NEW YORK (Realist English). UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a sharp warning on Thursday against the selective application of the UN Charter, declaring that its principles must not be treated as optional or subject to political convenience.
Speaking at a UN General Assembly event marking 80 years since the Charter’s signing, Guterres said:
“The Charter of the United Nations is not an a-la-carte menu. It is the bedrock of international relations. We cannot and must not normalize violations of its most basic principles.”
He cited mounting violations across the globe, including the threat or use of force against sovereign states, attacks on civilians and infrastructure, and the weaponization of essential resources like food and water.
“We see an all-too-familiar pattern: follow the Charter when it suits, ignore it when it doesn’t,” Guterres added.
A charter under pressure
The UN Charter, adopted in June 1945 in the wake of World War II, forms the legal and moral foundation of international cooperation. Guterres emphasized its historic significance, calling it “a declaration of hope” that has helped “prevent a third world war.”
But that hope, he said, is now under severe strain.
“We are witnessing assaults on the Charter’s purposes and principles like never before,” he warned, underscoring the erosion of international humanitarian and human rights law.
Guterres called on all UN member states to recommit to the Charter — not just in rhetoric but in practical action.
“On this anniversary, I urge all member states to live up to the spirit and letter of the Charter — for peace, for justice, for progress, for ‘we the peoples’.”
