I
have the honour to submit this written statement on behalf of Finland, Iceland,
Norway, Sweden, and my own country Denmark.
The
Nordic countries would like to thank the Security Council for this opportunity
to address the Council on the seventy-fifth anniversary of the United Nations
and the one hundredth anniversary of the
Statute of the Permanent Court of International Justice.
As the fourth
Security Council Report concluded, strengthening the relationship between the Security Council and the
International Court of Justice could further promote international peace and
security. The United Nations Charter envisages a close relationship between the
Council and the Court. The Charter thus provides the two bodies ample
opportunities for intensive cooperation.
At
a time when the rules-based order is increasingly under pressure, the Security
Council and the Court should use their Charter prerogatives and play vital and
mutually complementary roles in promoting the rule of law, including human
rights and peace and security.
Rule
of law at the national and international levels is fundamental to peace and
security. Rule of law is an important tool for preventing and resolving
conflicts and is critical to building sustainable peace and protecting human
rights in the aftermath of conflict. It is therefore not surprising that the
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in particular Goal 16, sets out to promote peaceful,
just and inclusive societies,
provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and
inclusive institutions at all levels.
Peaceful
settlement of disputes form an integral part of the rule of law. Therefore, the
Nordic countries would welcome intensified cooperation between the Security
Council and the Court to uphold the rule of law.
The
large volume of cases indicate the trust and confidence States place in the
Court by referring disputes to it for resolution.
The
Court´s many contributions to the peaceful settlement of maritime and land
boundary disputes have been decisive for maintaining international peace and
security.
We
would like to highlight the vital role of young people, especially young women,
when it comes to promoting the rule of law, in developed and developing
countries alike. We therefore welcome the efforts of the Court as well as the
Council in engaging young people, e.g. by giving students from various
backgrounds a chance to familiarize themselves with international law and
judicial settlement of disputes.
Since
its establishment
in 2000, the Judicial Fellowship Programme of the Court has enabled
193 law graduates to enhance their knowledge of international law. We
welcome the recent establishment of the Trust
Fund to grant
fellowship awards to selected candidates that are nationals of developing countries, thereby
guaranteeing the geographic and linguistic diversity of the participants in the
Programme.
The
International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United
Nations. The Security Council has primary responsibility for the maintenance of
international peace and security. Together, they have the potential to be
a powerful force for upholding the rule of law at the international level. In
particular, the Nordics Countries would like to recall that, in accordance with
respectively paragraph 2 of Article 33 and paragraph a of Article 96 of the Charter
of the United Nations, the Security Council may call upon States parties to any
dispute, to settle such disputes by peaceful means as well as request advisory
opinions from the Court on legal matters.
We
urge all States to engage actively and constructively in international
cooperation supporting the rules-based international order, of which peaceful
settlement of disputes and international peace and security form integral and
crucial parts, and call upon States that have not yet done so to consider
accepting the jurisdiction of the Court in accordance with its Statute.
Thank you.