Statement by the Republic of Latvia at the Debate on the use of Veto
20 November 2024, UN General Assembly, New York
Mr. President,
Latvia aligns with a statement delivered by the permanent representative of Liechtenstein and would like to add following remarks in its national capacity.
Latvia welcomes this timely debate on the use of veto. The adoption of UN General Assembly Resolution 76/262 in 2022, known as the Veto Initiative, marked a significant step towards greater transparency and accountability within the UN system. This is crucial as the Security Council use of the veto has increased. In 2024 alone, members of the Security Council used veto 7 times, casting the last one today few hours ago.
By inviting the Security Council to submit a special report, the Resolution ensures that the rationale behind every veto is brough before the General Assembly for scrutiny and debate. We need to build on this achievement to improve the working methods of the United Nations.
Our joint commitment in the Pact for the Future to reform the Security Council and intensify our efforts to reach an agreement on the future of the veto, is a strong base for action. We are eager to build on this momentum and welcome further discussions in the GA and during the ongoing Intergovernmental Negotiations on Security Council Reform.
As a proud member of the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency (ACT) group, Latvia commends the call by France and Mexico on the permanent members of the Security Council to voluntarily and collectively pledge to refrain from the use of the veto in cases of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The full implementation of this initiative would strengthen the effectiveness and reinforce the credibility of the Security Council.
Mr. President,
Central to the discussion on the use of veto power is Article 27(3) of the UN Charter, which imposes a limitation on the use of veto and requires members of the Security Council to refrain from voting on disputes in which they are a party. It is both timely and necessary to address the persistent lack of compliance with this critical provision of the UN Charter.
To conclude, Latvia reiterates its support to initiatives and tools in our disposal that ensures accountability, coherence and transparency in line with the UN Charter and international law.
I thank you!