in particular the reminder to us of the meaningful contributions academia can make in highlighting the significant role of dialogue in stabilizing societies. Mr. President, as indicated in your concept note for this meeting, the benefits of Pacific tools in preventing and resolving conflicts at the national, regional, and international levels are many. Yet, as ironic as it may seem, we have often not resorted to their use as the first option, even though in national mechanisms, regional protocols, and international treaties, including the charter of this organization, many provisions are bound, anticipating that interactions within, between, and among states are likely to create disputes. We therefore believe that the challenge including for this council is how we can shift our collective role at the present time away from measures that require force towards means that are peaceful. In saying so, we are mindful of the notion some hold that resorting to peaceful means would not always produce the outcomes they desire, or that the results they seek from such a means would be swift and without delay. However, it is quite evident, especially in matters of peace and security, that Pacific means have usually been just and have had enduring outcomes. We therefore encourage all member states, and the council in particular, to deepen the utilization of the provisions of Chapter 6 of the UN Charter in dealing with the many disputes we are presently confronted with. As a council and among all member states, we should seize the opportunity of the Secretary-General’s policy brief on the new agenda for peace to rethink our approach to conflict prevention, management, and resolution, and embrace even more the Pacific approaches which are time-tested and have proven to be sustainable in maintaining peace. Mr. President, in response to the guiding question that your concept note raised, we believe that there is no better way for enhancing the use of Chapter 6 of the Charter of Disorganization than simply doing so, enhancing its use. We need, as member states, to recommit to the various peaceful methods for settling disputes, and as a Council, we should strengthen our will in exercising our mandate in calling on disputing parties to settle by peaceful means, and to follow through our call with strong facilitative support. In so saying, it is important that we strengthen the Secretary-General’s dedicated capacity within the United Nations to support disputing states, such as would help them to have greater confidence in the peace support architecture of this organization. We acknowledge in this context the Secretary-General’s good offices and the work of UN mediation, including the Mediation Advisory Board and the Standby Mediation Advisers, who remain critical to the Preventive Diplomacy Agenda. We urge the interlocking of these mediation capacities with those of regional arrangements in ways that can leverage regional knowledge and experience with the global resources of the United Nations to reinforce the impact of the Pacific Treaties. The experience of many regional arrangements, including those in Africa, demonstrate a rich array of useful preventive and conflict resolution mechanisms, such as the ECOWAS and the African Union Early Warning Systems, the African Union Panel of the Wise, or SADC’s Panel of Elders, and other ad hoc mechanisms that are deployed to defuse tensions, elicit commitment to peaceful settlement, and all resolve disputes. While most of these preventive mechanisms remain largely effective, the gap between intentions and impacts still requires some bridging to reduce instances where disputes that have been flagged get out of control and become violent. Additional resources in support of the effective function of such mechanisms could therefore be useful to enable them to respond in a timely and effective manner on behalf of the international system, as envisaged in Chapter 8 of the Charter. To improve the Security Council’s cooperation with regional, sub-regional, and bilateral arrangements, we encourage, besides focus-filled visits by the Council, periodic informal interactive dialogue with such arrangements that are making exceptional contributions to the peaceful settlement of disputes. Such dialogue should aim to explore how the unique strengths and successful experience of the arrangements could be adapted and replicated in cross-regional contexts to support the resolution of other disputes on the agenda of the Council. The Colombian peace process and the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission experiences are worthy examples. Before concluding, and while welcoming the Secretary General’s emphasis on preventive diplomacy in his new Agenda for Peace, we underscore the saliency in mobilizing support to address governance and development deficits which lie at the root of many of the intrastate crises we are witnessing. Investing in people, including women and the youth, enhances their resilience against complex challenges and helps to build and sustain peace, break the cycles of instability, and reverse the drivers of fragility. Equally important, we need to encourage different nations to embrace all of their society, including in some instances their community and religious leaders, whose native wisdom has often proven beneficial in resolving many conflicts. Finally, the emphasis being placed in the present circumstances on prevention and the need for strong partnerships between the United Nations and regional organizations is the right one. Underpinned by a strong, great commitment to international law, it should strengthen our collective resolve in championing the Pacific route in addressing the myriad of crises of our time. For those of us from the continent of Africa, this approach also represents one of the surest ways of silencing the guns by 2030 and achieving a peaceful and prosperous continent. In looking at all the emerging challenges across the world at the present moment, which a number of the members of the Council have discussed this morning, it is certain that time is not on our side. We must take action to table-charge the use of Pacific settlements in preventing disputes and resolving them. I thank you, Mr. President.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Ghana for their statement. Council members will now listen to speakers on the Rules 37 and 39. Since we have a great number of speakers… on my list, I wish to kindly remind all speakers of the need to limit their statements to no more than four minutes in order to enable the Council to carry out its work expeditiously. Flashing lights on the collars of the microphones will prompt speakers to bring their remarks to a close after four minutes. And I’ll give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Gerardo Penalver-Portal, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba.

Cuba:
Mr. President, we welcome you as President of the Security Council and also thank you for the relevance of the subject for this open debate, which is particularly relevant given the dangerous escalation of action on the international stage, which runs counter to multilateralism and peace. The most recent of these actions, the indiscriminate bombing by Israel against the Palestinian population and the destruction of housing, hospitals, and civilian infrastructure, as well as withholding services of water, electricity, and fuel from the Palestinian people, must be stopped immediately. Nothing can justify such action, which constitutes serious violations of international humanitarian law. We need an immediate ceasefire, access to humanitarian assistance for the civilian population, also avoiding the forced displacement of Palestinians from land which belongs to them by right. There cannot be peace if atrocious violations of international humanitarian law are allowed, such as are being committed by Israel, the occupying power, against Palestine. The complicity of the United States in the commission of these war crimes is shameful and it sets a very dangerous precedent along the path towards peace. We reaffirm the firm aspiration of the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro Rus, for a peace with respect, a peace with rights, a peace with independence, and a peace with security for all peoples of the world. The path towards guaranteeing peaceful coexistence and preserving peace and international security is by preserving multilateralism and full respect for the United Nations Charter and the principles and norms of international law. It is vital that we promote a solution to conflicts through peaceful means, through negotiation and dialogue pursuant to Chapter 6 of the United Nations Charter, in order to guarantee security and sovereignty for everyone equally, as well as peace, stability and regional and international security. We are concerned to see the threatening rhetoric, the imposition of sanctions. and unilateral coercive measures and interventionist policies and double standards. The manipulation of facts using media-orchestrated lies, the demonization of governments in order to bring about regime change, the use of hybrid technologies in the so-called fourth generation war for political destabilization have become an unacceptable practice of certain states. Peace is not achieved by attempts to impose a unique school of thought. The rules-based system is attempted to replace the UN Charter, a selective approach that is biased, and we do not share this. We can only build a world of peace on the basis of justice, accepting multilateralism as the only way to resolve conflict and to settle our differences in total adherence to the principles of the UN Charter and international law. President, almost a decade after its announcement, the proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a zone of peace adopted in Havana at the second CELAC summit is more relevant and valid than ever. This document reiterates the commitment of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean to the peaceful settlement of disputes and to banish once and for all the use or the threat of the use of force in international policies and in relations between states. In this context, we see the regional efforts aimed at putting an end to the last armed conflict in Latin America that had lasted for half a century in Colombia. Cuba is proud of our contribution as a guarantor and a headquarters for peace dialogue. This shows our commitment to the promotion of peace in our region and in the world. Any international effort for peace should begin with the commitment of states to comply with international and intergovernmental instruments that are multilaterally negotiated and compliance with the mandates of the pertinent organs of the United Nations. The idea of applying a prevention to these peace and security pillar outlined in the Secretary General’s new agenda for peace requires strict respect for the UN Charter and the principles of respect for the principles of national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the inalienable right of peoples to self-determination, political independence, and non-interference in the internal affairs of states in order to guarantee that these approaches are not used as a pretext to justify and promote geopolitical interests and agenda. also requires a comprehensive and in-depth reform of the Security Council, greater representativity of countries of the South, more democracy, transparency, and inclusivity in its work and procedures, and an end to its interference in the mandate and functions of the General Assembly and other organs in order to preserve the effectiveness and credibility of the organization. The world today, perhaps like never before, desperately needs a new form of civilized coexistence on the basis of an international order that is just and fair, where what prevails are solidarity, cooperation, dialogue, and integration between countries. Let us make this a possibility. Thank you.

President – Brazil:
I thank His Excellency Ambassador Gerardo Penalver-Portal for his statement. And I’ll give the floor to the representative of Austria.

Austia:
Thank you, Mr. President, and thank you for organizing this open debate. As we move closer to the summit of the future next year, we welcome this opportunity to discuss the new agenda for peace with council members. Today’s debate also touches on two key priorities for Austria, conflict prevention and building strong partnerships. On prevention, in the increasingly challenging environment for peace, the work of the UN can only be effective if we invest in prevention and in building sustainable peace. We are convinced that the new agenda for peace can be the basis for a unique opportunity to shift attention to its preventive diplomacy, mediation, and peace building in order to build resilience within societies and address the underlying drivers of conflict. It is our firm belief that prevention concerns all of us, not only certain fragile states. Just like human rights are universal, all countries need to do their share to build inclusive, just, and ultimately peaceful societies. We therefore endorse the call contained in the Secretary General’s policy brief on the new agenda for peace for a shift in approach by which all states agree to recognize prevention and sustaining peace as goals that all commit to achieve. In the run-up to the summit of the future, it will be crucial to discuss how we can operationally this call, and potentially use existing structures such as the VNRs on the SDGs or the Peace Building Commission. We encourage the Secretariat to provide guidance to Member States in this regard. Second, building partnerships. Conflict prevention, peacekeeping, and peacebuilding require strong partnerships, and the UN and the Security Council must foster even stronger partnerships with regional and sub-regional organizations. Leveraging each other’s strengths is the only way multilateralism can bring the sheer heft that is needed to tackle humanity’s most fundamental challenges. Austria has been advocating for a new understanding of networked multilateralism on a global level. A UN that coordinates and cooperates with regional, sub-regional, or thematic organizations much more strongly. Sustainable financing of the operations of regional partners plays a key role, including the AU peace support operations mandated by the Council. Austria hopes to see progress in this regard during this year. But let me be very clear. Networked multilateralism and more partnerships does not mean a reduction of or a departure from classic UN peacekeeping. For Austria, peacekeeping is and must remain a core function of the UN. Closer cooperation with partners will require the UN Secretariat to provide even more essential services, whether in coordinating and establishing standards, ensuring interoperability, providing information for the mandate and formulation, assisting the establishment of missions on the ground, providing mission elements and possibly over-the-horizon forces if a regional organization leaves, constant monitoring, and ensuring accountability and evaluations. Clearly, more partnerships means a new form of UN peacekeeping, more diverse possibilities, a wider menu of peacekeeping operations, but by no means less peacekeeping. Let me finally touch on an issue that, especially during the peacekeeping meeting that we had last month in preparation in the context of the high-level week, which were very much at the center of that, the need for more trust. Trust is the core of peaceful and inclusive societies, but also the lifeline for multilateralism. As you pointed out in your concept note, distrust hinders cooperation and dialogue. How do we rebuild trust in these challenging times? We see two key factors, cooperation and the rule of law. We strongly believe that cooperating with each other and strengthening partnerships can increase trust in the international system on the grassroots level. Regional organizations may serve as trust-building entities themselves. An example is the OSCE, which we know well because we host them in Vienna. The OSCE was never a club of like-minded countries, but has served as a platform for trust-building measures and dialogue to advance collective security. Similarly, the rule of law, compliance with international law treaties and customary law, generates predictability and thereby trust. Austria supports efforts to ensure that all avenues are explored to strengthen the rule of law, especially as regards ensuring appropriate reactions to violations of the most important norms of international law and the UN Charter. Ensuring strong, possibly even automatic, consequences to norm violations may serve as an effective means also of prevention. Mr. President, dialogue, cooperation and strict adherence to international law will help generate the trust and confidence that we need to enable us to use our multilateral organizations in the way that they were conceived to be used. Thank you.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Austria for their statement and I now give the floor to the representative of Egypt.

Egypt:
Thank you, President. First, I would like to thank Brazil for convening this meeting, this very important meeting at this very sensitive time, and this is testing the Council when faced with its responsibility and credibility for maintaining international peace and security. President, we cannot address regional initiatives for conflict resolutions separately from the evolutions on the African continent and the Middle East. These are very significant dangers which will have serious repercussions if they’re not addressed wisely to achieve peace and security. Thus, I’d like to focus on the African continent and the Middle East and the positive role the Council could play to strengthen regional and sub-regional bilateral mechanisms for the peaceful resolution of disputes, particularly when we’re talking about the new agenda for peace and the importance of preventive diplomacy and attaching a greater performance to regional organizations for resolution of conflicts. Africa has already been aware of the importance of developing its mechanisms to address these conflicts in line with the principles of African solutions to African problems. And this is to benefit from our experiences and take into consideration all the specific characteristics of African societies. Thus, these African mechanisms, which are directly linked to the African Union or those which work alongside it and with cooperation with other bodies of the African Union, has made notable successes. But these mechanisms are facing significant challenges in particularly different approaches and a lack of coordination between them. Thus, Egypt welcomes the efforts made by the Security Council to coordinate these African mechanisms, including within the framework of the annual meeting of this Council with the African Union, Peace and Security Council, and also the briefings that this Council receives on African issues. And this is very important to strengthen this coordination and to attach a more important, significant role to these mechanisms on African issues in order to ensure that this Council can take decisions based on the reality in Africa. Also, the Council should step up the efforts of the continent on maintenance and consolidation of peace, including through funding African Union peace operations and providing resources to the Secretary General’s Peacebuilding Fund, based on contributions from member states. And these are very important efforts on the part of stakeholders and regional stakeholders towards peace and to put an end to conflicts. Egypt is aware of the importance of coordination of these initiatives and mechanisms, and also the importance that they be implemented on the ground. As proof of this is the summit on Sudan in Cairo and the two ministerial level meetings, which were held in New York and the Jamena. And all of these events coordinate our regional and international efforts to address the crisis in Sudan. The Palestinian question is the primary cause of instability and a lack of peace in the Middle East. You, I’m sure, are all aware what the causes of this conflict are and how it has evolved. The Security Council considered this situation. Until the current catastrophe that the Palestinian people are facing in Gaza today, we’re talking about the role of regional initiatives and mechanisms to resolve the Palestinian question at a time when the Security Council is unable to take a decision to put an end to the current aggression and to achieve peace and security and allow delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza. Israel refuses, is still refusing any initiative to address the situation because Israel believes that they can prolong this occupation and eradicate the Palestinian question bit by bit. But Egypt, over previous years, has spared no effort to fight, to stop the escalation of the situation as its historic role on the Israeli issue. We are the first country to have a peace agreement with Israel, and we have a clear vision regarding peace in the Middle East. Thus, we will continue our efforts until then, until a ceasefire is decreed and then decisions, effective decisions can be taken to deliver humanitarian assistance to Gaza and emergency humanitarian aid can be mobilized. Today, the Secretary General of the United Nations was at the Rafah border crossing, and he was working with stakeholders in Egypt and all other stakeholders, too. Egypt is shouldering its responsibility to guarantee the emergency delivery of humanitarian assistance to our brothers in Palestine. Also, the President of Egypt has called for a convening of an emergency summit, which will be held tomorrow in Cairo with the participation of regional and international stakeholders. to try and find a solution to the current crisis and find a just resolution. Because Egypt believes that the fact that the international community is addressing this Palestinian crisis with current approaches is one that has been overcome by events in time. To conclude, President, the Security Council must be able to benefit from these regional initiatives and mechanisms and the experience of countries concerned. But the Council must also develop its own measures to ensure that these mechanisms can play their role correctly and the current challenges reaffirm yet again that it’s time to reform the Security Council so that it becomes more representative and more equal and more able to address the questions and crises on an international level of the day. We need a permanent Arab and African presence within the Security Council with all the prerogatives of a permanent member of the Security Council. Thank you very much.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Egypt for their statement. And I now give the floor to the representative of South Africa.

