Speakers at Pak-sponsored event call for upholding UN Charter, settlement of disputes
UNITED NATIONS: Speakers at a high-level side event, held at the United Nations Headquarters called for renewing commitment to the UN Charter, especially its provisions on peaceful settlement of disputes, to promote international peace and security.
In making that call, they underscored the “enduring relevance” of the Charter and affirmed its mechanisms under Chapter VI for resolving disputes through negotiation, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, and judicial settlement.
The well-attended event — a discussion on ‘UN Charter at 80: Reimagining Conflict Prevention and Resolution’ — was organized by Pakistan Mission to the UN and Global Peace Chain. it was moderated by Saima Saleem, a counsellor at the Pakistani mission.
The panelists included, Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Africa; ?Dr. Felipe Paullier, UN ASG for Youth Affairs; ?Ambassador Ahmet Yildiz, Permanent Representative of Turkiye, Ambassador Elina Kalkku, Permanent Representative of Finland; Elyse Mosquini, Permanent Observer of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and Jonah Harris, Policy Analyst, Peace, Climate and Sustainable Development Programme of the International Peace Institute (IPI).
Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, delivered the keynote address.
The Pakistani envoy called the Charter a solemn covenant which he said remains humanity’s most enduring promise to prevent conflict and resolve disputes peacefully.
Citing the situations of Palestine and Jammu and Kashmir as among the most stark examples, Ambassador Asim Ahmad said the Kashmir dispute could have been a successful example of the application of Charter provisions for pacific settlement of disputes.
“The prolonged denial of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to self-determination, perpetuates injustice and fuels instability far beyond the region,” the Pakistani envoy said, adding, that the failure to implement the relevant Council resolutions remains one of the most enduring challenges to maintenance of international peace and security.
Peace cannot be selective, and justice cannot be deferred indefinitely, he stressed.
In the ensuing discussion, other panelists also called for employing preventive diplomacy and mediation as cost-effective and credible tools for conflict prevention, building on the guidance of Resolution 2788 (2025), adopted under Pakistan’s presidency of the Council in July, and the commitments made under the 2024 Pact for the Future. Resolution 2788 sends a clear and timely message: dialogue is not a concession — it is a Charter obligation, and prevention is not optional — it is indispensable.
Turkish Ambassador Ahmet Yildiz stressed that enduring global conflicts demand renewed commitment to multilateralism and the UN Charter, especially as it marks its 80th anniversary. He said that the Charter remains a vital framework for peaceful conflict resolution, yet its preventive tools—particularly those under Chapter VI—are underused and under-resourced, requiring stronger diplomacy, early warning, and closer UN–regional cooperation to restore trust.
The Turkish envoy highlighted the Pact for the Future and General Assembly resolution 2788 as key steps in revitalizing preventive diplomacy, emphasizing mediation as a professional, inclusive, and non-politicized discipline. Citing Gaza and the Russia–Ukraine conflict, he reaffirmed his country’s readiness to support peace efforts and urged the international community to uphold multilateral principles over power politics.
Finland’s Ambassador Elina Kalkku stressed that the UN’s credibility depends on concrete action, not new documents, and warned that perceptions of irrelevance are damaging. She emphasized that Member States must mobilize political will, press the Security Council to act, strengthen the General Assembly’s role, and better use existing UN tools—particularly for prevention and mediation—while reaffirming the UN’s obligation to act decisively when humanitarian crises collapse.
UN ASG Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee highlighted that shifting geopolitical dynamics have led to a rise in protracted conflicts, making preventive diplomacy and mediation more critical than ever. APP
