International Rules Tested but Essential, Speakers Stress as Sixth Committee Opens Debate on Rule of Law

International Rules Tested but Essential, Speakers Stress as Sixth Committee Opens Debate on Rule of Law

With global norms under increasing strain, speakers in the Sixth Committee (Legal) both underscored the importance of the rule of law to inter-State relations and noted how these obligations are given effect at the domestic level as debate opened on that topic today.

"Binding legal norms, applied universally and independently of power, are the only durable foundation of international peace," said Austria's representative - speaking for the Group of Friends of the Rule of Law - quoting the relevant report of the Secretary-General. He said that much of the current sentiment that trust is eroding - "this feeling that multilateralism itself is under pressure" - results from some States' violations of international law.

If States lack confidence that agreed rights and obligations will be honoured, he said that predictability and trust diminish. This, in turn, breeds conflict, and he stressed: "That is why the rule of law is in the interest of all States."

Noting that it has been 80 years since the Nuremberg Trials concluded and the Tokyo Trial convened, the representative of China - speaking for the Group of Friends of Global Governance - said that these events "strengthened the legal and moral foundations of the post-war international order". However, that order "is once again confronted with turbulence and instability", he said, as regional conflicts proliferate alongside increasing unilateralism and "power politics".

Against that backdrop, he stressed that the authority of the Charter of the United Nations must be upheld and that international rules must be applied uniformly.

Cuba's representative, speaking for a "like-minded group of States", agreed that the rule of law is being "unprecedently weakened by certain actors that promote unilateralism in theory and practice". He, too, urged adherence to the Charter, which is "not an option, but a must". Further, he expressed concern over continued attempts to replace the basic tenets enshrined in that document with a "so-called rules-based order" that "remains unclear and has not been negotiated, discussed or accepted by the membership of the United Nations".

The representative of Belarus joined him on that, rejecting attempts by "certain States" to promote such an order. "This kind of doctrine leads to ideological confrontation and exacerbates tensions in international relations," he said, also condemning the "selective application of international law for short-term political gain". He added that relevant UN bodies "ought to focus" on eliminating illegal coercive measures, the politicization of human-rights issues and the "arbitrary interpretation of universal norms of international law for the benefit of a select few States".

There Must Be Rules

For her part, the Gambia's representative stressed that respecting and promoting human rights is "critical" to the rule of law. Noting the sixtieth anniversary of the International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights and on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights - "the two foundational treaties that converted the aspirations of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights into binding law" - she said that her country is committed to these principles. "Multilateralism, political stability and human dignity cannot exist in the absence of rules that should govern the relations between States," she observed.

"Today, the rule of law among nations is being tested on almost all fronts," said the representative of Singapore, speaking for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Adding that "it has never been more urgent to uphold it", he detailed how international law governs amicable relations between ASEAN members, regulates maritime affairs, promotes the peaceful settlement of disputes and facilitates regional legal cooperation. This is "how 11 diverse nations have pursued our common desire to live in a region of lasting peace, security and stability", he said.

The rule of law provides the framework "through which rights are protected, responsibilities are defined and disputes are resolved through peaceful means, rather than force and aggression", said the representative of Latvia, also speaking for Estonia and Lithuania. Further, both its national and international dimensions are connected. She emphasized: "When national institutions deliver justice at home, the international legal system safeguards accountability and facilitates cooperation between States."

The representative of the Dominican Republic, speaking for the Justice Action Coalition, added that equal access to justice "requires us to measure success not only by the existence of substantive law, but also by whether ordinary people can access fair and effective remedies". Stressing that international law "does not operate in the abstract", he observed that it is given effect by national institutions. "Strong, accessible domestic legal systems contribute to the credibility and resilience of international rule of law," he said.

Terrorism Debate Concludes

The Committee also concluded its debate on "measures to eliminate international terrorism" today, with many speakers underlining the need to thwart terrorists' use of new technology.

The representative of the United Arab Emirates underlined the need to counter the misuse of virtual assets, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital platforms to recruit, incite, finance and plan terrorist acts. To this end, he called for stronger partnerships with the private sector, especially technology companies, to combat terrorists' misuse of these tools and platforms.

Similarly, the representative of Türkiye pointed to terrorists' use of "crypto-messaging" applications to communicate and coordinate. "Even on the most widely used social-media platforms, terrorist propaganda is ubiquitous," she emphasized, also underlining the need to work with private actors and platforms - "including by holding them accountable in countering terrorism".

Yet, Zimbabwe's representative - joining others in stating that terrorism cannot be defeated through security measures alone - said that "countering harmful narratives requires more than restrictions". Rather, the international community must address the conditions that allow extremism to take root, and these efforts must also extend to the digital space. "We must offer a stronger alternative - a message of hope, tolerance, inclusion and opportunity," he stressed.

The representative of Sierra Leone said that terrorists' growing use of emerging technology demands "an equally innovative and coordinated response from the international community". However, counter-terrorism measures must never serve as a pretext for human-rights violations, and he observed: "On the contrary, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms is the cornerstone of sustainable and effective counter-terrorism strategies."