Crisis Group Chief Warns UN Security Council Divisions Weaken International Law

(MENAFN) International Crisis Group President Comfort Ero warned that growing divisions within the UN Security Council and intensifying geopolitical rivalries are eroding respect for international law and obstructing efforts to settle conflicts.

In an interview, Ero said disagreements among major powers, a lack of mutual trust and the failure to hold influential countries accountable were restricting the United Nations' ability to preserve international peace and security, as conflicts increasingly become interconnected.

"The United Nations is only as good as its member states allow it to be," she said.

She emphasized that the Security Council plays a central role in determining the UN's effectiveness, warning that geopolitical competition, rising tensions and mutual suspicion among its members make resolving major international disputes increasingly difficult.

"And at the heart of that is the Security Council. And where the Security Council is dysfunctional, where you've got geopolitical competition and tension, mutual suspicion, and an inability to deal with these critical conflicts, then it becomes very difficult to see a resolution of the conflict as well."

Ero noted that the United Nations could continue delivering humanitarian assistance, providing health services and supporting aid operations, but addressing the fundamental political drivers of conflicts required greater cooperation among governments.

She further cautioned that without meaningful attention from member states to the political dimensions of ongoing crises, the organization's overall capacity and effectiveness would remain restricted.

"But if the member states don't focus on the political issues around these conflicts, then the role and the performance of the UN becomes limited as well," she said.

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