Guterres Says Violations of International Law Are Happening 'at the Core' of the International System, Not Its Margins
THE HAGUE — UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a pointed warning to world powers on Friday, saying that international law is being eroded by the very states entrusted with maintaining global peace and security, as he addressed a commemoration marking the 80th anniversary of the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
"When the law of force replaces the force of law, instability becomes contagious," Guterres told the gathering. "Conflicts spill across borders. Economic shocks reverberate around the world. And the most vulnerable always suffer first and suffer most."
Guterres opened by recalling the world that gave birth to the ICJ eight decades ago — a Europe in ruins, The Hague itself scarred — and the deliberate choice made by world leaders at that moment to build an institution grounded in law rather than power.
He quoted General Assembly President Paul-Henri Spaak, who said at the Court's inaugural sitting in 1946 that there could be "no civilized world nor any lasting peace" without complete respect for international jurisdiction and its judgments.
Guterres did not mince words about the present. He said military operations were trampling the basic rules governing conflict, humanitarian obligations were being ignored, and the institutions created to deliver justice were being "increasingly questioned and challenged."
Crucially, he said this erosion was not peripheral. "It is happening at its core — including by States entrusted with unique responsibilities for the maintenance of international peace and security," he said, in what was widely read as a reference to permanent members of the UN Security Council.
He reminded member states that the Court's decisions, including provisional measures, are legally binding. "Respect for those decisions is not optional. It is a Charter obligation," he said.
Framing the current global moment as one of crisis and decision, Guterres urged nations to recommit to the peaceful settlement of disputes, respect ICJ judgments, and uphold the UN Charter.
"It is precisely because the international system is under such strain that adherence to international law matters more than ever," he said. "Without that foundation, the risk of chaos will grow, as history has shown."
He noted that the Court's docket is currently fuller than at any point in its history — which he called a clear sign of continued trust in its authority and independence — and welcomed the growing number of women on the bench as a sign of strengthening legitimacy.
"Let us choose to strengthen it," Guterres concluded. "In this moment of crisis, that is the only right choice. Let us have the courage to make it."
