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UN lacks proper authority, paralysed by veto powers: Guterres

UN lacks proper authority, paralysed by veto powers: Guterres

Web Desk
Sep 22, 2024

UN Secretary-General Guterres lamented that the UN lacked proper authority, effectively immobilised by the veto power of its member states.

NEW YORK: The Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) António Guterres sounded alarm on several regional issues by lamenting the constraints the international organisation faces.

Guterres lamented that the UN lacked proper authority and has been effectively immobilised by the veto power of its member states.

The UN SG talked about the critical need for proactive measures to avert further escalation of violence and conflict in the Middle East, particularly in Lebanon.

The UN SG sounded alarm bells by stating that if violence escalated in the Middle Eastern country, it would create “another Gaza”.

The United Nations was founded in 1945, intended to improve global cooperation and mitigate conflicts.

However, its ability to function effectively, or indeed, have any implementing power, is compromised by the veto power wielded by the five permanent members of the Security Council.

The veto powers include five countries with the power to block resolutions, often leading to deadlocks on important issues, especially those conferring Israel-Palestinian conflict and regional tensions of Hezbollah.

The United States, the Untied Kingdom, Russia, China and France have in past blocked UNSC resolutions that went against their allies.

Guterres’ statements come at a time of heightened tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, based in Lebanon. Besides bombing the Gaza strip to smithereens that has killed more than 41,000 innocent Palestinians, including 15,000 children, Israel has ramped up airstrikes in Lebanon.

While Israel has not accepted responsibility, more than 3,000 people were injured and 39 died in Lebanon when pagers exploded carried around by Hezbollah members.

Israel’s involvement in the manufacture of pagers with explosion ability within has surfaced, with the company responsible for manufacturing them currently under investigation.

A top Hezbollah commander, Muhammad Aqeel, was also killed by Israeli strikes.

The conflict between the two parties has a long-standing history with roots tracing back to the 1980s and the 2006 Lebanon War.

The ongoing bombardment by Israel raised alarms about the potential for a wider regional conflict, especially as Hezbollah vows retaliation now.

Guterres talked about the urgent need in preventing a full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah. He stated that such a conflict would be catastrophic for the entire region.

He called for diplomatic initiatives aimed at de-escalating tensions and fostering stability in Lebanon, already plagued by economic and political crisis.