South Africa:
Thank you, Mr. President. And let me start by congratulating the Federative Republic of Brazil for assuming the presidency of Security Council in October. Allow me to thank the following briefers. Mr. Khaled Khiairi, Her Excellency Ms. Bachelet, Michelle Bachelet, His Excellency Mr. Thabo Mbeki, and Ms. Josefina Alvarez. And we thank them for the information they shared with us. We are pleased with the convening of this pertinent open debate on the contributions of regional and sub-regional organizations and bilateral arrangements to the maintenance of global peace and security. We find it apt that our discussion is not only limited to regional mechanisms, but it includes the efficacy and impact of bilateral arrangements in resolving disputes, a subject we seldom discuss on this council. I will add also the role of coalitions to this list of arrangements because such mechanisms have at times been effective in supporting efforts aimed at the peaceful pacification of disputes. And they should be encouraged as appropriate. should they be sanctioned in terms of the relevant provisions of international law. An example of this is the role of the troika in South Sudan. Mr. President, this open debate could not have been organized at a more appropriate time just as we continue to explore ways of dealing with an upsurge of destabilizing events that range from armed conflict, unconstitutional changes of government, terrorism, violent extremism, to the failure of governments to govern and manage diversity. In many cases, the causes and drivers of these conflicts could have been prevented and or resolved peacefully. The proliferation of conflicts in recent years does underline the importance for the international community to prioritize preventative diplomacy. It is important that we do not just talk about preventative diplomacy because it is fashionable to do so. We must instead continuously ask why is it that preventive diplomacy and measures provided in Chapter 5 – in Chapter 6 of the Charter of the United Nations are seldom utilized. We must also determine what we need to do to improve on this status quo. In addition to Chapter 6, a myriad of tools exist to conduct preventive diplomacy at bilateral, sub-regional, and regional levels. However, for this to be realized, political will and visionary leadership are vital. It also requires the patience of the international community for efforts undertaken by regional arrangements to come to fruition, especially when there is a trust deficit. Restoring and building trust among conflicting parties is a cumbersome process that must be approached delicately. Mr. President, owing to our own political history of successfully avoiding a civil war, South Africa believes in the peaceful resolution of conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. This position has allowed us to be part of bilateral, sub-regional, and regional engagements that contributed to finding political solutions to disputes in many countries, particularly on the African continent, including in the DRC, Burundi, and recently in Tigray, Ethiopia, to name a few. We continue to be part of efforts by the Southern African Development Community and the African Union aimed at the prevention and peaceful resolution of disputes. These efforts are underpinned by the principles of subsidiarity and complementarity. Due to their proximity, regional organizations are often best placed to mediate conflicts under their geographical scope. They need to be supported accordingly. We are thus pleased that the Secretary General’s policy brief on the new Agenda for Peace, which we as member states continue to study and discuss, emphasizes the fundamental role of regional organizations in support of the mandate of the UN in the maintenance of peace and security, in line with Chapter 8 of the UN Charter, which provides the framework for relations between UN and regional arrangements. To conclude, Mr. President, we should take advantage of the opportunity provided by the Summit of the Future and the new Agenda for Peace to strengthen the role of various arrangements in the advancement of global peace and security. I thank you.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of South Africa for their statement, and I now give the floor to the representative of Croatia.

Croatia:
Mr. President, I have the honor of delivering this statement on behalf of the Group of Friends of the Responsibility to Protect, consisting of 55 member states and the European Union, this year co-chaired by Botswana, Costa Rica and Croatia. The peaceful settlement of disputes lies in the heart of the Responsibility to Protect principle. Paragraph 139 of the 2005 World Summit Outcome document opens with the assertion that the international community through the United Nations also has the responsibility to use appropriate diplomatic, humanitarian and other peaceful means in accordance with Chapters 6 and 8 of the Charter to help to protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. Recognizing the value of bilateral, sub-regional, regional and multilateral efforts to achieve these goals. these aims, the group of friends of R2P would like to stress the following points. Firstly, the World Summit outcome document specified a number of distinct roles for regional arrangements, including those that relate to the use of peaceful means to protect populations, such as diplomacy, early warning and rapid response, and technical assistance and capacity building. Regional organizations are often well-placed to guide multilateral action on emerging atrocity situation and threats to peace and security in their region, as they may have better political understanding of dynamics within the countries where atrocity or conflicts are taking place. Institutional mechanisms for providing technical assistance to member states, building confidence in the security sector, promoting fair and accountable governance, supporting economic development, and various regional field operations, including regional mediation processes, contribute to conflict and atrocity prevention. These are not mere aspirational goals for regional organizations. We have witnessed concrete situations in which the difference between prolonged conflicts and successful prevention of further atrocities was the concerted efforts of sub-regional organizations and their member states to address the imminent risks. We call on all regional and sub-regional organizations to help protect populations from and facilitate the prevention of atrocities in their regions. Secondly, capacity prevention and the effective implementation of the Responsibility to Protect Agenda can contribute to fulfilling the Secretary General’s Common Agenda and the related New Agenda for Peace. The group of friends of R2P in its submission to the new Agenda for Peace underlined that the effective strengthening of prevention must be predicated on early warning signs and clarity on what early action, including peaceful means, can be taken in response to such alarms. Effective early warning, including by regional and sub-regional organizations, should be rooted in accurately identifying all factors that increase the risks of violence, including those associated with atrocity crimes, rather than solely focusing on the risk of conflict. Lastly, we would like to underline that the UN Secretary-General has also an important role to play in prevention and the peaceful settlement of dispute, including through preventive diplomacy, fact-finding and reporting, and the provision of good offices in response to risks of conflict and atrocity crimes. In this context, we encourage the Secretary-General to use his powers under Article 99 of the Charter to bring to the attention of the Council any risk of commission of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, or crimes against humanity that, in his opinion, may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security. We also call on members of the Security Council to respond to and address the risk of commission of mass atrocities, noting in this context initiatives such as the Act Code of Contact and the French-Mexican Initiative on the Use of Veto in case of mass atrocities. Thank you.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Croatia for their statement, and I’ll give the floor to the representative of the Republic of Korea.

Korea:
Mr. President, I’d like to commend you for convening this timely and important open debate. Let me also thank the briefers for their insightful remarks. Today, the world is faced with increasingly multifaceted, cross-cutting challenges all around the globe. On top of this, it continues to be a time of great uncertainty. continues to be affected by intensifying traditional conflict situations and violence, just as we have seen in the ongoing war against Ukraine and current situation in Israel and Gaza. As Secretary General Guterres has pointed out in his new agenda for peace, these interlocking and transactional threats, transnational threats go well beyond the ability of any single state to manage. It is therefore imperative that we find ways to take effective and collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to peace as enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. Mr. President, regional and sub-regional mechanisms are well-positioned, not only to understand the root causes of the conflict, owing to their intimate knowledge of the region, but also to promote confidence, trust, dialogue among concerned parties within their respective regions. These tools lay the foundation of peaceful settlement of disputes stipulated in the Charter Six of the, Chapter Six of the Charter. This is why the Security Council should make full use of their comparative advantage of proximity and existing mechanisms for the promotion of confidence-building and dialogue in its ongoing effort to prevent and peacefully resolve conflicts under the principle of regional ownership. In this regard, Republic of Korea welcomes the results of the 17th annual joint consultative meeting between the Security Council and the Peace and Security Council of the African Union that was held in Addis Ababa on October 6th. We believe that such efforts by the Council should continue in line with the Chapter Eight of the UN Charter, bearing in mind the three following points. First, security. Council should enhance its cooperation with the regional mechanisms and organizations. In addition to demands for a stronger UN-Africa Union partnership, we should also shed light on other regions such as ASEAN and the sub-regional mechanisms like ECOWAS in West Africa, whose tools of prevention and peaceful settlement has also been developed. The Peace-Building Commission can also play a bridging role in this regard. Second, adequate resources and financing are key to building robust regional frameworks and organizations. As such, Korea supports the need for predictable, sustainable, and flexible funding for Africa Union-led peace support operations, including access to the UN-assessed contributions where needed. At the same time, we would also need to find ways to ensure accountability, transparency, and effective use of these funds. As an incoming member of the Security Council, we look forward to upcoming negotiations on this issue. Third, inclusivity should be guaranteed at all levels along the process. Other society actors, including women and youth, play a crucial role in building trust in societies. Partnerships with the regional mechanisms must always place people at the center so that diverse and unique voices from each and every corner of our societies can enrich the path toward sustainable peace and development. Mr. President, over the past years, the Republic of Korea has been actively expanding its horizon of engagement through regular consultations with the various regional mechanisms. We hosted the first-ever summit with the Pacific Islands. last May, we are also working with our partners in Africa for a successful Korea-Africa Summit next year. Through such engagement, Korea hopes to contribute to the efforts of our regional mechanisms as well as the international community in building sustainable peace for all. I thank you.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of the Republic of Korea for their statement.I now give the floor to the representative of Ukraine.

Ukraine:
Thank you. Mr. President, distinguished members of the Security Council, Ukraine highly appreciates the initiative of the Brazilian Presidency to hold this important debate and would like to thank briefers for their presentations. Ukraine has always been a staunch proponent of strengthening cooperation between the United Nations and regional and other organizations, in accordance with Chapter 8 of the UN Charter. They have been an important tool for the effective settlement of conflict and the promotion of peace and security, humanitarian assistance, development, and human rights across the globe. We therefore support that the New Agenda for Peace places particular focus on robust regional frameworks and organizations as critical building blocks for the network multilateralism that are needed especially in regions where long-lasting security architectures are collapsing. One could hardly doubt the need to further enhance partnerships between the UN and those regional organizations that strive for peace, security, and development in their respective regions. There are many examples of such valuable and result-oriented UN partnerships, with the European Union, African Union, Association of Southeast Nations, League of Arab States, the OECD, just to name a few. In the case of my own country, the OECD was quite active on the ground from the beginning of the Russian aggression in 2014 till the invasion last February. At the same time, there is such organization as the CSTO, de facto Russia-led military block, which has become a clear example of the destructive policy tools that Russia employs in the region. It’s our common task to uphold the UN credibility and to resist attempts to bring organizations like CSTO onto the UN platform under the guise of the Chapter 8. We support the idea of the Brazilian presidency to broaden the scope of discussion by addressing the role of bilateral arrangements in peaceful resolution. Recent security developments in our region, especially Russia’s ongoing war against my country, have highlighted the important role and important contribution of ad-hoc frameworks and networks established to support the victim of aggression in defending itself against invasion. At the same time, these developments have again brought our attention to the problem of aggressors’ presence in the permanent seat of the Security Council, which is, to say the least, legally dubious. This presence has impeded genuine response by the Council, and a similar situation has been observed at the regional level, within the framework of the OSCE, whose decision-making is based on consensus. The presidency has identified the issue of a reformed collective security mechanism as one of the guiding questions for this open debate. We consider that addressing the above problem of illegal occupation by the aggressor of the Council’s permanent seat, along with Russia’s unwillingness to act like a peace-loving state in the meaning of the Article 4 of the UN Charter, should be part of the answer. I thank you.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Ukraine for their statement, and I now give the floor to the representative of Denmark.

Denmark:
Mr. President, Excellencies, thank you, Mr. President, for calling today’s meeting on peace through dialogue in this difficult time of unfolding wars and conflicts. Thank you also to the distinguished briefers. It is my privilege to deliver this statement on behalf of the five Nordic countries – Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and my own country, Denmark. Evidently, sustainable peace can only be achieved by the parties to the conflict. Third parties, be it international actors, neighboring countries, or regional organizations, can provide support for the parties to find mutually acceptable solutions. Mr. President, in today’s open debate, the Nordic countries want to make four points. Firstly, dialogue is a key tool in resolving conflicts, but it is also a conflict prevention tool, and we encourage the Council to better utilize its potential preventive role under Chapter 6 of the Charter. Here we also suggest leveraging the potential of the Peacebuilding Commission to facilitate inclusive conflict prevention and resolution. The UN has a unique role in supporting parties to peaceful settlements of disputes. Gender for Peace is an opportunity to strengthen the role of member states to address current security challenges and evolving threats. It is an opportunity to further develop preventive non-violent conflict resolution mechanisms and the UN’s diplomatic toolbox across the humanitarian, development and peace nexus. My second point is about the role of regional and sub-regional organizations. These can play a significant role with their local knowledge and potential personal relationships. The UN Charter is clear on this role for regional organizations in Chapter 8. We encourage more frequent use of this chapter, including deepening the cooperation and information sharing between the Security Council and regional organizations. The importance of local ownership of any process is hugely clear. This brings me to my third point. As clearly set out in the new Agenda for Peace, ownership is essential to any process of conflict prevention and conflict resolution. The parties need to come up with and take ownership to solutions. And this ownership must be inclusive. Which brings me to my fourth point, inclusion. Peace processes should always reflect the needs and perspectives of stakeholders affected by conflict. Strengthening the full, equal and meaningful participation of women, youth and civil society at large is critical. Indeed, it pays off adding seats to the table. If a process is not inclusive, it is most difficult to reach sustainable peace. President, thank you for convening the debate today on a topic that is now more critical than ever. The Nordics want to stress that we stand together with the United Nations and member states committed to a future that brings peace, stability and development for all. And let me conclude with a message from the late President Atisari of Finland, who passed away this week, quote, if we work together, we can find solutions. We should not accept any excuses from those in power. Peace is a question of will, unquote. Thank you.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Denmark for their statement. There are still a number of speakers remaining on my list for this meeting. I intend, with the concurrence of members of the Council, to suspend the meeting until later this afternoon at 3 p.m. The meeting is suspended. Thank you. The 9,448th meeting of the Security Council is resumed. I wish to remind all speakers to limit their statements to no more than four minutes in order to enable the Council to carry out its work expeditiously. Switching lights on the colors of the microphones will prompt speakers to bring their remarks to a close after four minutes. I now give the floor to the representative of Chile.

Chile:
Thank you, President. Chile is grateful to Brazil for convening this open debate, and we noted the briefings heard this morning. According to Chapter 8 of the San Francisco Charter on Regional Organizations, which are compatible with the purposes and principles of the United Nations, they may act in support of the objectives of international peace and security. Strengthening regional organizations is therefore part of the new agenda for peace of the Secretary-General, with a view to a transformative summit of the future next year. In this regard, we appreciate the crucial role that regional organizations can play in achieving international peace and security, as well as creating natural spaces for meetings, cooperation and exchange between their members. This heightens trust, fosters institutionalization and predictability, and therefore minimizes uncertainty and risks of clashes. Given the latest developments, President, innovative measures are required to tackle current dangers of war and threats to security, which are essentially cross-border, as is the case for organized crime and its various ramifications. In this regard, learning from mechanisms of cooperation, mutual trust, knowledge and assistance which exist at regional and sub-regional level is extremely useful. Specifically, we believe that in areas of mutual interest, such as disarmament, crisis management, protection of the environment and economic development, coordination and exchange between public and regional organizations contribute to generating stability in the regions and establishing long-term positive relations. They foster peaceful dispute resolution and provide a deterrent from resorting to violence. to resolve disputes. In the same vein, we believe that this Council can actively promote the creation and strengthening of regional agreements which foster peace and security by offering political and diplomatic support to the stakeholders in the negotiating and implementing of these agreements. Likewise, it can foster the effective implementation of agreements and encourage the parties to fulfil their commitments, acting as a mediator or a facilitator in dispute resolution in the context of regional agreements. This might include the provision of good offices or visits to conflict-affected territories. In this regard, in our region, along with the efforts of the United Nations when appropriate, we have been involved in initiatives which have allowed for important peace agreements. I would like to underscore the remarks this morning by my country’s former head of state, as well as by other members, on the achievements of the Brasilia agreements. We wish to highlight that, historically, the Council has shown its ability to coordinate its actions with relevant regional and sub-regional organizations, such as the African Union, to jointly tackle conflicts and threats to peace. We also wish to underscore the fact that ad-hoc and thematic mechanisms can serve to propel forward significant changes and to consolidate peace. These examples are the various groups of friends around the Women, Peace and Security Agenda. These shed light on underlying causes of discrimination and oppression against women in various areas of the world, so as to establish lines for action and coordinate various stakeholders to implement action plans which can give women a relevant role in decision-making. Mr. President, to conclude, given the dramatic current situation in the Gaza Strip and how serious it is, we hope that this could also be an opportunity to demonstrate how regional organizations can play a crucial role in protecting international humanitarian law and the principles of the Charter. Thank you.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Chile for their statement, and now I’ll give the floor to the representative of Italy.

Italy:
Thank you, Mr. President. Italy aligns itself with the statement to be delivered by the European Union, and would like to add the following comments in its national capacity. The current devastating crisis scenarios confirm the urgency to change the paradigm from crisis management to conflict prevention. They also show the importance to work on three levels of trust in relations between states, in relations between international organizations, and in institutions and citizens, in relations between the United Nations and Member States. Regional organizations are able to strengthen the circle of trust on all these levels, filling the gap between societies, national authorities and the UN system. I would like to highlight four points. First, solid partnerships between the United Nations and regional organizations are essential for effective multilateralism. The role of regional organizations in the prevention and peaceful settlement of disputes is in the interest of the United Nations and of the Security Council. So Italy fully supports the vision of the new Agenda for Peace, a bottom-up, widespread system of conflict prevention based on the development of national strategies that are anchored in human rights and the rule of law, that take advantage of the role of regional organizations and receive effective and concrete support from the United Nations, acting in solidarity and complementarity. Second, regional organizations can make a difference on all the building blocks of crisis prevention and sustainable peace, developments, rule of law, inclusiveness, human rights, gender equality and empowerment. Coordination among regional organizations makes the action even more effective. The cooperation between the European Union and the African Union is a living example in that sense. Third, the Peacebuilding Commission is in a unique position to flank the United Nations and regional organizations. To untap this potential, the PBC must be able to offer concrete help and solutions to the regional organizations that turn to it, including adequate funding for peacebuilding activities. Italy has just doubled the annual contribution to the Peacebuilding Fund and is committed to ensure adequate, predictable and sustained financing for peacebuilding also through UN-assessed contributions. Fourth, regional and sub-regional organizations’ contribution to peace must be recognized and supported. African countries participate in peacebuilding and peacekeeping, assuming increasing responsibility for international peace and security. Italy will continue to support the African peace and security architecture through financial assistance, training and capacity-building programs. We will continue to stress the importance to secure predictable resources for African-led peace obligations. And finally, the issue of Africa’s presence within the UN institutions should be addressed with specific reference to the Security Council, as part of the overarching objective of making the Council more representative, democratic, accountable, transparent and effective. I thank you.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Italy for their statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Iran.

