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Recent events have made it clear that the UN needs support to reclaim its leadership role. Today, the world faces grave dangers, particularly in the wake of recent wars. There is an urgent need for a unified alliance among world powers to determine an agreed-upon approach that most nations can follow. The primary focus of these world powers should be to support the United Nations, as it plays a crucial role in resolving disputes between countries. The International Court of Justice also shares this responsibility.
These institutions serve as destinations for countries to peacefully resolve disputes. If these institutions are marginalized or weakened, global peace will be at risk, and we may return to the turbulent scenes of the first and second world wars, with innocent populations suffering the consequences. Most conflicts begin with violations of agreements between countries, which can be addressed either through the United Nations or the International Court of Justice, avoiding resorting to military solutions. Supporting public international law is now an urgent necessity. Public international law governs agreements and regulates the conduct of disputes between nations.
Compliance with public international law is crucial, and decisions based on it must be binding. Addressing prominent issues currently on the world stage, the violation of the Khor Abdullah agreement by Iraq is a clear example of a country unilaterally violating an agreement without justifiable reasons. Iraq’s disregard for general international law governing agreements is evident, and it raises concerns about Iraq’s commitment to peaceful diplomacy. We should not ignore the fact that if Iraq resorts to orchestrating public demonstrations to create a political crisis before the United Nations, with the aim of vetoing the agreement with Kuwait, it would reflect poorly on Iraq’s adherence to international law.
Instead of resorting to threats of invasion or military action, it’s crucial to remember that Kuwait is part of a unified security system with other Gulf Cooperation Council countries. Iraq should reconsider any belief that it can confront all these nations collectively, given the Gulf’s numerical strength, military capabilities and regional influence. Dismissive attitudes toward Kuwait from Iraq must be met with a strong response from the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. He must address this international issue firmly, setting a successful precedent for the UN to handle conflicts worldwide.
To ensure Guterres’ success in this role, the world’s major powers should lend their support. The United States, in particular, should collaborate with other influential nations to bolster the UN’s authority, making its decisions binding and respected by all countries. It’s widely acknowledged that countries are increasingly disregarding UN statements, especially following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Therefore, revitalizing the UN’s leadership role is imperative. The UN is also responsible for overseeing the implementation of International Court of Justice rulings and imposing sanctions when necessary. The visionary founders of the United Nations were political scientists, thinkers and innovators who devised a sophisticated mechanism to combat global evils. Their vision aimed to prevent another world war, a scenario we must work diligently to avoid, for the sake of the innocent and the children who have no connection to the reckless actions of some world leaders.