Kingdom of Bahrain participates in Security Council session on international rule of law
New York, Jan. 27 (BNA): The Kingdom of Bahrain affirmed that the rule of law, at both the national and international levels, constitutes a fundamental pillar for the maintenance of international peace and security, in accordance with the United Nations Charter, which enshrines respect for the principles of sovereignty, non-interference in the internal affairs of states, and the peaceful settlement of disputes.
The Kingdom stressed that the fulfilment of international obligations in good faith remains the true guarantee for the prevention of conflicts and the promotion of global stability, and that the rule of law cannot be fragmented or applied selectively, but must be respected and upheld by all, without exception.
This came in the address delivered by Ambassador Jamal Fares Al Rowaie, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United Nations in New York, during the Kingdom’s participation in the high-level open debate of the Security Council under the title "Reaffirming the international rule of law: Pathways to reinvigorating peace, justice and multilateralism", which was presided by Federal Republic of Somalia. The session included briefings by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations; Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission; and Judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf, Founding President of the African Institute of International Law.
In the address, the Permanent Representative noted that the international community is experiencing a phase of increasing security challenges, escalating armed conflicts, and declining confidence in multilateral mechanisms, amidst an international system facing unprecedented tests that threaten the foundations of global peace and stability. He indicated that the eightieth anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Charter represents a renewed opportunity to reaffirm the central role of the rule of law as the comprehensive framework governing relations among states and as a cornerstone for promoting justice, peace, and human coexistence.
In this context, the speech emphasised that addressing emerging threats that may undermine the rule of law requires the adoption of preventive and cooperative strategies at both the regional and international levels, based on preventive diplomacy, the strengthening of legal and institutional capacities, and the enhancement of the role of regional organisations, in order to address disputes at their early stages while respecting the specific circumstances of the states concerned.
The Permanent Representative also reaffirmed the Kingdom of Bahrain’s commitment to constructive engagement within the Security Council and with all partners to strengthen the rule of law and support international peace and security on the basis of justice, peace and international cooperation. He underscored that the Kingdom shares with Council members the primary responsibility to uphold the rule of law in a consistent and impartial manner, in accordance with the United Nations Charter, and supports strengthening the use of peaceful means of dispute settlement, including mediation, good offices and judicial mechanisms.
The address further highlighted the importance of enhancing reliance on the provisions of the United Nations Charter, in particular those in Chapter VI, for the effective legal tools they provide in the peaceful settlement of disputes and the prevention of the escalation of conflicts between states, and those contained in Chapter VIII, with regard to activating the legal frameworks of regional organisations and strengthening constructive integration and coordination between them and the United Nations.