Iran:
In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful, Mr. President, we congratulate Brazil on assuming the presidency of Security Council in October. We thank the briefers for their insightful briefing. Mr. President, Excellencies, in our ever-changing world, where repercussions of armed conflict continue to grow both in scope and intensity, the tools of diplomacy and dialogue stand out as the most effective instrument for conflict resolution. Ensuring peace through dialogue hints upon a steadfast commitment to international law and unwavering dedication to the principles outlined in the UN Charter. Mr. President, the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran is anchored in a deep commitment to international law and the UN Charter. We prioritize mutual respect, cultivating neighborly relations, fostering collaboration, and importantly, positioning dialogue as a cornerstone to safeguard international and regional peace and security. Iran’s proactive engagement in diplomatic affairs, particularly our meaningful participation in the GCPOA negotiation, is a testament to our unwavering commitment. However, the United States’ unlawful and irresponsible withdrawal from the GCPOA followed by subsequent actions from the both U.S. and E3 that violated their obligation under the GCPOA on Resolution 2231 presented significant and fundamental challenges to the agreement. This challenge sadly endured due to the Western Party’s excessive demands and introduction of unrelated issues. However, the return to full implementation of the agreement is still possible if the United States and E3 demonstrate responsibility and a pragmatic approach. We are pleased to announce that, as of two days ago, all remaining restrictions on missile activities, the export and import of weapons, and financial transactions involving certain Iranian individuals and entities have been completely terminated and are no longer subject to any Security Council restrictions. We trust that Member States will diligently fulfill their commitments under Article 25 of the U.N. Charter and honor the termination of restrictions as laid out in Resolution 2231. Mr. President, the Palestinian situation demands urgent international attention. For decades, Palestinians have suffered occupation, aggression, discrimination, and apartheid policy by the Israeli regime. Today, the international community is witnessing yet another horrific uptick in atrocities and collective punishment against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip by the Israeli regime, particularly the heinous terrorist attack on Al Ahly Arab Hospitals. The deliberate targeting of a hospital in clear violation of international humanitarian law is nothing short of a war crime. Equally, the indiscriminate killing of innocent people in Gaza. including women and children during the 14-day aerial bombardment which devastated critical and civilian infrastructure amounts to war crime of gravest nature. We are very disappointed by the Council’s inability to adopt a basic resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire and addressing the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Palestine. We urge the United Nations and the Security Council to take urgent action to put an end to the unfolding tragedy which amounts to genocide, crime against humanity, and war crime. After 70 decades of inertia, the Security Council must now shoulder its responsibility and take decisive action to address the ongoing plight of the Palestinian people. In conclusion, Mr. President, the Security Council must ensure its decisions are following international law and UN Charter and reflect the best interests of the international community as a whole. It is essential to ensure that the Council’s measures, especially those under Chapter 7, are utilized as a last resort and safeguarded from political exploitation and manipulation. These measures should only be invoked when genuinely necessary to preserve international peace and security following the pursuit of peaceful dispute resolution as outlined in Chapter 6 of the Charter. I thank you.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Iran for their statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Ethiopia.

Ethiopia:
Thank you, Mr. President, for giving me the floor. We thank Brazil for organizing this important open debate on the topic of the contributions of regional mechanisms for peace and security. I also wish to thank the briefers and dignitaries who spoke before us this morning. Mr. President, we appreciate the framing of today’s topic in such a manner that encompasses a wide range of activities covering peace and security. In the role of regional mechanisms on peace and security, primarily I would like to mention the fundamental feature that distinguishes regional mechanisms and organizations. Regional organizations and their decision-making processes are mainly guided by solidarity and equal participation. In addition, regional organizations allow sufficient consideration of local context-relevant policies and programs. On the specific aspects of peace and security, we believe that eradication of poverty and a governance system rooted in basic freedoms and principles of inclusivity and equal participation is the foundation for peace and security. Peace endures when development is sustainable, and all sections of society, particularly women and young people, are involved in the affairs of their countries. Mr. President, coming to our region, the African peace and security architecture is set up with the African Peace and Security Council at its core, and with diplomatic and military components, including the African Stand-by Force. This architecture is also underpinned by treaties that encompass normative framework, including regional instruments on subversion, mercenarism, terrorism, cybersecurity, and refugees and displacement problems. The African peace and security architecture incorporates the African Continental Early Warning System, the AU Mediation Support Unit, the AU Panel of the Wise. On this basis, the architecture sets out the continent’s plans to enhance regional capacity to prevent and resolve conflicts in the continent. It’s important to note that the African Peace and Security Council is established in compliance with the normative requirements of the UN Charter. As has been acknowledged by the United Nations in several instances, the African Union through these mechanisms has demonstrated a clear comparative advantage in peace enforcement. With adequate financial and other resources, this mechanism can further excel in conflict prevention, peacemaking, peace support operations, peacebuilding, and post-conflict reconstruction. Therefore, the United Nations, and particularly the United Nations Security Council, that is responsible for global peace and security, should assume its rightful role and responsibility to help bridge the resource gap by availing finances from assessed contributions. This is a position that’s long overdue. Supporting regional mechanisms such as the African Union Peace and Security Council, which adopts the decisions with the full ownership and participation of the Member States, will help the United Nations Security Council attain its lofty objective of maintaining international peace and security. I thank you, Mr. President.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Ethiopia for their statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Spain.

Spain:
Thank you very much, Mr. President. We thank Brazil for convening this open debate on the role of regional, sub-regional, and bilateral organizations for the prevention and resolution of conflicts. Organizations and agreements at regional and sub-regional level, as well as bilateral agreements, are complementary to multilateral efforts and can constitute a platform to accelerate the implementation of Agenda 2013, so as to tackle the underlying causes of violence and insecurity, as well as the relationship between peace, climate, and security. The broad focus on conflict prevention and consolidating peace, which underpins the new agenda for peace, also has a role to play. repercussions at regional and sub-regional levels. With regard to the Security Council, we appreciate the efforts underway to bolster cooperation with regional organizations. And moreover, a Security Council which is broadened with a greater number of elected members would be more legitimate and would better represent the realities and strategic concerns of a regional and sub-regional nature at any given moment. From a point of view of Spanish foreign policy, and as contained within our Foreign Action Strategy for 2021-2024, the recent Spanish Humanitarian Diplomacy Strategy, as well as prevention and mediation of conflicts, are one of our priorities in foreign policy. Spain also seeks reformed and bolstered multilateralism and regional integration so as to improve global governance. Over recent years, Spain has been working on projects to increase regional mediation work, focusing on the role of women. In Latin America, along with Mexico and around a dozen countries of the region, we have created the Latin American Network of Women Mediators, which seeks to provide training and create a committee of women mediation experts. In this same vein, we have been working with the community of West African states and with the African Union Peace and Security Council. I should like to refer as well to the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, co-sponsored by Spain and Turkey since its beginnings. In its 2019-2023 action plan, it underscores the importance of intercultural and interreligious dialogue in conflict prevention, as well as the role of women mediators in this context. For all of these reasons, President, we believe that the themes covered in today’s debate are an important opportunity to identify the contributions that can be made at regional, sub-regional and bilateral levels to shore up multilateral architecture, which over recent decades has proven to be an indispensable framework to guarantee stability, peace and development. Thank you very much.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Spain. For their statement, I now give the floor to the representative of Thailand.

Thailand:
Thank you, Mr. President. As Thailand takes the floor in the council for the first time this month, I’d like to congratulate Brazil for assuming the presidency of the council for the month of October and by thanking Albania for their presidency last month. As we look forward to reinvigorate the United Nations through the Our Common Agenda, the new agenda for peace, and the summit of the future, and against the backdrop of conflicts and confrontation in various regions, my delegation welcomes this important open debate to discuss how regional, sub-regional, and bilateral arrangements can further contribute to peace and security as part of our efforts to strengthen multilateralism. The UN Charter envisages such roles for regional arrangements. Look at chapter six and chapter eight. So how do we take these roles forward? Allow me to make three points. First and foremost, the fundamental cornerstone of peace and security and stability in any region, and indeed in the global system, is peaceful and mutually beneficial bilateral relations, especially amongst neighbors. It is often said that good fences make good neighbors, but it is actually peaceful and friendly relations amongst states, peoples, and stakeholders that generate mutual benefit, trust, and stability. This is what make good neighbors in the long term. So the primary focus of Thai diplomacy has always been the promotion of friendly relations with all states, and especially our neighbors, being friends to all, enemies to none. Beyond our region, it is our sincere hope that friendly, neighborly relations will continue to be nurtured where they are already existing and indeed cultivated where they may be lacking. Second, the voices, the views, and the vision of the region matter. The countries of the region know very well the causes of war. of their common challenges and the appropriate solutions to them, their wisdom should be heeded. The added value of regional organizations cannot be underestimated, whether the African Union, CARICOM, or ASEAN, their experience should be taken into account. Let me touch briefly on ASEAN. Forged during the time of the Cold War and conflict in Southeast Asia, ASEAN was born in Bangkok and has become a foundation for peace, stability, and progress. ASEAN is based on shared norms and values, anchored on the ASEAN Charter and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, amongst others. At the same time, ASEAN is driven by a pragmatic and shared interests. We believe in a comprehensive approach to security, where economic and social progress are just as vital as political stability to the well-being of our peoples, and hence the three pillars of the ASEAN community. And we respect our diversity as we build consensus. So all these have contributed to peace, security, and stability in Southeast Asia. We therefore respect and welcome any region charting its own path to achieving, through peaceful means, regional peace, security, and stability. And we see great value in closer engagement between regional organizations, not only to generate mutual benefit, but also to contribute to global stability and prosperity. The ASEAN GCC Summit in Saudi Arabia, for example, is one significant example. Third and lastly, a strong multilateral regional interface, anchored on close partnerships between the UN and regional organizations, can make important contributions to international peace, security, and stability. We welcome the strong ASEAN-UN comprehensive partnership as we welcome closer partnerships between the UN and other regional organizations. But more needs to be done. The United Nations, especially the Security Council, should reinforce regional-driven processes through a comprehensive and inclusive approach. engaging affected countries and regions as well as other relevant stakeholders, including host country and troops and police contributing countries, for example. We welcome the high-level Advisory Board for Effective Multilateralism’s recommendations on more effective and multi-pillared cooperation between the UN and regional bodies, although not necessarily within a strict collective security framework and mindset. And while we had hoped for more elaborations on the role of regional organizations in the UN Secretary-General’s new agenda for peace, we look forward to developing ideas within the UN on how to bring together global and regional actors to design new models for diplomatic engagement that can address the interests of all actors and deliver mutually beneficial outcomes. Mr. President, to conclude, promoting international peace, security, and stability requires an all-out effort. We have no choice. Regional, sub-regional, and bilateral arrangements can make a difference. Let us embrace their ideas and contributions. Thank you, Mr. President.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Thailand for their statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Armenia.

Armenia:
Thank you, Mr. President, for convening this meeting and I want to express my appreciation to the distinguished briefers for their contribution to today’s debate. The regional arrangements could play an essential role in the maintenance of international peace and security as prescribed by Chapter 6 and Chapter 8 of the UN Charter by acting in support of peaceful resolution of disputes and addressing and preventing conflict situations. Regional such arrangements have a better understanding of the historical context, root causes, and complexities of the conflicts within their respective regions, whereby their access and proximity can offer more immediate and customized tools for dialogue and mediation. It was precisely in line with these principles that, back in 1992, the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, later on the OSCE, the specific initiative aimed at resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with the endorsement of the UN Security Council. Co-chaired by France, the Russian Federation, and the United States, the OAC Minsk Group was established with an international mandate for conducting mediation and negotiations as regional arrangements prescribed by the UN Charter. Since its inception, the OAC Minsk Group co-chairmanship has been essential in mobilizing diplomacy, skills, and expertise for the peaceful settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. This internationally mandated arrangement came under a major attack when Azerbaijan chose to launch a destructive war amidst a global pandemic in September 2020, in grave violation of the existing ceasefire arrangements of 1994 and 1995 and the UN Charter. Despite Azerbaijan’s efforts to offer justifications for the military aggression it unleashed, it was in reality the product of an intentional decision to walk away from the negotiations under the OAC Minsk Group co-chairmanship, opting instead for unprovoked large-scale violence with multiple verified reports of atrocities, including against the civilians. Mr. President, in his policy brief on the new agenda for peace, the Secretary General stresses that, and I quote, some states have embraced the uncertainties of the moment as an opportunity to reassert their influence or to address longstanding disputes through coercive means, unquote. That is indeed what happened in our region. We have been consistently alerting the United Nations and this very Council that, emboldened by the results of the use of force in the past, Azerbaijan has been seeking to normalize violence and aggression in order to impose unilateral solutions and to finalize policy of ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh. In December 2022, Azerbaijan deliberately disrupted the movement of people, goods and vehicles along the latching corridor, effectively imposing conditions of a medieval siege on the entire Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh with the use of starvation as a method of warfare in a manifest violation of its obligations under the legally binding orders of the International Court of Justice, including the provisional measure to ensure unimpeded movement along the latching corridor, as well as the preeminent obligation not to aggravate dispute, Azerbaijan carried out a premeditated ethnic cleansing which involved the imposition of a 10-month-long blockade targeting a population of 120,000 people with the subsequent use of large-scale military force which took lives of innocent civilians, including children, and which eventually drove the entire population of Nagorno-Karabakh into mass displacement. Notably, Mr. President, it was only after the area became completely depopulated that Azerbaijan allowed the United Nations to conduct its first visit to Nagorno-Karabakh, obviously with the sole purpose to manipulate the work of the UN mission in an effort to whitewash the massive violations of the rights of the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh who have been starved, bombed, and forcibly displaced. Mr. President, the major representative bodies of Europe, the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe have all adopted resolutions strongly condemning the recent military aggression by Azerbaijan against Nagorno-Karabakh while referring to the use of coercive practices to remove civilian population from their territory as amounting to crime. against humanity. In the face of a situation where regional and bilateral security arrangements have regrettably failed to prevent military aggression and to protect the lives of Armenian population in Nagorno-Karabakh from devastation, the United Nations and the Security Council have a particular responsibility to live up to their mandate to uphold justice and accountability and to establish an effective international framework for the safe and dignified return of the displaced population in line with the norms and principles of the international law. I thank you, Mr. President.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Armenia for their statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Portugal.

Portugal:
Thank you, Mr. President. And I would like to thank Brazil for convening this very important debate, which is even more timely now in light of the recent developments in the Middle East, as well as other geopolitical tensions and conflicts around the world. I would also like to thank the distinguished briefers that we heard this morning for their valuable inputs and views. Portugal aligns itself with European Union statement, and I would like to add the following remarks. Mr. President, for my country, the contribution of regional, sub-regional, and bilateral arrangements to the prevention and peaceful resolution of disputes is glaringly evident. From the centuries of peace and genuine friendship with our neighbors, to our membership of the European Union, and to the growing vitality of the community of Portuguese-speaking countries, we know and cherish the value of such arrangements. Because regional and sub-regional integration processes are themselves key drivers of peace and security. They promote dialogue, trust, cooperation, development, social stability, and democracy, reinforcing global governance and effective multilateralism. In a moment when conflicts become more numerous, deadly and harder to resolve, it is obvious the need to reinforce the cooperation between the UN and regional and sub-regional organizations to foster peace and security. The complexity of the integrated crisis we are facing renders such a cooperation even more evident. These organizations provide fundamental insights from the ground, help to address the root causes of conflict in a preventive manner and operationalize the links between peace, development and human rights. The Secretary General’s new Agenda for Peace outlines an extensive and ambitious set of recommendations that recognize the interlinked nature of these many challenges. Subscribing to these recommendations, we would like to underline four points. First, regional and sub-regional arrangements should take up the recommendations of the new Agenda for Peace in what concerns the development of their own prevention strategies with cross-regional dimensions to address transboundary threats. We need more complementarity and coordination of preventive peace efforts. Second, both in this endeavor and in helping Member States establishing and strengthening national infrastructures for peace, we believe that the Peacebuilding Commission can play a very important role. On the other hand, we would encourage these regional and sub-regional arrangements to consider the possibility of engaging with the PBC to share best practices and present their strategies, also in a way to identify how best the United Nations can support these efforts. Third, we once again highlight the need to strengthen the cooperation between this Council and the PBC. Making this a priority means ensuring, in practice, the predictability and sustainable financing of the PBC. Lastly, being the guardian of international law and the guarantor of international peace and security, this Council should address in a more systematic way the questions of early warnings, prevention, mediation and peacebuilding. Along the security implications of climate change and the intrinsic value of the respect of human rights, other issues like institutional capacity building, both at the national and regional level, could merit greater attention from this Council. Finally, at the level of peacekeeping, the Council should look into ways of authorizing peace enforcement actions by regional and sub-regional organizations. In closing, Mr. President, let me reiterate that we fully concur with you. We need dialogue among the national, regional, and sub-regional organizations, between them and the UN, not forgetting much-needed involvement of civil society. It is through dialogue, indeed, that we can build trust and, therefore, the hope for lasting peace. I thank you.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Portugal for their statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Germany.

