Statement of Disputes: Security Council High-Level Open Debate on Security Council Resolution 2788: Peaceful Settlement of Disputes
23.07.2026
Mr President,
At the outset, I would like to thank the presidency of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Pakistan for this timely debate. Let me also thank the Secretary-General for his briefing and recommendations to further strengthen the mechanisms for the peaceful settlement of disputes, and express Latvia’s appreciation for Secretary-General’s consistently strong stance in defence of the principles of the UN Charter.
Mr President,
Resolution 2788, championed by Pakistan last year, reaffirmed the importance of the norm of settling international disputes by peaceful means. One year on, reports show that violent conflicts continue to rise around the world, with 2025 marking the highest number of wars since 1946. Some conflicts - such as Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, the war in Sudan or conflict in Myanmar - have been raging for years, with no breakthrough for peace in sight. In other lasting conflicts, including in the Middle East, even when peace deals or ceasefires have been reached, they remain fragile or unimplemented.
The principles outlined in the UN Charter eight decades ago were grounded in the recognition of the devastating humanitarian, political, and economic costs of an all‑out war. Today’s developments raise alarm about a gradual global retreat from the lessons of the darkest hours of the last century. However, this trajectory is not inevitable. The international community must never give up on resisting the currents toward the normalization of the use of force as an instrument of international relations, instead of peaceful settlement of disputes.
To address the current backsliding, it is not enough to simply recommit to the existing principles. Preserving a rules‑based multilateral system requires a concrete course of action. Let me highlight three key elements:
First, we need to mobilize the political will to put the principles and mechanisms outlined in Chapter VI of the UN Charter to work. As stated by the Secretary‑General last year at the adoption of Resolution 2788, “peace is a choice”. It is the role of the Security Council - and the UN membership as a whole - to help conflicting parties make this choice. There should be no bystanders. Legitimate mediation efforts, good offices and calls for ceasefires should receive full backing from all responsible members of the international community. Binding decisions, particularly Security Council resolutions, must be fully implemented rather than obstructed. In line with Article 27(3) of the Charter, when the Council is deliberating on decisions under Chapter VI, a party to a dispute should abstain from voting so as not to block pathways to peace. This is not a theoretical provision but an underused principle of the Charter that should be applied more consistently.
Second, there can be no lasting peace without justice and accountability. The International Court of Justice - a principal institution of the United Nations and an indispensable pillar of the international legal order - must be safeguarded as a credible platform for states to address disputes. Eroding avenues of judicial settlement would mean that disagreements fester, become increasingly politicized and lead to escalating tensions among the concerned parties. The independence, integrity and authority of the Court must therefore be fully respected. States must comply with judgments in cases to which they are parties and with binding orders indicating provisional measures. Compliance with decisions of the Court is not optional, nor may it depend on whether the outcome is politically convenient. Failure to comply with the Court’s decisions is not a technical or procedural matter. It weakens the rule of law, deprives the peaceful settlement of disputes of its credibility and increases the risk that legal disputes will evolve into armed conflict.
Third, we need to continue adapting the peace machinery of the United Nations. With the UN80 initiative well underway, the Peacebuilding Architecture Review completed last year and the outcome of the Secretary‑General’s review of all forms of peace operations expected soon, the wheels have been set in motion. It is important not to lose sight of the overall goal of these reforms. The UN, and the Security Council in particular, should not be regarded merely as an administrator of services - whether peacekeeping activities or humanitarian aid - that primarily seeks to soften the consequences of crises rather than solve them. We must place the United Nations back in the driving seat of political prevention and crisis resolution efforts, well equipped with the instruments needed to pursue strategic objectives.
Leadership is a key ingredient in making this approach work. The current process of selecting the next Secretary‑General provides a unique opportunity to match a reformed organization with a renewed vision for its direction. We need a Secretary‑General who is committed to upholding the key principles on which this organization is founded and capable of putting them into action through good offices and other mechanisms. While navigating diverging positions among states and seeking openings for convergence, the Secretary‑General should continue guarding the compass of the UN Charter.
The selection of the Secretary‑General is not only about choosing the best candidate. It is also about ensuring that the selection is carried out in a manner that empowers the next leader of the UN with the strongest possible authority and mandate from Member States. Such capital will be crucial in enabling the Secretary‑General to proactively create opportunities for peace across different conflicts, rather than being positioned only in a secondary role. The next Secretary-General, the Security Council and the General Assembly have the responsibility to call out all violations and to strengthen mechanisms for monitoring, transparency, and accountability.
I thank you.