High-level side event “Strengthening Multilateralism by Upholding the United Nations Charter. The Role of Small States”
Statement delivered by H.E. Jonatan Vseviov, Secretary General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia
New York, 4 April 2024
Today’s exchange serves as Estonia’s invitation to engage in a global dialogue on reinforcing the multilateral order, with the UN and its Charter at its core. We also want to focus on cultivating inclusive decision-making processes, amplifying the voices of smaller states in international affairs.
Trust in the United Nations framework as the cornerstone of our collective pursuit of global peace and prosperity has been shaken. With an increasing number of threats to international peace and security worldwide – incl. continued aggression by a permanent Security Council member, Russia, against Ukraine, and the ongoing deadly conflict in the Middle East – no violation of international law should be tolerated. Frankly we all see that the Security Council is unable to fully exercise its mandate when it comes to the maintenance of international peace and security. The inherent weakness of the current system harms UN credibility and prevents taking decisive action against blatant violations of the UN Charter, including by states with veto power.
If we allow it to become acceptable for a larger state to forcibly alter its neighbour’s borders or even attempt to eradicate its people, then who among us remains secure? Without a robust framework of international law to safeguard sovereignty, individuals and nations alike would be vulnerable to the whims of those with malicious intent.
An integral part of strengthening the multilateral system is the reform of the UN Security Council. The current structure of the Council retains remnants of an imperial era and does not reflect the world it serves, however, despite its shortcomings, we cannot afford to abandon it altogether. Rather, we call upon nations to give up old group mentalities and proceed on principled aspects of the reform, utilising the momentum in the IGN process and the Summit of the Future consultations in good faith to accelerate the process.
We fully support expanding the Security Council to better reflect the world today, provided candidates adhere to and promote international law and UN Charter. At the same time, we must also address the overall efficiency and accountability of the UN, limit the use and exclude the abuse or the veto right while exploring possibilities to improve Security Council working methods. We fully support the French-Mexican initiative, ACT Code of Conduct, as well as returning to the implementation of the Article 27(3) of the UN Charter.
Let me now turn to the role of the General Assembly. According to the UN Charter, the Security Council holds primary, but not exclusive responsibility for international peace and security. The Chapter IV of the UN Charter, and also consistent Member States practices, gives the GA the competence to consider and make recommendations on matters of international peace and security. We need to implement the Charter and strengthen the General Assembly´s role in international peace and security issues. To do so, we have to analyse the role and potential actions that can be taken by the General Assembly when Security Council member is in violation of the Charter. We count on the work of the President of General Assembly to come up with concrete proposals the General Assembly can fulfil its functions in international peace and security issues. We also welcome the already ongoing work to create a digital handbook on how the General Assembly can fulfil its functions, as mandated by the latest resolution on the UN revitalisation.
Amidst rising great-power competition, amplifying the voices of small and medium-sized states, and civil society is essential for charting a sustainable global path forward and away from “might makes right” global conduct. As challenges mount, we need a well-functioning international system involving all nations to be capable of tackling them. Inclusivity not only improves decision-making processes, but also enhances a sense of ownership in shaping international rules and norms, safeguarding accountability. The Forum of Small States (FOSS) illustrates how small states can jointly tackle shared challenges and advocate for their interests.
Today’s event reflects Estonia’s commitment to a world Fit for Freedom, an initiative launched by our foreign minister at the end of last year. Guided by this approach, we invite all states to participate in open discussion on strengthening multilateralism and international system based on the UN Charter, while ensuring that the voices of small states are heard in shaping the future global order.