Germany:
Mr. President, I want to thank, like my colleague from Portugal, Brazil, for organizing this timely and important debate, and I would like other delegations to also thank the briefers of this morning for their insights and thoughts. Germany is a strong and longtime supporter of UN-led prevention and mediation efforts. Over the past years, we have consistently contributed to the UN’s work in this field as a major, often the biggest donor, be it the UN Mediation Support Unit, the Peacebuilding Commission and its fund, or the Secretary General’s good offices. Mr. President, I would briefly make three points with regard to the debate today. The first is on peaceful dispute resolution under Chapter 6 of the UN Charter. In his new Agenda for Peace, the Secretary General is very explicit. He calls for a better utilization of Chapter 6 tools by the Security Council. This comprehensive toolbox is already in place, but it must be reflected more systematically and more frequently in Security Council mandates, and we hope that this debate today is a starting point of an in-depth collective reflection on how to achieve this collective objective. In this regard, of course, regional organizations play a pivotal role. The Security Council should explore new avenues, how to foster cooperation, dialogue with regional organizations in order to make the best use of their experience with regard to regional and subnational mediation and dialogue facilitation, as well as prevention efforts. Second, Germany firmly believes that we will not explore the full potential of peaceful conflict resolution unless we start collectively investing more in the development of national and regional prevention plans. For this purpose, we support the deployment of peace and development advisers by DPPA and UNDP, who assist national governments on prevention, including the development and the implementation of national prevention strategies. Germany has been early supporter of this idea and a top contributor in this field for many years. But this approach should and cannot exclusively focus on governments, but we also must look at societies at large, especially minorities and marginalized groups. Inclusion, ownership, and effectiveness go hand in hand, and those affected by conflict should definitely be participating in its resolution. Naturally, this includes women. Therefore, the German government strives to use 100 percent of its funding for conflict prevention, peace consolidation, and stabilization in a gender-sensitive and, where appropriate, gender-targeted manner. This is also an integral part of our feminist foreign policy approach. Third, and finally, we are of the firm conviction that the Peace Building Commission is one of the most adequate fora to implement inclusive, nationally owned, and regionally supported conflict prevention and resolution. We would welcome a more systematic exchange between this Council and the PBC on this field. To be effective, however, UN peace building efforts require adequate, predictable, and sustained funding. We therefore call on all member states to listen to the great majority of the UN membership, especially to countries from conflict-stricken regions, and stop blocking a consensus on assessed contributions for the peace building fund in the Fifth Committee. Mr. President, let me conclude by saying that, as co-facilitator of this summit of the future process, Germany is looking forward to hearing member states’ ideas on the topic that is discussed today here in the Security Council. This will, I have no doubt, help us to hammer out what we believe is our common objective, an ambitious peace and security chapter, and the pact of the future. I thank you.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Germany for their statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Morocco.

Morocco:
Mr. President, first and foremost, I would like to congratulate you for convening this open debate on contributions of regional mechanisms for peace and security under chapters six and eight of the UN Charter. This shows Brazil’s ongoing commitment to peacekeeping and international security, and the maintenance thereof. I would also like to thank the briefers for their statements. Holding this open debate is a part of the third priority of the new Agenda for Peace. It provides member states with an excellent opportunity for discussing multilateral challenges today, bearing in mind the realities of current conflict. The use of chapter six of the UN Charter for the peaceful settlement of differences, and in particular, prevention, mediation and negotiation, must remain at the heart of the international community’s efforts for the maintenance of international peace. peace and security, we reiterate here the absolute priority accorded by the UNSG to focus on the primacy of diplomatic efforts in resolving conflicts. The international community is striving to find complementary solutions to maintain international peace and security by involving inter-alia, regional, and other mechanisms pursuant to Chapter 8 of the Charter, whilst recognizing in particular the primary responsibility of the Security Council for peace and security matters. Indeed, regional arrangements and sub-regional arrangements, when necessary, can lend support to UN efforts. Nonetheless, in order to ensure the effectiveness of the efforts of the international community, regional and sub-regional mechanisms must in no way substitute or telescope the efforts of the Security Council. There needs to be the prior agreement of the parties to the conflict. The Kingdom of Morocco, sir, has always made the maintenance of international peace and security a priority in its regional and international work in this context, and in line with the instructions of His Majesty the King Mohammed VI, the Kingdom of Morocco currently has more than 1,500 police and troops in UN peacekeeping missions. This is showing our firm commitment to peace and security, and to the promotion of the universal values of solidarity and dignity, and also humanitarian assistance, in particular in Africa. Furthermore, Morocco continues to undertake mediation initiatives, in particular for peace and security. And we are seeking to promote dignity and humanitarian assistance. Morocco also is continuing to uphold mediation initiatives in Africa, in particular. These have led to fruitful results. results in terms of preventing conflict and peace-building. In the humanitarian sector, Morocco always contributes to humanitarian appeals by deploying mobile hospitals on the ground under the instructions of His Majesty the King, and 19 mobile hospitals have been provided to local populations and refugees in 14 countries to date throughout four continents, and also with significant financial assistance to the June 1.5 billion dollars last year. We are an active member of the African Union Peace and Security Council in this context, and as president thereof, as chair thereof, we have, we instigated the Tangiers process along with the AU and our regional partners to promote the peace, security, and development in Africa nexus to combat the root causes of conflict. Thus, the Kingdom of Morocco is constantly striving to promote domestic or local and national and regional cooperation. We’ve contributed to the renewal of the Sahara community. We have been involved in the executive council meeting of that, and the aim there is to tackle security challenges in the Sahel region. Furthermore, under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI has made the Atlantic African area a place to look in but look outward at the same time. We have brought together a group of Atlantic African countries to promote. security to combat terrorism, transnational organized crime, maritime piracy, and illegal migration. We’re working in partnership to promote cooperation on the north and the south edges of the Atlantic. In conclusion, under His Majesty the King, Morocco is seeking to strengthen sub-regional, regional organizations to promote dialogue and the Pacific settlement of disputes with a strict respect for state sovereignties and their territorial integrity. We’re also promoting good neighborly relations and non-interference. These are all key points of the U.N. Charter. So this is how we will be able to maintain international peace and security and also promote development and the respect for human rights. Thank you very much indeed, sir.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Morocco for their statement. I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Olaf Skoog, head of the delegation of the European Union to the United Nations.

European Union:
Thank you very much, Mr. President. I have the honor to deliver the statement on behalf of the European Union and its member states. The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, the Republic of Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Georgia, Andorra, align themselves with this statement. Mr. President, I’d like to thank you for the opportunity to speak this afternoon. We are unfortunately witnessing an area where conflicts and crises are on the rise on all continents. Political dynamics are more unpredictable and tensions between countries more palpable. The U.N. is often sidelined and mediation efforts are discarded. Against this background, the international community needs to do more to prevent crisis, strengthen efforts towards peaceful resolution, and avoid that conflict spiral out of control. Regional organizations can play a key role in this regard. The European Union as a regional organization has contributed and is still contributing to many mediation efforts. efforts on the ground across the world, and we would like to share a few thoughts based on our experience. Let me also highlight that this topic is all the more relevant in light of the Sector General’s new agenda for peace, which we strongly support. We need to protect and reinvigorate the multilateral efforts and recall the unique legitimacy of the United Nations. First of all, complementarity and coordination of peace efforts is of permanent importance. There is no predetermined format. Most of the time, mediation on the ground involves a number of different actors – national, sub-regional, regional, and or the UN. Coherence, coordination and complementarity of initiatives are key for peace efforts to be successful. The diversity of actors can be an asset if the division of tasks are between the various actors is clear. But it also can jeopardize the prospect for peace if these peace efforts are competing with each other. Regional organizations can provide space for dialogue and compromise and should be the first ones to ring the alarm bell, take prevention measures, and facilitate mediation. Thanks to their geographical proximity and culture, they are more likely to be familiar with local issues, the situation, and the parties in conflict. They also have the greatest interest in managing or mitigating a conflict to avoid a spillover through the region. We have seen during the last decades an increased number of regionally-led mediation initiatives, some of which were successful. Among them, those of ECOWAS-led mediation efforts in Liberia and Sierra Leone. But as said before, regional initiatives are more exclusive and can be complemented or supported by the UN when needed. Very often, regional organizations are reluctant to have a country of their region discussed at the Security Council, as they fear this would diminish their control over the situation. We see this differently. Sometimes, regional efforts struggle to be heard by parties and need additional support from the international community. This does not mean that the Security Council is substituting to the regional efforts on the conflict. country, it reinforces them. Cooperation between regional organizations is also key. The EU has a strong cooperation with the main regional and sub-regional organizations, including the African Union, League of Arab States, ASEAN, the Gulf Cooperation Council, et cetera. On African crisis, for instance, we cooperate closely with the AU, ECOWAS, SADC on the situation in Somalia, Mozambique, Mali, Niger, et cetera. Such cooperation is important to exchange information, assess the situation, and join efforts in the same direction, for instance, to put pressure on the parties. Finally, regional organizations can play an important role even in countries that are not part of their constituencies. The EU is a major supporter of conflict prevention and peacebuilding efforts outside of Europe, and we do that based on our peacebuilding experience at home. Our network of special envoys and mediators are working around the world to enhance trust between local populations and national authorities. In Somalia, for example, we support communities which have been liberated from al-Shabaab and have suffered from their punitive actions and drought. In the Central African Republic, our mission there is to support the government in creating a reliable legal framework to restructure the police and gendarmerie to better meet the needs of the population. We’re also accompanying international peace efforts in Yemen or Libya. Some of our support is channeled through the United Nations, for example, the UN Standby Mediation Team and the UN Peacebuilding Fund. A concrete example of operational UN-EU collaboration is Yemen, where the EU, at the request of the United Nations, is coordinating Track 2 mediation in support of the ceasefire. Another example is the EU-UNDP Partnership on Insider Mediation that has enabled building and piloting critical insider mediation capacities in 14 countries. In Afghanistan, we support the Women’s Leaders Network to raise women’s voices in peacebuilding, an inclusive approach being paramount for sustainable peace. I believe Mozambique’s peacebuilding efforts can be an inspiration, as a process characterized by strong national ownership, continued and open dialogue between the parties, effective community engagement, and support from regional and international partners, mainstreaming a gender perspective throughout. The promotion of development and community resilience to prevent violent extremism is commendable and demonstrates the importance of building peace bottom-up, promoting a positive rights-based agenda based on inclusion and the benefits of working closely with UN agencies and regional organizations. Mr. President, I can assure you of the European Union’s continued support to conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and sustaining peace. We will continue to work to strengthen these aspects of the Security Council’s work and of the UN system more broadly, including through an acceleration of the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, engaging actively on the Peacebuilding Commission, and in the formulation of a new Agenda for Peace. Thank you very much, Mr. President.

Kazakhstan:
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I thank the Brazilian Presidency for convening today’s open debate. The urgency of today’s global problems threatens all of us and our civilizations, and so we need to create conditions for uniting efforts to ensure universal security, stability and sustainable development across the world. Kazakhstan is of the deep conviction that regional and sub-regional organizations of which it is an integral and dependable member are well-placed to understand the root causes of conflict, the unique and specific histories, cultures and politics, as well as material circumstances of development in individual countries. In times of global crisis and sweeping paradigm shift, insecurity, multilateralism and inclusiveness have become the only possible approach to peace and security at the regional and global levels. In this context, Kazakhstan would like to highlight the emerging role of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia, CICA, which it had established in 1992 here at the United Nations, as an important partner of this organization. The principles enshrined in the CICA founding document, the Almaty Act, converge with those of the United Nations Charter, such as respect for sovereign equality and rights, territorial integrity, peaceful settlement of conflicts, economic, social and cultural cooperation. The second founding document is the Catalogue of Confidence-Building Measures, which is constantly updated by its member states to relate to new emerging tensions, like epidemiological security, climate change, food and water insecurities, public health, ICT, money laundering and counterterrorism, to mention a few. Thus, there is great commonality of mutually reinforcing goals and directions. In addition, CICA covers key security baskets, the military-political dimension, to ensure lasting stability as well as to strengthen mutual confidence through exchange of information, inviting observers to military exercises, consultations on unexpected and hazardous incidents of a military nature and other forms of cooperation that the member states deem necessary. Another peculiarity of CICA is in its membership. Today, CICA unites 28 countries, the only pan-Asian organization that covers a vast territory from the Pacific to the Mediterranean and from the Urals to the Indian Ocean. It is the only institution where both Israel and Palestine have a seat at the table as full and equal members. It also bonds together those countries that do not have diplomatic relations. The growing engagement of member states has been a positive force in the transformation. transformation of SICA into a full-fledged international organization that can contribute to continental mediation and peacemaking. The last meeting of the SICA Ministerial Council, 21st of September this year in New York, has endorsed the roadmap for SICA transformation with its eight areas of reforms. SICA thus offers an excellent platform for addressing current issues with bold, innovative, interlocking and multidimensional solutions. To conclude, Mr. President, I wish to assess the importance of ensuring dynamic synergy between the United Nations system and regional organizations, in particular with pan-continental organizations. I thank you.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Kazakhstan for their statement, and I will give the floor to the representative of Turkey.

Turkey:
Thank you, Mr. President. We thank the Brazilian presidency for organizing this timely debate. Peace through dialogue. Indeed, this is a pertinent topic to tackle, especially in view of recent developments. At a time of multiple crises in the world, there is an urgent need for the international community to act, and to act with reason, common sense and integrity. Such an attitude requires prioritization of dialogue and diplomacy to achieve the escalation of tensions and pave the way for durable solutions. In this connection, letting dynamics of conflict to have their full course and making believe that elements of peace would naturally emerge after the exhaustion of military means is a fundamentally wrong and untenable proposition. Mr. President, our contemporary multilateral system and its heart, the United Nations, was created to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war. It is difficult to say that we have succeeded in fulfilling this objective. Obviously, we need to analyze the underlying reasons well. One of the basic conclusions such an analysis might produce is that no crisis can sustainably be resolved without addressing its root causes. There is a growing need on putting the emphasis on conflict resolution rather than contending ourselves with crisis management. Respect for the fundamental purposes and principles of the UN Charter, international law and human rights should be our compass at all times. It is equally important in doing so to avoid double standards and to ensure that rights and laws are applied equally and equitably to all. Mr. President, as the saying goes, your geography determines your destiny. Situated in a geostrategic location, Turkey has been a strong advocate of regional ownership and proactive diplomacy as an important component of multilateralism. Accordingly, we have launched regional initiatives and peace mediation efforts, aiming to bring about peaceful resolutions to conflicts. Together with Russia and Iran, we established Astana Platform, which helped de-escalate the Syrian crisis and made meaningful contributions to the political process. As an active member of the OIC, now we exert efforts with other member states to help de-escalate the situation in Israeli-Palestinian conflict by prioritizing an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, sustainable humanitarian access to Gaza, and revitalization of peace process based on two-state vision. In Ukraine, we continue to be an honest broker between the parties. We have facilitated prisoner exchanges, hosted peace talks, and negotiations on humanitarian issues in Turkey, demonstrating our commitment to help put an end to this war at an early stage. Our dialogue with the parties allowed us to launch and implement the Black Sea Initiative in partnership with the UN. In South Caucasus, we have initiated various trilateral mechanisms to enhance regional cooperation. The 3 plus 3 regional consultative platform proposed by Turkey and Azerbaijan aims to strengthen dialogue, trust-building, and mutually beneficial cooperation in the South Caucasus. We continue to fully support the peace process launched between Azerbaijan and Armenia, in addition to… our own normalization process with Armenia. A window of opportunity for sustainable peace and cooperation has opened in the Caucasus, and it is the responsibility of all stakeholders to seize it now. Mr. President, at the global scale, UN Security Council reform is an absolute and urgent necessity. We support the UN’s reinvigorated multilateralism efforts and welcome the Secretary General’s call for a new agenda for peace. Its objectives require a UN that is strong, effective, and compatible with today’s realities. Turkey will continue its active cooperation with the UN and other partners towards these objectives. I thank you.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Turkey for their statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Poland.

