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STATEMENT BY

MR. SOFIAN AKMAL ABD KARIM

CHARGE D’ AFFAIRES a.i.

PERMANENT MISSION OF MALAYSIA TO THE UNITED NATIONS

 

AT THE GENERAL DEBATE OF THE 2025 SESSION OF THE

SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON THE CHARTER OF THE UNITED NATIONS

AND ON THE STRENGTHENING OF THE ROLE OF THE ORGANIZATION

 

 

Mr. Chair,

 

Congratulations on your appointment as Chair of the Special Committee. My delegation fully supports you and the Bureau. 

 

2.         Malaysia aligns itself with the statement delivered by the Islamic Republic of Iran on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement.

 

Mr. Chair,

 

3.         This year, we commemorate the 80^th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Charter, as well as the 50^th anniversary of this Special Committee. Malaysia values the work of this Special Committee, particularly its contributions to international peace and security and the peaceful settlement of disputes. Since its establishment 50 years ago, the Committee has produced key documents, including the 1982 Manila Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes.

 

4.         This year’s session of the Special Committee is taking place against the backdrop of unprecedented violations of obligations under the UN Charter. We are witnessing threats and the use of force against the territorial integrity and political independence of several States around the world. We are seeing the abandonment of peaceful settlement of dispute by many countries, in favour of unilateralism and confrontation. We are observing the hindrance of the UN's functions or those of its representatives in areas of conflict.

 

 

5.         Nowhere are these violations of obligations under the UN Charter more blatant than in the occupied Palestinian territory. For almost 60 years, the Palestinian people have been subjected to a repressive occupation that contravenes all fundamental tenets of international law and the UN Charter. The territorial integrity of the State of Palestine is being eroded through Israel’s military operations and the rapid expansion of settlements. Israel has clearly chosen to perpetuate instability by implementing measures to deny the Palestinian people their inalienable right to self-determination. The latest episode in Israel’s consistent violation of the UN Charter is the banning of UNRWA operations, a General Assembly-mandated UN entity, in the occupied Palestinian territory. Evidence of Israel’s persistent violations of the UN Charter is overwhelming and laid bare for all to see. Alas, Israel continues to violate the Charter with impunity due to the blind support of its patron and allies.

 

Mr. Chair,

 

Maintenance of International Peace and Security

 

6.         The impact of the application of sanctions is a concern to all Member States, including Malaysia. In an era of globalisation and economic interdependence, sanctions hurt not only the people of the targeted State but also bring adverse socio-economic effects to third States.

 

7.         We continue to believe that sanctions, as a mechanism available to the Security Council, should only be considered as a measure of last resort. It should be considered after other means, such as dialogue, consultations, and negotiations, have been exhausted or when there are imminent threats to international peace and security.  When sanctions are deemed necessary, their applications must be consistent with the UN Charter and relevant principles of international law. We reiterate our full support towards the call by the international community, as prescribed in relevant UN resolutions, to end unilateral economic, commercial and financial embargo being imposed on targeted countries.

 

Peaceful Settlement of Disputes

 

8.         Malaysia is committed to the pacific settlement of international disputes.

 

 

 

 

 

9.We acknowledge that one of the methods for resolving disputes, as stated in Article 33 of the UN Charter, is mediation. Malaysia has demonstrated its commitment to the principle of peaceful dispute settlement through the signing of the Singapore Convention on Mediation on 7 August 2019. This multilateral treaty provides a uniform and efficient framework for the enforcement and invocation of international settlement agreements arising from mediation.

 

10.       Malaysia supports maintaining the topic 'peaceful settlement of disputes between States' on the agenda of the Special Committee. We also welcome the thematic debate for this session on the 'Exchange of Information on State Practices Regarding the Use of Procedures Envisaged in the Charter and Other International Instruments.

 

Mr. Chair,

 

11.       Malaysia welcomes the progress made in compiling the Repertory of Practice of UN Organs and in updating the Repertoire of the Practice of the Security Council. We appreciate the Secretariat's work in eliminating the backlog and support these efforts, which will assist Member States in understanding the application and practice of the UN and the Security Council.

 

12.       We view the proposals awaiting our collective deliberation at this session as an affirmation of this Special Committee’s importance and responsibility. However, we are also concerned about the lack of progress in considering several long-standing proposals. We hope that these proposals can soon be finalized through constructive and meaningful engagement by all Member States.

 

Thank you.