UN Chief Warns Global Rule of Law Gives Way to ‘Law of the Jungle’

(MENAFN) UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday cautioned that the global order is weakening as adherence to international law is giving way to what he called “the law of the jungle.”

During an open Security Council debate on “Reaffirming the International Rule of Law: Pathways to Reinvigorating Peace, Justice and Multilateralism,” he stressed that “the rule of law is a cornerstone of global peace and security” and called for renewed commitment to multilateralism and accountability.

He recalled that in 2024, UN member states adopted “the Pact for the Future,” which pledged “to act in accordance with international law and fulfill obligations in good faith,” but he warned that “words are not being matched with action.”

“Around the world, the rule of law is being replaced by the law of the jungle,” Guterres said, noting “flagrant violations of international law and brazen disregard for the UN Charter.” He highlighted that in conflicts “from Gaza to Ukraine, from the Sahel to Myanmar, in Venezuela and elsewhere,” “the rule of law is being treated as an a la carte menu.”

He emphasized that states are flouting international law “with impunity” through “the illegal use of force, the targeting of civilian infrastructure, human rights violations and abuses, the illegal development of nuclear weapons, unconstitutional changes of government, and the denial of lifesaving humanitarian aid.”

“These violations set dangerous precedents, encouraging other countries to do what they want, instead of what they are required to do under international law,” he warned.

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