Poland:
Mr. President, let me begin by thanking Brazil for organizing today’s debate on such an important topic as contributions of regional mechanisms to international peace and security. Poland attaches a great importance to conflict prevention and mediation through the activities of regional frameworks, echoing the words of the Secretary General, who named them the critical building blocks for networked multilateralism. Poland fully subscribes to the tasks enumerated for regional arrangements in Chapter 8 of the United Nations Charter. We firmly support the complementary of their efforts with the efforts of the United Nations, the Security Council in particular, in maintaining international peace and security. Taking all the above into consideration, Poland is very active in multiple regional cooperation formats. These include not only the EU and NATO, but also the Three Seas Initiative, the Visegrad Group, or the Central European Initiative, to name just a few. We believe that regional groupings around the world should be attractive partners for for each other, bringing their regional specific expertise on development and resilience issues together. We encourage regional organizations from around the globe to get interested in each other’s work. Mr. President, with regard to the specific topics of peacebuilding and peacekeeping, I would like to touch upon the following three aspects. First, as it has been mentioned today, regional security arrangements have a great expertise in pinpointing the root causes of instabilities in their constituent areas. The narrower scope of operation, and hence a more detailed understanding, often allows for early detection of brewering disputes before they erupt into the open conflicts. This enhances significantly the chances of conflict prevention, which is always more desirable than the conflict resolution. In the latter case, the intimate knowledge of the background of the conflicts lends itself into finding a more tailor-made approach to peace enforcement action when such a necessity arises, which is also very productive. On the other hand, it’s worth underlining that some regional groupings may lack the required resources and capabilities, making the tasks of peacekeeping or peace enforcement too burdensome for some of them. It is important to keep in mind, when discussing the current trend of outsourcing peace operations to regional organizations and country groupings. Having said that, vital contributions of such organizations as African Union, ASEAN, CARICOM, ECOWAS, SADC, just to name a few, when dealing with numerous political and humanitarian crises in their statutory areas, are undeniable. Secondly, Mr. President, regional organizations and partnerships contributions can be very constructive in mitigating the contemporary drivers of conflict. Climate change, scarcity of water, human trafficking, illicit weapons trade, terrorism, and many others are usually of transboundary nature. Regional and sub-regional organizations have the mandate to flag them up, and then, for national and regional perspectives and expertise. together to tackle them effectively, thus naturalizing their potential of eventual triggers of destabilization. Finally, let me share with you some reminiscences from a recent Polish chairmanship of the Organization of Security and Cooperation Europe, which ended on the last year. OSCE, due to its comprehensive security concept and a special set of confidence-building measures, has a great potential for meaningful contribution to the European security architecture. One of the greatest achievements of Poland’s OSCE chairmanship was the mobilization of the supranational public opinion on the conflicts in the organizational statutory area by clearly defining who is the aggressor and who is the aggressed. We were successful despite Moscow’s continuous violation of the OSCE rules, including the constant abuse of the consensus principle aimed at paralyzing the organization’s decision-making process, which we all know it here quite well in the UN Security Council as well. Mr. President, Poland strongly believes that regional organizations are capable of preventing, deteriorating, and responding to armed conflicts in supporting the Security Council in its main task of maintaining international peace and security. In order to do so, there is a need for a better coordination between the Council and the regional arrangements in addressing potential and current conflicts. For this collective task to be fulfilled, it is necessary that all peace enforcement actions are fully in line with the Charter of the United Nations and international humanitarian and human rights law. And I thank you.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Poland for their statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Liechtenstein.

Liechtenstein:
Thank you, Mr. President, also for convening this open debate. While much of the reputation of the Security Council, for better or worse, rests on the actual or potential use of its Chapter 7 powers, the acid test of its performance is how well it is able to exercise its functions under Chapters 6 and 8. This Council’s strong relationships with regional organizations, including with the aim of reinforcing preventive diplomacy, exemplifies the ideal of a healthy multilateral system that addresses issues of peace and security at source, and in such a way that prevents and ends violence at the earliest possible juncture. As such, we believe that this debate can reinforce the call of the Secretary General in the new Agenda for Peace to support preventive diplomacy. A quick look at the Charter demonstrates the mutually reinforcing nature of Chapters 6 and 8. Article 52.3 requests the Security Council to encourage the development of pacific settlement of local disputes through regional arrangements. It is clear, also taking into account Paragraph 4 of the same Article that Chapters 6 and 8 and aid must be read together. Mr. President, the question for the Council, of course, is how to apply this normative framework in practice. We see lessons both for the implementation of Chapter 6 and of Chapter 8. The Council must continue to strengthen the implementation of Chapter 8 by strengthening its relationships with regional organizations, including, and in particular, their peacemaking, peacebuilding, and mediation capacities. In so doing, making clear that the Council should be seen as a credible backstop to regional efforts. As one example, we were pleased to see appreciation for UN support in the ASEAN leaders’ latest review of the implementation of the five-point consensus relating to Myanmar. While the situation on the ground in Myanmar has deteriorated, the ongoing crisis illustrates the importance of the two organizations working together, including through the support expressed for ASEAN in Security Council Resolution 2669 last year. A complementary approach between the Security Council and regional organizations should include council action as appropriate, in particular, where its authority can bolster regional efforts to mediate disputes. We also note the strong relationship between the Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council, as exemplified by the Council’s trip to Addis Ababa earlier this month. As for Chapter 6, the Council should clarify when it acts under this chapter, as opposed to under Chapter 7. At the same time, we note in this respect that Article 25, key to the understanding that Council decisions are legally binding on member states at large, does not specify that relevant decisions be taken under Chapter 6 or 7 of the Charter. More relevant to this determination must be that the Council takes a decision. Finally, the Council’s practice under Chapter 6 and 8 should faithfully reflect Article 27.3 of the Charter. Said article clearly establishes a limitation to a Council member participating in a vote in the Security Council by stating in decisions under Chapter 6 and under paragraph 3 of Article 52, a party to a dispute shall abstain from voting. Although this limitation applies in equal measures to all Council members, it is notable that the very article that enshrines the veto for permanent members also institutes an explicit restriction on its use. A Council member carrying out an aggression against another UN member state is clearly a party to a dispute for the purposes of Article 27.3. The effectiveness of the Council would greatly benefit from the practical application of this provision that is legally accurate and in line with the purposes and principles of the Charter as a whole. I thank you, Mr. President.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Liechtenstein for their statement. And I now give the floor to the representative of Indonesia.

Indonesia:
Thank you, Mr. President. I have the honor to deliver the statement on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN. Let me begin by conveying ASEAN’s grave concern of the recent escalation of armed conflicts in the Middle East region. We urge for the immediate end of violence to avoid further human casualties. Mr. President, 56 years since our establishment, ASEAN shares the primary responsibility to maintain peace, stability, and security, and to promote economic growth, social progress, and prosperity of the region. However, nothing is to be taken for granted. ASEAN has gone a long way to overcome challenges to pursue common goals towards a peaceful, stable, and prosperous ASEAN community. Through our transformative journey, we continue to build strategic trust and mutual confidence through continued dialogue, win-win cooperation, and practical confidence-building measures to create a peaceful environment conducive for sustainable growth. In this regard, the UN Security Council has underscored the role of states, regional, and sub-regional organizations, and relevant stakeholders in promoting confidence-building measures and dialogue at various levels while ensuring synergy, coherence, and complementary of such effort. We reaffirm our strong commitment to upholding regionalism and multilateralism, and emphasize the importance of adhering to key principles, shared values, and norm enshrined in the UN Charter, the ASEAN Charter, the Zone of Peace, Freedom, and Neutrality Declaration, the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, the 1982 UNCLOS, and the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone Treaty, and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. We recognize the strategic importance of our region for our peace, security, stability, and prosperity, including those of our external partners. Given an increasingly complex and cross-cutting challenges, including challenges to the rule of law among nations, we need to uphold the rule of law, the need to uphold the rule of law. the rule of law has never been more urgent. Therefore, ASEAN and ASEAN-led mechanism shall remain inclusive and open avenues that facilitate constructive dialogue and constructive cooperation that will contribute to the development of the evolving regional architecture. Closer to home, ASEAN is committed to assisting Myanmar through the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus, or the 5PC, in finding a peaceful and durable solution to the ongoing crisis, as Myanmar remains an integral part of the ASEAN family. We are united in our position to put forward the 5PC as our main reference in addressing the political crisis in Myanmar. We are committed in intensifying engagement with all relevant stakeholders in Myanmar to build trust and confidence, create a conducive environment, and bridge gaps and differences leading towards an inclusive dialogue for a comprehensive political solution. Mr. President, ASEAN remains concerned with the intensifying geopolitical tension in the region. We further underline the value and relevance of the ASEAN outlook on the Indo-Pacific and to ASEAN’s peace, security, and stability and prosperity. We are determined to promote the implementation of the ASEAN outlook on the Indo-Pacific through concrete projects and activities, particularly on four key areas, namely maritime cooperation, connectivity, UN sustainable development goals, and economic and other possible areas of cooperation. Such principles have been manifested most prominently through the East Asian Summit, or EAS, the ASEAN Plus Three, and the ASEAN Regional Forum. Through the East Asian Summit, ASEAN underscored the need for the East Asian region to promote an enabling environment for peace, stability, and prosperous development for all through a culture of dialogue and cooperation instead of rivalry, and enhancing mutual trust and confidence and respect for international law with ASEAN as the driving force. ASEAN is committed to work together with ASEAN’s participating countries in promoting common goals and interests and maintaining the region at the epicenter of growth. By building resilience against emerging challenges and future shocks, ASEAN reaffirms the important role of the ASEAN Plus Three cooperation framework in promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in the East Asian region with ASEAN as the driving force. Meanwhile, ASEAN Regional Forum, as a key platform for building mutual trust and confidence, continue to foster constructive dialogue and consultation on political and security issues of common interest and concern in the Asia-Pacific region. Going forward, ASEAN looks forward to working together to revitalizing the ARF, the ASEAN Regional Forum, so that it continues to function as the leading regional security forum in the Indo-Pacific region. Mr. President, for such regional efforts to reach their full potential, stronger cooperation with the UN bodies is paramount. It is time that the UN strengthen the role of the regional and sub-regional mechanism by actively supporting and collaborating with them. In this context, ASEAN underlined the significance of ASEAN-UN Comprehensive Partnership towards ASEAN community-building efforts and in our collective efforts in addressing global and regional concerns. With the support of all. partners, including the U.N., ASEAN will continue to contribute as an important building block for global peace, stability, and prosperity. Thank you, Mr. President.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Indonesia for their statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Pakistan.

Pakistan:
Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, the Pakistan delegation thanks you and the Brazilian presidency for organizing this timely debate. We also thank Assistant Secretary General Kerry, Ms. Michelle Bachelet, and Mr. Thabo Mpeki, and Ms. Josefina Echevarria Alvarez for their insights. Mr. President, we are living in dangerous times. International peace and security is confronted by multiple threats marked by the violations of the principles of the U.N. Charter, unilateral use or threat of use of force, foreign interventions, foreign occupation, the suppression of legitimate freedom struggles, proliferating conflicts and disputes, new manifestations of terrorism, rising great power tensions, expanding military alliances, a new nuclear and conventional arms race, and the resurgence of fascist ideologies of hate and Islamophobia. We must respond to these challenges collectively and effectively within the framework of the U.N. Charter. Mr. President, the primary responsibility to promote peace through dialogue rests on the Security Council. The General Assembly shares this responsibility, especially when the Security Council is unable to act. It is widely felt that the Security Council has failed to perform the role envisaged for it under the Charter. And we have heard of the Council’s paralysis on Ukraine, and now the Security Council has failed again to stop the slaughter in Gaza. Pakistan hopes that the General Assembly will take action and demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, full unhindered and sustainable humanitarian access to the suffering people of Gaza, and ensure that they are not displaced within or outside Gaza. Thereafter, we should seek to resuscitate the two-state solution, the only option for a durable peace in the Holy Land. Mr. President, there are, of course, several other instances where the Security Council has failed to live up to the Charter’s vision, such as in the dispute over Jammu and Kashmir. The Security Council’s resolutions, which call for a plebiscite to enable the people of Jammu and Kashmir to determine their own political destiny, remain to be implemented. Like Israel in occupied Palestine, India’s massive occupation army of 900,000 troops has sought to brutally suppress the freedom struggle of the Kashmiri people and to impose what its extremist leaders ominously call a final solution for Kashmir. Mr. President, the Council’s failures must be addressed. Pakistan believes that this can be done by making the Council more representative of the UN’s membership, more democratic by enlarging the voice of the majority of small and medium-sized states, and more accountable. through the democratic method of periodic elections. It is crystal clear that the council’s shortcomings arise mainly due to the veto power of five permanent members, whether exercised directly or indirectly. Therefore, it is difficult to comprehend the logic of those who advocate the expansion in the number of the council’s permanent members. The problem cannot be the solution. Mr. President, regional and sub-regional organizations can play a role in promoting peace and security and resolving disputes. However, their role remains subsidiary to that of the Security Council, the General Assembly, and the Secretary General, and other relevant UN organizations. And their actions must remain consistent with the principles of the UN Charter and UN resolutions. The role of these organizations varies in each region. Some regions, such as the European Union, have developed advanced political, legislative, and judicial mechanisms to address regional security and economic issues. The African Union, too, has established important mechanisms, including its own Security Council, to address issues of peace and security. These regional organizations could effectively represent their members on the Security Council as they do in the Group of 20 now. These regional organizations are a model for other regions as well. The Uniting for Consensus Group has consistently proposed that regional representation could offer the basis for an agreement on the issue of Security Council reform. Mr. President, in our region, it is unfortunate that the South Asian Regional Cooperation Organization has been prevented by its largest member to realize its potential. But fortunately, the SCO has established itself as a credible platform for Eurasian regional cooperation including on security issues, as has ASEAN, as we just heard. There are also promising cross-regional forums, such as the Arab League and the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation, which have the capacity to contribute to the resolution of disputes among its members and other states and entities. Mr. President, my delegation would be prepared following this discussion to explore, one, the potential of this regional approach to reforming the Security Council, and two, to develop the norms and guidelines that could be utilized in various regional and cross-regional organizations to contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security. I thank you, Mr. President.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Pakistan for their statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Panama.

Panama:
Thank you, President. For Panama, the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations constitute the legal framework which must structure relations between states. The provisions of Chapter 6 of the Charter compel us to seek peaceful means to resolve conflicts, whilst the provisions of Chapter 8 highlight regional agreements and their contribution to maintaining international peace and security. Regional, sub-regional, and bilateral agreements have shown that they are effective tools to prevent and resolve conflicts, and it’s essential to recognize their importance in the current international context. Bilateral, regional, and sub-regional agreements foster cooperation between countries which share geographical, cultural, or economic interests. By promoting cooperation, this creates a climate which is propitious to When countries work together in areas such as trade, security, or the management of shared resources, this establishes more robust relations, which can prevent future disagreements, thus promoting transparency and mutual trust, which are two crucial elements to avoid conflict. Panama firmly believes in the role of regional agreements in peaceful dispute resolution. In our region, we recall with admiration the experience of the Contadora Group. This was a group which we established in 1983 along with Colombia, Mexico, and Venezuela. This group played a decisive role in the peace negotiation process in Central America during that decade. This later evolved into the Rio Group, which Panama is also a part of. And this served as a basis for constituting the community of Latin American and Caribbean states. President, sub-regional partnerships also play a crucial role in the prevention and resolution of conflicts. These coalitions can tackle specific problems which affect a group of countries which are geographically close to one another. And this helps to identify the best solutions and to implement shared joint measures. A successful example of this is the community of Caribbean states, which has promoted peace and stability in the Caribbean through dialogue and cooperation in areas such as trade, security, and sustainable development. These instruments represent a proactive and effective focus to tackle the challenges faced by the international community in peace and security. In all of these cases, political will, dialogue, and diplomacy play a central role. Moreover, fostering trust between states should also imply eliminating those factors which jeopardize this trust, such as the possession of nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons, making it vital. to continue working towards their elimination. On the international stage, with its manifold voices and varying perspectives, listening to the other becomes a fundamental pillar of effective diplomacy and peaceful dispute resolution. Through our differences, we are exposed to the richness of humanity and the opportunity to learn and advance together. To achieve peace and security, it is imperative for us to adopt collaborative approaches based upon an understanding of our diversity and from a stance which understands the reality of the other party. We must continue to support and bolster efforts to resolve conflict through peaceful means established in the Charter of the United Nations, recognizing the fact that peace is a precious good which requires constant and sustained commitment. In this regard, the United Nations plays a crucial role in shoring up and facilitating peace processes. Panama reaffirms its commitment to contributing to the work done in this body to foster the agenda of international peace and security, in line with our aspiration to occupy a non-permanent seat in this council in 2025 to 2026. We are optimistic that we can find a common cause because we are convinced that humanity wants, above all, to live in peace. Thank you.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Panama for their statement. And I now give the floor to the representative of Slovenia.

Slovenia:
Mr. President, first, thank you very much for organizing today’s debate. And at the outset, I want to join the statement that was done earlier by the Ambassador Skok on behalf of the European Union. While the primary responsibility for the peaceful settlement of disputes rests with the parties themselves, the Security Council could do more in identifying crises and addressing them early, when the opportunities for constructive dialogue and the use of peaceful means are highest. The complexity of crises and their increasingly transnational nature call for greater engagement of regional and sub-regional organizations. In some instances, they are best suited to prevent, to manage, to resolve conflicts, and they have proven to be highly successful. Let me address three issues. First, preventing conflicts is far more effective and far less costly than responding to them, especially in terms of preventing human suffering. Regional organizations such as the European Union, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, African Union, League of Arab States, ASEAN, Community of Caribbean States, as we just heard, and others possess an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the situation on the ground and have an important role to play. Many of them have developed innovative early warning mechanisms, ranging from rule of law, security, and stability, to equality and human rights. They possess a number of good practices in confidence building, cross-border cooperation, and consequently in conflict prevention. One could imagine a toolbox with all good practices, mechanisms, and lessons learned of different regional organizations put up for global use. And this is why we strongly support partnership between the UN and regional organizations, and we call for its enhancement. Second, one of the ways to address the underlying causes of conflict remains inclusion. Despite a number of security counselor solutions, addressing this issue, women’s full, equal, and meaningful participation in peacemaking, peacekeeping, and peacebuilding remains an aspiration other than a political priority. This needs to change. Simply put, we cannot leave half of the population out of the decision-making. Gender equality contributes to political and economic security and stability. This council has already reaffirmed that women’s and girls’ empowerment and gender equality are critical to efforts to maintain international peace and security. Comprehensive implementation of the women’s peace and security agenda is pivotal in this regard. And third, a good example of a transnational challenge which can act as a threat multiplier are the effects of climate change. They increase the vulnerability of societies and exacerbate the potential of conflicts. There is a role for the Security Council in discussing climate security in the context of conflict prevention. Closer cooperation with regional and sub-regional organizations and mechanisms can help us better understand the specific linkages between climate, peace, and security, and to devise climate-sensitive responses to prevent or mitigate potential conflicts. The stabilizing potential of transboundary cooperation is often demonstrated on water issues. A good example is the International Sava River Basin Commission that was established 20 years ago upon regional initiative and with the aim of solidifying peace and preventing recurrence of conflict in the Western Balkans. Cooperation on a shared water course helped build trust and paved the way to other forms of cooperation among the former adversaries. So ladies and gentlemen, Mr. President, let me conclude by saying that in the era of a new and more complex threats, prevention of conflict is essential. It is also the best investment for the future of any society. We must not overlook the potential of regional and sub-regional organizations in this regard, and we should continue looking for synergies, avoid duplication, and work in a mutually supportive way. Thank you.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Slovenia for their statement. I now give the floor to the representative of India.

India:
Thank you, Mr. President. Warm congratulations on your presidency. The basic premise underlying the theme of our discussion today is the erosion of trust in multilateral institutions and the need for reform, and it is indeed important for us to have an honest conversation on how to rebuild trust in multilateral institutions. Allow me to make four quick points as suggestions in this context. One, the UN Charter calls for resolution of any dispute through negotiation. Where there are bilateral agreements on ways to resolve any pending disputes between parties, the best way forward would be for the international community to recognize the existence of such means and encourage the same. We have seen several examples in the past where bilateral discussions and regional and sub-regional mechanisms have been more effective in achieving mutually acceptable solutions to resolving disputes. Two, with their deep knowledge of local factors and complexities, regional and sub-regional organizations, particularly in Africa, are uniquely placed to find better solutions to conflict in their respective regions. We therefore support engagement between the United Nations and regional and sub-regional organizations in line with the United Nations Charter. Three, and in the context of peacekeeping, these forces need to be reconfigured to actively liaise with regional forces. It is equally important to build capacities and capabilities of potential regional partners as well as host states. We have done so on our part with several partners, especially in Africa. We also need to support African-led peace operations with resources and well-defined mandates that from their very inception also factor in exit strategies. And four, none of this would matter if we did address the elephant in the room that we are unable to peacefully resolve disputes through the United Nations because its core body, this very United Nations Security Council, has been rendered ineffective. Unless we undertake comprehensive reforms and get this house in order, we will continue to face a continuing crisis of credibility. The new orientation for reformed multilateralism, which we advocate, which India advocates, flows from the idea that there cannot be genuine solidarity without trust. An overwhelming majority of countries from the global south, Mr. President, share our conviction that a reform of the UN architecture is no more a question of why, but rather when and how soon. The opportunity provided by the Summit of the Future next year should drive us towards change in the direction of a reformed multilateralism, including through the expansion of the Security Council in both categories of its membership. Finally, and regrettably, I am constrained to state that Pakistan has stooped once again to misuse the August Forum of the Security Council. Their observations are baseless and unfounded, and therefore rejected in their entirety. entirety. The Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are an integral part of India as a result of Jammu and Kashmir’s legal, complete, and irrevocable accession to India in 1947. Thank you.

Australia:
Thank you, President, for convening this important open debate on peace through dialogue. Australia has always pursued a world where differences and disputes are settled not by power and size, but through institutions and agreed rules and norms. The United Nations remains the only forum where all 193 countries have agreed to come together to navigate our differences through dialogue. We have built this institution recognising that peace is our shared purpose. Yet, notwithstanding these efforts, the world is facing an extraordinary rise in instability, violence, and armed conflict. Successive coups in the Sahel have seen the displacement of tens of millions, Russia’s immoral and illegal war in Ukraine continues to cause death and destruction, and most recently we have witnessed Hamas attacks in Israel, including abhorrent acts of terror against innocent civilians, which Australia unequivocally condemns. In the face of all such circumstances, we reiterate our call for full respect for international humanitarian law, including protection of civilians and provision of humanitarian access. President, effective and sustainable conflict prevention and resolution requires the knowledge, capabilities, and engagement of regional and sub-regional groups. The Security Council has an important role to play by facilitating dialogue, mediation, and conciliation through its convening power under Chapter 6 of the United Nations Charter. This includes working with regional and sub-regional groups. regional groups to leverage their expertise and facilitate peaceful resolution of disputes. Not only will this enhance the effectiveness of conflict resolution, it also empowers nations and regions to lead their own peace building processes and foster more sustainable and lasting peace. Regional groups can be instrumental in the protection of civilians and ensuring humanitarian access during times of conflict, acting as first responders and intermediaries. They can also contribute to the active protection of vital health services and health workers on the ground. And regional groups can be highly effective in negotiating safe access and facilitating the delivery of critical supplies. Australia urges the council to continue to support regional groups’ vital role in mitigating human suffering during conflict and contributing to the restoration of stability and peace in affected regions. President, we support the call in the new agenda for peace to strengthen the Peacebuilding Commission’s role, funding and inclusivity. A stronger and more proactive Peacebuilding Commission will help mobilize political support and promote reconciliation and to build on the women, peace and security agenda. And importantly, it will support the contribution of regional, sub-regional and bilateral arrangements to the prevention and peaceful resolution of disputes. We support the call for more effective collaboration between the Peacebuilding Commission and each of the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Security Council and the Human Rights Council. We also support the call to formalize participation by regional organizations in the Peacebuilding Commission to make its deliberations more holistic and inclusive. We look forward to progressing these issues and contributing to efforts. to build sustainable peace when our Peacebuilding Commission term commences in 2025. President, we support regional leadership in peacekeeping. We welcome Fiji’s proposal to establish a new Pacific Peacekeeping Association to strengthen our region’s capacity and cooperation. We also support the call from African states for United Nations-assessed contributions for African Union-led peace support operations. President, the prevention of disputes and prevention of atrocities go hand in hand. Many of the risk factors for conflict and atrocities are the same. The new Responsibility to Protect framework for action developed by the Asia-Pacific Center for R2P and the Global Center for R2P is a useful tool for states. It outlines a wide range of actions that states and regional actors can take to prevent and respond to atrocities and to build more peaceful societies. President, our commitment to international peace and security is why Australia seeks a seat on the Security Council in 2029-2030. Australia stands ready to work with member states as we develop the Pact for the Future and serve on a Security Council that effectively addresses our shared challenges. Thank you.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Australia for their statement, and I now give the floor to the representative of Malaysia.

Malaysia:
Mr. President, Malaysia thanks Brazil, President of the Council, for organizing today’s open debate and the briefers for their valuable insights. Our delegation aligns itself with the statement delivered by Indonesia on behalf of ASEAN, and today’s topic on the contribution of regional, sub-regional, and bilateral arrangements to the prevention and peaceful resolution of dispute is of utmost importance and relevance to what the world is facing today. Mr. President, prolonged conflicts around the world has long cast a shadow over global peace, with disastrous spillover effects that continue to threaten international peace and security. These conflicts are not new. unfortunately devastate lives, weakens institutions, disrupt economies, and fuel further instability. The detrimental impacts of conflicts often persist for many years. Against this background, conflict prevention and peaceful resolution are imperative. Malaysia is committed to the specific settlement of disputes through peaceful means, firmly advocated on Chapter Six of the UN Charter. Sustaining peace is a collective effort that requires the active involvement of all relevant actors. Towards this aspiration, the role of regional and sub-regional organizations is vital. In fact, many regional and sub-regional organizations have long histories of engagement in conflict prevention and mediation, peacekeeping and peacebuilding, which accord them useful insights and mechanisms to facilitate constructive dialogue and concrete cooperation. Mr. President, as a member of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations, Malaysia regards the role of ASEAN in promoting peace, security, and stability in the region as crucial. Established since 1967, ASEAN’s solidarity is built on a mutual understanding of trust and confidence among its members. We share the same goal, to live in peace with one another and with the world at large in a just, democratic, and harmonious environment, as clearly envisaged on the ASEAN political security community blueprint. To this end, the spirit of negotiation and mediation based on our own ASEAN values remains the bedrock of ASEAN’s dispute resolution system firmly guided by the ASEAN Charter. Mr. President, Malaysia is convinced that a strengthened cooperation between the United Nations and regional and sub-regional organization is indispensable for the maintenance of international peace and security. The active involvement of regional and sub-regional organization as reliable partners of the United Nations is crucial in delivering the organization’s mandate. Malaysia, in particular, welcomes the continued cooperation between the. the nations and other organizations, particularly the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, of which Malaysia is a member. Myanmar remains one of the most challenging issues confronting our region. In this regard, Malaysia welcomes the landmark Resolution 2669 on the situation in Myanmar, adopted by the Security Council on 21st December 2022. Malaysia in this regard will continue to work closely and constructively with fellow ASEAN member states and the Council in efforts towards achieving a peaceful and sustainable solution to the Myanmar political crisis. In this connection, we stress the need for a full and effective implementation of the Five-Point Consensus. We also recognize the tireless effort by the OIC in its solidarity to address the dire situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question. We endorse the final communique of the Open-Ended Emergency Extraordinary Meeting of the OIC Executive Committee on 18 October 2023 in finding ways for the Palestinian people to attain their inalienable rights to self-determination in an independent and sovereign State of Palestine. Mr President, the call by the Secretary-General to a new Agenda for Peace for robust regional frameworks and organizations ought to be supported and advanced. Malaysia will continue to contribute and participate actively in regional efforts to strengthen dialogue and cooperation in the maintenance of peace and security. Thank you for your attention.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Malaysia for their statement, and I now give the floor to the representative of Qatar.

Qatar:
Mr. President, this session is held as humanitarian crises and armed conflicts are on the rise in the world, as their dimensions and nature continue to change, including in the Middle East and the latest developments and their humanitarian repercussions in the Gaza Strip. This requires continuous cooperation and coordination of international and regional efforts in light of the exceptional circumstances in the region. This protracted conflict and their implosion from time to time are a threat to international and regional peace and security. This is why we have to adopt a more comprehensive approach to achieve a just, comprehensive and sustainable peace by addressing the root causes of conflicts, especially the conflict in the Middle East. It is also important in this debate to think about the aspirations of the 2024 Summit of the Future and the 2025 review process of the UN Peacebuilding Structure, as well as to follow up the outcomes of the SDG Summit, which was held last September. In this vein, we renew our support to the Secretary General’s report entitled Our Common Agenda and the New Agenda for Peace. We note brief number 11 of the New Agenda for Peace, which stressed the need for strong partnerships between the United Nations and regional organizations, the need to invest in diplomacy and the prevention of violence and conflicts, and supporting peacemaking efforts through dialogue and mediation. Mr. President, we are proud that preventive diplomacy, dialogue, and mediation are the cornerstones of our foreign policy and strategy. This is why the state of Qatar has a long record of successful mediation at the regional and international levels. Our efforts contribute to de-escalation and maintenance of peace and security internationally. We adopt a comprehensive approach for the concept of peace. According to our vision, peace is not just stopping fighting and violence. sustainable peace is based on prevention and addressing the root causes of conflicts, and this includes development and humanitarian interventions and providing an opportunity for the economic empowerment of women and children. Mr. President, the U.N. Charter is a good framework for the peaceful resolution of disputes in light with Chapter 6 of the Charter. Chapter 8 of the Charter also supports the role and efforts of regional and sub-regional organizations in the promotion of dialogue and preventive diplomacy. In addition, the resolutions of the Security Council, including Resolution 1625 adopted in 2005, stress the promotion of the United Nations’ capabilities to prevent conflicts by supporting regional mediation initiatives through close engagement and collaboration with regional and sub-regional organizations. Moreover, Resolution 2171 adopted in 2014 called for the promotion of cooperation and building capacities with regional and sub-regional arrangements and organizations to prevent conflicts, especially because these regional and sub-regional arrangements and organizations are more aware of what is happening in their region. In this regard, we welcome the progress made as part of the partnerships between the Security Council, regional and sub-regional and bilateral arrangements and organizations to promote conflict prevention and peacekeeping. Mr. President, addressing new conflicts and the rapid changes require the Security Council to shoulder its responsibilities based on the Charter and relevant resolutions. These call for the promotion of partnerships and joint initiatives with regional, sub-regional regional and bilateral arrangements and organizations. We also call for investing in early warning systems and the efforts of peacekeeping and peacebuilding operations, as well as a comprehensive reform agenda that ensures adaptation with the changes of the conflict as part of the new agenda for peace led by the Secretary-General of the United Nations. Thank you, Mr. President.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Qatar for their statement and I’ll give the floor to the representative of Namibia.

Namibia:
Mr. President, today we meet in this chamber in the United Nations Security Council at a state of heightened tension and a perilous war raging in the Middle East. Let us be reminded that it is this same chamber that was created with its main mandate to oversee and pursue the maintenance of international peace and security. This is the body we look to, to do its best to ensure that dialogue through diplomacy and facilitating acceptance of compromises between parties in conflict situations are the best armaments of peace. I thank the distinguished delegation of Brazil for organizing this open debate on the topic peace through dialogue, the contribution of regional, sub-regional, and bilateral arrangements to the prevention and peaceful resolution of disputes. I also wish to thank the briefers on this important topic. As Namibia, our own experience has taught us the value of multiple approaches for the attainment of freedom and bringing about an end to colonial rule and occupation. For us, this anchoring is the key example etched in our minds of how diplomacy can facilitate a transition from tension to negotiation and eventually lead to peace and reconciliation. This process was neither easy nor swift, but it inculcated in us a spirit of openness to the notion that dialogue and diplomacy can work. For this reason, Article 96 of the Namibian Constitution encourages the settlement of international disputes by peaceful means. This is the general disposition of Namibia in any conflict, and we have remained fervent advocates for the peaceful settlement of disputes. In instances where this has proved difficult, we have resorted to the use of systems, processes, and institutions at the national, regional, and sub-regional levels. Similarly, we have subjected ourselves to institutions such as the International Court of Justice. On one occasion, the Court ruled in our favor as it determined the need for the immediate end to our occupation. On the other occasion, the Court has not ruled in our favor, and we have been required to be magnanimous and accepting of its decision. The Secretary General’s new agenda for peace is commendable. It puts forward several ways in which the driving force for a new multilateralism must be diplomacy. It further recognizes the value of diplomacy as a tool for reducing risks in conflict on one hand and managing heightened fractures on the other. Our world continues to evolve through ebbs and flows of polarization, and in such contexts we look to the UN Charter for guidance on how best to embark on the pacific settlement of disputes. When we find ourselves in times of trouble, we should revert to the deployment of the tools enumerated in Chapter 6 as our first line of defense to prevent armed conflict. wishes to highlight that the peaceful settlement of disputes is not a mere lofty ambition. Instead, it requires the setting of conditions that enable dialogue. Additionally, the correct set of players, enablers, and interlocutors form the bedrock of success through diplomatic mediation efforts. For this reason, we commend the efforts by the Egyptian government and all stakeholders, including the United Nations Secretary General, for initiating the peace summit, which will be held in Cairo tomorrow, bringing to the table a multitude of voices and perspectives on the ongoing crisis in the Middle East. To this end, my delegation encourages regular information sharing between the Security Council and regional actors to enhance situational awareness and have clarity on nuances that are not obvious. In conclusion, the events of this week were a stark reminder of the urgent need for reform of the Security Council, as it is untenable that the Council fails to respond appropriately and with a sense of urgency in times of crisis, especially when civilian lives are at stake. I thank you.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Namibia for their statement, and I now give the floor to the representative of Argentina.

Argentina:
Thank you, President. At the outset, we wish to congratulate you for the Security Council presidency this month and commend the efforts that your delegation is making at these difficult times. We also thank you for convening this important open debate. Conflict prevention is the first building block for a peace architecture. The United Nations has for a long time recognized the importance of regional and sub-regional organizations in conflict prevention. These can complement the work of the United Nations in maintaining international peace and security, pursuant to Chapter 8 of the Charter, which invites the international community to make use of these fundamental tools in promoting and seeking peace. Regional and sub-regional organizations are in an excellent position to understand the root causes of conflicts and to seek to open the doors to dialogue, given their fine-tuned knowledge of the realities of the region where they operate. These organizations are best able to comprehend and cultural affinities shared by neighboring countries. And these can be used in turn to form a basis for building the necessary dialogue to achieve understanding and resolution of conflicts. President, we make this statement based upon our own history and our own realities. Regional confidence-building, sub-regional confidence-building processes in Latin America allowed for a movement from a logic of confrontation to a logic of cooperation, making South America into a zone of peace. The organizations of Latin America and the Caribbean have often demonstrated the region’s interest in seeing a resolution to the longstanding sovereignty dispute between the Republic of Argentina and the United Kingdom and Great Britain and Northern Ireland over the Malvinas, North Georgia, South Sandwich Islands, and surrounding maritime areas as soon as possible, a solution which would be in line with the relevant resolutions of the United Nations. And they have supported the legitimate rights of Argentina in this dispute. Argentina underscores the relevance of the various alternatives adopted at regional and sub-regional level in the area of peace and security, in particular the creation of nuclear weapons-free zones and zones of peace, and the positive contribution that these can make to the global peace architecture. Argentina is part of the zone of peace and cooperation of the South Atlantic, made up of three states of South America, Uruguay, Brazil, and Argentina, and 21 states in Africa. It is recognized as such through Resolution 41-11 of the General Assembly of 1986. Latin America and the Caribbean is, therefore, a zone of peace, as was formally proclaimed during the second CELAC summit in Havana in January 2014, and also a nuclear weapons-free zone, which advocates for peaceful dispute resolution and promotes the validity of a system based on on relations of friendship and cooperation, both amongst one another and with other regions and countries upon a reciprocal basis so as to root out forever the use and the threat of use of force. Argentina also actively participates in the Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean, OPANAL. This has an unswerving commitment to disarmament and nuclear nonproliferation ever since its creation, based upon the Tlatelolco Treaty. It supports the establishment of nuclear weapons-free zones in the understanding that these are an effective contribution to international peace and security. We also wish to underscore the Brazilian-Argentine Agency for Accounting and Control of Nuclear Materials, known as the ABACC. This year, it celebrates its 32nd anniversary. The ABACC is the corollary of a strategic rapprochement and a confidence-building process through which Brazil and Argentina have signed up to an agreement for the exclusively peaceful use of nuclear energy. The creation of this binational safeguarding institution is unique in the world. It has enabled us to consolidate the idea of a Latin America which is free of nuclear weapons. Mr. President, whilst the Council has improved its interactions with regional and sub-regional organizations over the last two decades, these contacts have not always been used in the context of conflict prevention, meaning that it is our responsibility to increase their contribution. The survival of humanity depends upon how we work together. We need cooperation, not confrontation. Argentina has been and will continue to be a steadfast advocate of multilateralism and a defender of the use of diplomacy for peace. Thank you very much, President.

President – Brazil:
President Rousseff I thank the representative of Argentina for their statement. And I’ll give the floor to the representative of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh:
Thank you, Mr. President. And I congratulate Brazil for assuming the presidency of the Security Council for this month and commend its successful steering the work of the Council. I thank the distinguished briefers for their insightful presentations. Mr. President, the debate on peace through dialogue, the contribution of regional, sub-regional, and bilateral arrangements to the prevention and peaceful resolution of disputes cannot be timelier when the Council is convening back-to-back, urgent meetings to stop. further escalation of crisis in Palestine, and to save millions of civilians in Gaza Strip. We have also been witnessing conflicts in different parts of the world, which have brought misery to the billions of people in the world, especially by causing the deepening finance, food, and fuel crisis, among others. Mr. President, our collective experiences show that there should be no other way to tangibly settle the disputes except the approaches mentioned in Chapter Six of the United Nations Charter, titled Pacific Settlement of the Disputes. Therefore, the regional, sub-regional, and bilateral arrangements do have a critical role to play for the effective implementation of those means of settlement of disputes. Allow me to highlight a few points in this regard. First, regional and sub-regional arrangements have the potentials to building trust among the cross-sectional parties, and to manage all the parties in disputes to seed and continue necessary dialogues. The regional and sub-regional organizations remain inherently in a better position of understanding the regional and local dynamics and environment for the best solution, and to address the root causes of conflict. In this regard, we wish to make particular reference to the Security Council Resolution 2669 of 2022, which acknowledged the role of ASEAN in helping to find a peaceful solution to the crisis in Myanmar, in the interest of the people of Myanmar. We urge ASEAN to redouble its efforts in the implementation of its Five-Point Consensus, and to find a sustainable solution to address the root causes of the crisis in Rakhine State, and create conducive environment for the safe, voluntary, and sustainable return of Rohingyas to their homeland, Myanmar. Second, regional, sub-regional, and bilateral arrangements bolster the socioeconomic, cultural, and political ties among the parties and nations, which will further contribute to the preventive diplomacy, developing early warning system, and creating conducive environment for stability. For example, The African Union and Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, have critical role in peace settlement of disputes in the region. We also underscore the potential contribution of organization of Islamic cooperation in enhancing confidence-building measures among the nations. Third, the Security Council should enhance its engagements with and support to the regional and sub-regional organizations in settling the disputes. The special political missions have also important role in connecting the regional and sub-regional organizations within the nations and strengthening cooperation in a meaningful way. Fourth, Peacebuilding Commission is a potential platform to carry the wars and activities done through regional, sub-regional, and bilateral arrangements to the Security Council and the General Assembly. It also enables the parties to share their views and opinions, and subsequently contributing to build a stronger collective security machinery and action of new agenda for peace. Finally, I would say the current dynamics of the world have been giving a clear indication that strong and effective regional, sub-regional, and bilateral arrangements are indispensable for an effective multilateralism. I thank you, Mr. President.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Bangladesh for their statement, and I now give the floor to the representative of Kenya.

Kenya:
Thank you, Mr. President. I extend my warm congratulations to Brazil for assuming the presidency this month. I also thank your delegation for the determined, cooperative, and timely effort to negotiate a resolution on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question. We value the UN Secretary General’s strong endorsement of regional frameworks and entities for maintaining the peace. However, permit me to add a layer of nuance to this applause. The success of Chapter 8 arrangements largely hinges on Security Council members fulfilling their charter obligations to focus solely on resolving specific threats to international peace. When the Council is fragmented by national interests or is used as a platform for geopolitical rivalries, regional peace initiatives can be weakened or even brought to a standstill. In simpler terms, the Council’s internal divisions can sometimes be transferred to these regional efforts, much like a boat that can’t move forward because its rowers are pulling in different directions. It’s also important to recognize that not all regional and defensive frameworks contribute positively to international peace and security. Some may actually heighten risks, and therefore we must be discerning in our support, endorsing only those regional arrangements that align with the fundamental values and international laws that underpin the United Nations. Allow me to make four further recommendations. First, the Security Council Presidency can foreground regional experiences and perspectives Presidents can encourage the Council to conduct joint on-the-ground assessments with regional entities to generate joint diagnosis of the complex factors leading to conflict. Secondly, the Council should be a learning environment. More regions should consider adopting a model similar to the Council’s ad hoc working group on conflict prevention and resolution in Africa. Thirdly, the Council should deepen its cooperation with the Peacebuilding Commission, whose inclusive peacebuilding dialogue with regional mechanisms and national actors can produce useful insights. The existing role of informal coordinator between the Council and the PBC should be leveraged ambitiously to enhance the quality of advice the latter produces. Fourth, in its deliberations and decisions, the Council should consistently consider the interplay between diversity and state building in the quest for sustainable peace. This represents a key area of alignment between the Council and the PBC. Indeed, this was a central focus of an open debate we initiated during Kenya’s most recent Council presidency in October 2021. It is imperative for both the Council and regional actors to recognize that identity-based conflict serves as a significant catalyst for violence, and that sustainable peace is most achievable when prevention, mediation, and post-conflict initiatives actively incorporate the inclusive management of social and cultural differences as a core competence for any effective state. In closing, I commend CARICOM for its admirable efforts to foster a Haitian-led political process that can lead to an orderly transition to prepare free, fair, and credible elections in Haiti. I strongly urge the Council and its individual members to extend their full support to CARICOM and Haiti. Thank you.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Kenya for their statement, and I now give the floor to the representative of Sierra Leone.

Sierra Leone:
Mr. President, I thank you for providing strong leadership of the Security Council, and allow me to commend the Presidency of Brazil during this difficult moment relating to the maintenance of international peace and security. Let me also thank the briefers, ASG Khaled Khairi, Former President, Her Excellency, Ms. Michelle Bachelet, His Excellency, Mr. Thabo Mbeki, and Ms. Josefina Alvarez for their important contributions in reaching our understanding of the topic of the debate. Mr. President, the deepening of mistrust in the role of the collective security, as was envisaged in the Charter of the United Nations, has profoundly diminished faith in the ability of the United Nations to respond to the mayoral conflict around the world. The Charter of the United Nations is a living document that provides a forward-looking framework to prevent conflict. The escalation of dispute through various Pacific settlement of dispute mechanisms as contained in Chapter 6 of the Charter. The catastrophic toll of conflict on human lives ranging from the conflicts in the Middle East, Ukraine, Somalia, the Sahel, the Great Lakes, the Horn of Africa, and the Lake Chad Basin, amongst others, underline the primacy of dialogue and the search for global peace and security. The path to peace is forged by dialogue and cooperation, which is shaped by mutual trust and a common understanding of the concerns and threats from the perspectives of the parties involved in the conflict. To achieve this objective, there is a need to restore the multilateral rules-based order, underlining the paradigm of coexistence and cooperation to ensure the maintenance of international peace and security. Mr. President, the complexities and the current frequency of conflict begs the need for much more enhanced role of regional, sub-regional, and bilateral-level actors to be engaged in the prevention of conflict, conflict mediation, as provided for in Chapter 8 of the Charter of the United Nations. Mindful that the Security Council bears the primary responsibility for the maintenance of global peace and security. as enshrined in Article 24 of the UN Charter. Yet in these current times, the Security Council is unable to act promptly and effectively and with unity of purpose. We must therefore reinforce the involvement of regional and sub-regional arrangement in the peaceful settlement of dispute, including through conflict prevention, confidence building and mediation, in view of the existing and potential capabilities and understanding of the dynamics of regional conflict. In our sub-region, the successful engagement of ECOWAS in the conflict in Liberia, Sierra Leone and the Gambia, for instance, illustrates the viability of utilizing sub-regional frameworks in the search for peace in a particular region. The increasing role of the African Union in peace support operations across Africa, notwithstanding the resource limitations, gives credence to the arguments to develop effective partnerships between the United Nations and regional arrangements to enable early responses to dispute and emerging crisis. Regional and sub-regional organizations are well-positioned to understand the causes of conflict, owing to their knowledge of the interests and concerns of parties to the conflict in the region. They have a better understanding of bilateral relations between the countries and are best placed to act as credible mediators in conflict situations. This is further buttressed by the UN Secretary-General in his policy brief on the new agenda for peace, in which the UN Secretary-General said, regional frameworks and organizations are critical building blocks for the networked multilateralism which he envisaged. They are particularly urgent in regions where long-standing security architectures are collapsing or where they have never been built. Mr. President, in this regard, and evidently, the regional economic communities in Africa and the African Union itself have contributed. committed to the maintenance of peace and security in the continent by providing troops for peace support operations, as was the case with ECOMOC in West Africa and AMISON in Somalia. The African Union have also supported militia efforts in Africa through bodies such as UNIFEM Africa and the Panel of the Wise. Furthermore, the African Union has set up a peace fund to support peace operations in Africa and also the African Facility to Support Inclusive Transitions, which supports inclusive transitions in the continent. Despite these efforts, the missing link in the puzzle has been and still is the lack of adequate, predictable, and sustainable financing for regional and sub-regional-led peace support initiatives. We thus fully subscribe to the African Union’s Assembly proposal adopted as a consensus paper on predictable, adequate, and sustainable financing based on its suggested tripartite actionable funding models, namely United Nations Assessed Contributions for Hybrid Missions, Assessed Contributions to a United Nations Support Office Model, and direct support to the African Union sub-regional peace support operations. There is need to deepen the cooperation and partnership between the United Nations and the African Union, and more especially between the Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council. This should be across the range of available tools that will facilitate the sustainability of peace, including conflict prevention, peacekeeping, peacebuilding, and sustaining peace, as well as addressing the request for sustainable financing of AU-led peace support operations, the importance of which cannot be overemphasized. Mr. Leonforter underscores the need for continued improvement of the working methods between the two councils to facilitate regular dialogue and cooperation on capacity building and mutual strategies for achieving sustainable peace and stability in Africa. in Africa, especially to a regular monthly coordination meeting between the chair of the AUPSC and the president of the Security Council of the United Nations, as well as undertaking joint field and assessment missions. The consolidation of avenues of cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union is not only needed to sustain peace and security in Africa, but more broadly, to also address the complex nature of the socioeconomic and other thematic security risk, including climate-induced insecurity, which continues to disproportionately impact Africa. In Africa’s search for homegrown solutions to African challenges, the African Union, in collaboration with subregional organizations in Africa, should continue to focus efforts on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, the AU Agenda 2063, in order to address the root causes of conflict, silent the guns in Africa, address the adverse impact of climate change, and build a better and secure future for all Africans. In closing, Mr. President, Sierra Leone is convinced that one of the approaches to resolve ongoing conflicts around the world is to reform the Security Council to reflect present-day geopolitical and regional realities. Its rules, practices should rekindle trust in the United Nations to make it fit for purpose. There is urgency to address the historical injustice done to Africa, as this questions the very structural legitimacy of the Security Council. I thank you.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Sierra Leone for their briefing. I now give the floor to the representative of Peru.

Peru:
Muchas gracias, señor President. Thank you very much, President. Peru thanks Brazil for organizing this open debate and for its mention in the concept note of the global definitive peace agreement signed between Peru and Ecuador in 1998. And mentioned as a successful example of the Pacific settlement of disputes, it will celebrate its 25th anniversary. on the 26th of October. During over three-and-a-half years, which started with the Itamaraty Peace Declaration of 1995, and which culminated in signing the Brasilia Presidential Act in 1998, we used various of the tools contained within Chapter 6 of the United Nations Charter, as well as confidence-building mechanisms. We negotiated directly and bilaterally. And when we did not manage to advance in that way, we turned to the guarantor countries, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and the United States. They played mediation, conciliation, and, towards the end of the process, arbitration roles within the context of the provisions of the 1942 Rio de Janeiro Protocol. The first stage was the establishment of the Ecuador-Peru Military Observers Mission, made up of officials from the guarantor countries to supervise the ceasefire agreed upon in 1995 and to prevent future escalation. We then defined the remaining sticking points and a framework for the substantive discussions required to resolve these. When negotiations stalled, an imaginative proposal from the guarantor countries allowed us to broaden our perspectives so that, as well as the shared land border, we also addressed other elements, such as free navigation, border integration, and military cooperation. This allowed us to overcome a zero-sum logic and to reach agreements in many areas. Finally, to conclude the final fixing of our land border, we requested of the guarantor countries to table a proposal which would contribute to achieving the objectives of peace, friendship, understanding, and goodwill. To do this, our governments accepted the binding nature that such a proposal should have, based upon adoption by our respective congresses. In this way, we achieved the peace that our peoples now celebrate. President, there are a number of lessons to be learned from this process which are relevant to this open debate. Firstly, we recall that member states have conferred upon the Security Council the primary responsibility of maintaining international peace and security. necessary and important to underscore the fact that the commitment of resolving our international disputes in peaceful means has been assumed by each one of the Member States of the United Nations. And to do this, we have in the first instance the tools of Chapter 6 of the Charter, which we can use without a need for our case to be placed on the agenda of the Security Council. Secondly, in his report entitled A New Agenda for Peace, the Secretary-General rightly diagnoses the fact that one of our greatest collective shortcomings is the under-usage of tools for peaceful dispute settlement contained within Chapter 6 of the Charter, specifically Article 33. But if these tools are to be effective, it will require political will by Member States. Thirdly, bilateral conflicts have a regional impact which can generate backsliding in progress made in various areas. The Guarantor countries understood this in our case and deployed their best efforts to fulfill their role. President, the experience of Peru and Ecuador, as well as being a bilateral and regional achievement, shows the world what can be achieved when there is political will. Peru reaffirms its commitment to peace and the Pacific settlement of disputes and offers its experience in this field. We call upon all Member States to act according to the purposes and principles that we committed to when we adopted the Charter. Only thus will we be able to build a more harmonious and prosperous future for our peoples. Thank you very much. I thank the representative of Peru for their statement and now give the floor to the representative of Jamaica.

Jamaica:
Thank you, Mr. President. I do have the honor to speak today on behalf of the 14 Member States of the Caribbean community and we thank you for convening this open discussion on the contributions of regional mechanisms for peace and security. The increased number of conflicts underlies an imperative to ensure that solutions to conflicts, including preventative measures, are durable and inclusive, allowing for pertinent inputs from regional organizations and regional security mechanisms and other appropriate stakeholders. This is critical for CARICOM. The Latin American and Caribbean region is known as a zone of peace, not merely for its proud status as a denuclearized zone, but also for its collaborative initiatives aimed at preserving international peace and security. Mr. President, peace and security. Security are important pillars in the foreign policy of CARICOM member states, and in this context CARICOM continues to seize opportunities within the United Nations and with its bilateral and regional partners to contribute to the global peace and security agenda. Within CARICOM, we regularly convene official, ministerial, and heads-of-government-level meetings to discuss issues related to peace and security. Our regional mechanisms include the Implementation Agency for Crime and Security Impacts, which has direct responsibility for research, monitoring and evaluation, analysis, and project development relating to the implementation of CARICOM’s regional security agenda. In addition to regional cooperation on peace and security, CARICOM member states have collaborated bilaterally and as a region with third parties to develop common positions in the First Committee of the UN General Assembly as well as in the Security Council on matters related to peace and security. Our contribution to the international peace and security agenda is evident in areas of counterterrorism, nuclear disarmament, small arms and light weapons, weapons of mass destruction, and intelligence sharing with regional and third-party authorities. Our engagements with third parties have also elicited technical assistance and capacity building for our security systems and infrastructure. Importantly, we ensure that our approach to pursuing the regional peace and security agenda, including through partnerships with external stakeholders, respects our democratic values and adheres to the principles of international law and the UN Charter. One of the key security issues for CARICOM is our work with the international community to bring peace, stability, and sustainable development to Haiti, our sister member state. Through collaboration with CARICOM and within CARICOM, we have pursued advocacy for the adoption of Resolution 2699 of 2023, which, among other things, authorizes the development deployment of a multinational security support mission to Haiti to assist the Haitian National Police to re-establish security and bring a reasonable level of stability to the situation on the ground. And we thank our partners in Kenya for their leadership on this issue as well. In this regard, we once again thank members of the Security Council for heeding that call. Not only has this critical decision provided valuable support to the Government of Haiti, it also assists all CARICOM members in safeguarding the regional security environment from those who may seek to exploit security loopholes in conflict areas. As small island developing states, we are very cognizant that instability in one CARICOM country can destabilize the entire region. I take this opportunity to underscore the importance of deepening cooperation between the international community and regional security mechanisms in CARICOM and the provision of technical assistance and capacity building to our regional mechanisms, with a view to sustaining our collective objective of securing peace and security in the region. I thank you, Mr. President.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Jamaica for their statement, and I’ll give the floor to the representative of Mexico.

Mexico:
Thank you very much, President. It is through dialogue, the exchange of ideas, the exercise of listening to other points of view that peace is built. The Pacific settlement of disputes is nothing other than accepting others as one accepts oneself. Latin America and the Caribbean is a region which is characterized by its commitment to multilateral diplomacy and for using good offices, mediation, and jurisdictional institutions to resolve its differences. To give one example, it was in Central America that the first standing international tribunal was created, the Central American Court of Justice. This was created at the beginning of the 20th century by the Washington Peace Conference to resolve conflicts in the subregion. This stance in favor of peaceful dispute resolution was consolidated still further in 1948 with the signing of the American Treaty on Pacific Settlement, known as the Pact of Bogota. In the last decade, our region has had recourse on 15 occasions to the International Court of Justice, which shows the trust that we place in the main jurisdictional body of the United Nations. In the inter-American context, robust institutions have been created, particularly for the protection of human rights. The Inter-American Human Rights Commission and the Inter-American Human Rights Court have become reference points, which are indispensable for national, regional, and international work, and they are the guarantors of democracy and the rule of law. Mexico reiterates its support for the work of the International Court of Justice. As a universal tribunal, it plays a fundamental role in peaceful dispute resolution. Therefore, since 1947, we have recognized its compulsory jurisdiction. Taking into account the central role of the International Court of Justice in both contentious and advisory matters, it is no surprise that, it is a surprise to us that so far only 74 states have accepted the court’s competence, and only one member of the Permanent Security Council member is among these 74. We therefore call upon those who have not yet done so to take this important step for peace and rights. Mexico, therefore, supports the declaration on promoting the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice, an initiative by Romania, and we continue to promote the inclusion of jurisdictional clauses for the International Court of Justice within multilateral treaties which we are negotiating. A cursory glance at the most recent cases that have been referred to the International Court of Justice. attests the importance of having such jurisdictional clauses to activate the competence of this supreme global tribunal. In our desire to serve the best and greatest causes of humanity, Mexico has offered its convictions and its experience in peaceful dispute resolution. In the 80s, this achieved extremely positive results for the pacification of Central America in the context of the efforts of the Contadora group. Over recent years, as host of these agreements signed in 2021 with the facilitation of Norway, Mexico has reactivated the negotiation and dialogue process between the government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the opposition grouped within the unitary platform of Venezuela, which just days ago reached agreements which are extremely important. Mexico is also one of the guarantor countries for the process of the peace dialogue between the government of Colombia and the National Liberation Army there, and will host the fifth round of talks. President, the international community is at a historic juncture, meaning that today, more than ever, we must reaffirm and bolster the rule of law and bank on peaceful dispute resolution. Mexico, once again, reaffirms its commitment to international law, to multilateralism, and to dialogue. Ultimately, it is talking to one another that people can reach understanding. Thank you.

President – Brazil:
The President of Mexico for their statement, and I’ll give the floor to the representative of Algeria.

Algeria:
Thank you, Mr. President. Once again, I would like to congratulate you on presiding our Security Council. I’d also like to thank Mr. Thabo Mbeki, former President of South Africa, Ms. Michelle Bachelet, former President of Chile, Mr. Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary General for Middle East, and also Ms. Josefine Alvarez for their very instructive briefings for today’s debate. My delegation would like to underscore the following. Firstly, conflict resolution by peaceful means has always been rooted in the founding principles of Algerian diplomacy. We are convinced that dialogue, mediation, and negotiation are not just tools for conflict resolution, but also… also are ways of preventing other crises. Algeria’s contribution to crisis resolution, in particular in its immediate environs, be this as part of the African Union, the U.N., or even bilaterally, Algeria’s contribution has always been based on the primacy of dialogue and negotiation. As everyone is well aware, my country in 2015 committed to a difficult mediation process between the Malian parties. This was crowned, so to speak, with a signature of the Peace and Reconciliation Agreement in Mali. The Agreement Monitoring Committee set up direct and regular channels of communication between the Malian sides, and this kept and maintained the cessation of hostilities for eight long years. This framework is still there and still available to our Malian brothers when they wish to resolve their current differences and resume dialogue, in particular in the context of the withdrawal of MINUSMA. Algeria will always remain prepared to listen to its Malian brothers. As part of the African Union’s efforts, Algeria advocates as well a national reconciliation process in Libya. My country, through the Committee of Heads of States of the African Union on Libya, is striving to contribute to efforts to organize a National Libyan Reconciliation Conference. This will be crucial to unify the Libyan state structures and to heal the wounds of its people. Along the same lines, my country, faithful to the founding principles of its diplomacy has fostered a political solution to the institutional crisis in Niger by rejecting all foreign military intervention in its country. My country always wishes to extend its open hand to our brothers in Niger to resume national dialogue. Cooperation between the U.N. and regional organizations, in line with Chapter 8 of the Charter, is key for the success of our joint action. Rightly, the partnership between the African Union and the U.N. is a strategic partnership based on the concept of complementarity and comparative advantages. The signing of the Joint Framework for Strengthened Partnership for Peace and Security in 2017 has led to joint efforts being stepped up to deal with the complex challenges in the area of peace and security in Africa. Annual consultations between the two main bodies responsible for peace and security, namely the Security Council of the U.N. and the Peace and Security Council of the African Union, on all current affairs issues, really demonstrates this resolve to move forward, to bolster common understandings and joint responses. The idea of these consultations needs to, rather, these consultations need to be strengthened in order to go over and beyond them serving a role as just noting facts and describing developments regarding the security situation in the continent. The topic for this open debate gives us an opportunity to talk about the crucial question of financing of peacekeeping operations that are conducted by the African Union on this issue. I’d like to refer to what the Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, said to this Council in April. He underscored, and I quote, the need for a new generation of missions to impose peace and conduct anti-terrorist operations led by regional forces with guaranteed and predictable financing, and by mentioning that the African Union is a clear partner here, end of quote. Indeed, my country fully supports this vision, which is in line with the spirit of the African Consensus document. The current challenge for the African Union and the UN is to reach an agreement on a shared, shared understanding or interpretation of the spirit of Chapter Eight. There’s also a need to uphold the primacy of the role of the Security Council in maintaining international peace and security. This principle should pertain to African peacekeeping operations authorized by the Security Council, or rather, it should provide access to them to assess contributions of the UN. In conclusion, sir, our joint efforts should not lose sight of the crucial nature of the benefits of investing in crisis prevention. Here, my country is convinced that underdevelopment is the root cause of domestic conflicts. It is with this aim in mind that my country is seeking to organize an international conference on development in the Sahel. This is a brotherly effort, and we are seeking to… eradicate poverty and underdevelopment. And our President, Mr. Abdullamardin Tabun, for this has decided to mobilize $1 billion U.S. dollars to finance development projects in the African continent to send a clear signal as to Algeria’s commitment to sustainable peace in Africa. Thank you.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Algeria for their statement, and I’ll give the floor to the representative of Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan:
Thank you, Mr. President. At the outset, we would like to commend Brazil for having convened this important meeting. Cooperation between the U.N. and regional and sub-regional arrangements under Chapter 8 of the U.N. Charter is essential for the promotion of the purposes and principles of the organization. Such cooperation does not take place in a legal vacuum. Regional, sub-regional, and bilateral efforts should be based first and foremost on respect for international law, impartiality, and the consent of the parties concerned. Azerbaijan’s experience of nearly 30 years of occupation of its sovereign territories by neighboring Armenia in blatant violation of the U.N. Charter, international law, and the relevant Security Council resolutions is an illustration and reminder of the need to do much more at the regional and international levels to confront the misinterpretation of international law and to safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states. The international community failed to prevent the aggression, ethnic cleansing, and atrocity crimes against Azerbaijan and our people, and to ensure the implementation of its own decisions. The mediation efforts conducted within the framework of the OEC yielded no results. Double standards and selectivity with regard to international law and attempts to maintain a reasonable balance instead of calling a spade a spade only embodied the aggressor. In a hope for endless impunity, Armenia never engaged faithfully in the peace process and instead directed all its efforts at colonizing the occupied territories of Azerbaijan under the cover of the ceasefire and the peace process, and effectively prevented international access to these territories for almost 30 years. The defeat of this policy was inevitable. By the fall of 2020, when the hostilities resumed, the situation was indicative of the absence of other reasonable means of bringing the aggression and occupation to an end, rendering the use of force and self-defense the ultimate ratio. As a result of the 44-day war, Azerbaijan liberated more than 300 cities, towns, and villages from occupation. Azerbaijan fought not against a fictitious entity or civilian residence, as Armenia falsely claims, but against the regular armed forces of Armenia, as well as terrorist and mercenary groups. under its command and control. Despite the post-conflict peace prospects and the efforts made to that end with the facilitation of international partners, Armenia has opted for maintaining territorial claims, refusing to completely withdraw its armed forces from the territory of Azerbaijan, further inciting violent ethnic separatism in my country and increasing armed provocations on the ground. On 19-20 September, following new deadly terrorist acts that caused numerous casualties among our civilians and military, Azerbaijan undertook the local counter-terrorism measures against the Armenian armed forces illegally deployed and present on the territory of Azerbaijan. These measures were carried out in full accordance with the rights and responsibilities vested in states under the UN Charter and international law and in strict compliance with international humanitarian law. They lasted less than 24 hours and culminated in the dissolution of the former occupation regime and its structures and the surrender and disarmament of the Armenian armed forces on the territory of Azerbaijan. At this critical juncture, we expect the international community to encourage Armenia to strictly abide by its international obligations, seize and desist from disinformation and misinformation, and engage faithfully in efforts to build peace and stability in the region. Attempts by some non-regional states to impose the experience of their colonial past and present on the South Caucasus and expand their xenophobic policies in the region, including by arming Armenia and supporting its hate propaganda, do not serve peace. Azerbaijan is firm in its determination to further advance peace-building, reconciliation, reintegration, and development in the region, as well as to ensure justice and prevent and repel any threats to the safety and well-being of its people and the state’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. I thank you.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Azerbaijan for their statement, and I now give the floor to the representative of Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka:
Thank you, Mr. President, for giving me the floor. Mr. President, the founding fathers of this assembly established this organization with the purpose of maintaining international peace and security, of developing friendly relations among nations, and of taking other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace. They also wish to achieve international and regional cooperation in solving economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian problems and to promote respect for human rights and for the fundamental freedoms of all. The political, military, economic, ecological, social, and cultural environment in which the United Nations operates, Mr. Chairman, has changed considerably over the years and continues to evolve both globally and regionally. The maintenance of international peace and security is a critical objective of the United Nations and of the Security Council, its principal agency for such action. In maintaining this objective of maintaining international peace. and regional security, we see the UN feverishly working to prevent and resolve conflicts, promote disarmament and non-proliferation, and support post-conflict reconstruction and reconciliation. Overall, the maintenance of international peace and security, inclusive of regional security, is essential for the promotion of human rights, sustainable development, and the well-being of people around the world. It is therefore noteworthy that the United Nations has been seen to continuously striving to promote world peace and security through its various programs and initiatives through its numerous agencies. We appreciate that it is impossible to completely eradicate conflict and violence in the world. However, the UN has made significant efforts to address various global challenges and promote peaceful resolution to dispute of conflict through its regional mechanisms, inclusive of alternate methods of dispute resolution, as part of its mandate of the Pacific Settlement of Disputes. Article 52 makes it incumbent on the Security Council to encourage Pacific Settlement of Disputes through regional agencies, either on the initiative of the state or by reference by the Security Council itself, the principal body being the ICJ, which settles disputes or gives advisory opinions which have contributed to peace amongst nations. Mr. President, the question has been asked as to whether the Security Council can do more to promote world peace and security, particularly in being the primary organ responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security. It has been said that the Security Council can do more by taking proactive approaches to conflict prevention rather than responding to already ongoing conflicts. This could evolve in early warning mechanisms and preventive diplomacy to address conflicts before they escalate. It is believed that additionally the Security Council and its regional mechanisms could work to address the root causes of conflict, such as poverty, inequality, and political instability through long-term development initiatives. Mr. President, in the final analysis, it must be accepted without dimmer that while the Security Council has made significant efforts to promote world peace and security, there is always room for improvement, and the Council can do more to address the changing nature of conflict and security threats in the world. As the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, they cannot be seen to derogate, we say, from their sacred obligations and trust to ensure world peace. They command, as we know, unparalleled influence over global security issues and their ability to veto resolutions. They indeed have a critical role as trustees of global security to play that central role in bringing about a more swift settlement of global conflicts and regional conflicts. To this end, we hold the Security Council to that sacred duty to engage in proactive diplomacy, to offer their expertise and resources to mediate, to offer incentives to the parties to encourage them to engage in negotiations and make concessions, to provide financial and technical support to initiatives aimed at peacebuilding and reconciliation, which can help strengthen local and regional mechanisms, promote civil society engagement, and facilitate people-to-people dialogue. Finally, to collectively and individually reaffirm their commitment to international law, including the relevant UN resolutions, and ensure their implementation. We call upon the Permanent Fire, therefore, to collectively and individually demonstrate a strong commitment to the resolution of global conflicts and work constructively towards negotiated settlements of global disputes. Their leadership, influence, and resources have a significant contribution to creating conditions for a just and lasting peace in the region. It has been said, Mr. Chairman, that the world is in need of an all-encompassing and, of course, just and humane order, in the light of which the rights of all are preserved and peace and security is safeguarded. It is in our interest and survival that the Security Council does not lose sight of that goal. As someone said, when it comes to of politics or local politics, conflict resolution and peacekeeping skills, it is best to forget about such illusory abstractions as East and West, North and South, race and sexual orientation, and to realize who we really are and why we are really here. All of us here are really here to ensure peace for the global community. We owe it to ourselves and the global communities we represent. I thank you, Mr. Chairman.

President – Brazil:
I thank the representative of Sri Lanka for their statement. The representative of Pakistan has asked for the floor to make a further statement. I give them the floor.

Pakistan:
Thank you, Mr. President. My delegation is compelled to take the floor again to make a brief comment in response to the statement made by India. The biggest falsehood that we just heard is that Jammu and Kashmir is a part of India. Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally recognized disputed territory, and is not at all a so-called integral part of India. Repeating a wrong position would not make it acceptable at any point or at any forum. In all its resolutions on the subject, Security Council has decided that the final disposition of Kashmir shall be determined by its people through a United Nations-supervised plebiscite. India has accepted this decision and is bound to comply with it in accordance with Article 25 of the UN Charter. Contrary to the comment, Jammu and Kashmir is completely relevant to today’s debate in the Council. Jammu and Kashmir dispute is on the agenda of this very Council for more than 75 years. It is the responsibility of the Council to implement its own resolution. Mr. President, instead of crying foul all the time, if India has any respect for the UN Charter, international law, and moral courage, it should stop its reign of terror, withdraw its troops, and let the Kashmiris freely decide their future in accordance with the Security Council resolutions. Pakistan has been and will continue to highlight the continued repression against the people of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir. I thank you.

President – Brazil:
capacity as the representative of Brazil. I would like to thank all council members and other delegations for their participation at today’s signature event proposed by the Brazilian presidency. I think we had an extensive and valuable presentation of multiple views and good experiences as regards the topic proposed for our discussion, a very timely debate based on the contributions of regional, sub-regional, and bilateral mechanisms and initiatives that help enhance peace and security. We saw today from various angles that there is hope for peace and security around the world. Let’s hope that this discussion will enlighten our debates in this council and most of all will drive our actions in facing the growing challenges for peace and security in our times. I thank you. I resume my function as president of the council. There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers. The meeting is adjourned.