The International Court of Justice (ICJ) – the highest United Nations judicial body – settles disputes submitted by states and provides advisory opinions on legal issues referred to by UN bodies and institutions. Known as the “World Court,” it is based at the Peace Palace in The Hague.
Speaking from the Dutch city, the Secretary-General reflected on the establishment of the Court in the aftermath of the Second World War.
During this “dark and difficult time,” world leaders chose “to reject a future governed by coercion and violence” in favor of one rooted in the UN Charter and international law. They built a Court “founded on a fundamental belief: the force of law must always prevail over the law of force,” he stated. “In doing so, they did much more than create the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. They laid the cornerstone for a more peaceful world.”
Over the past eight decades, the ICJ’s judgments and advisory opinions have shaped the modern world. The increasing number of cases brought before the Court today is “a clear sign of confidence in its authority and independence,” the Secretary-General asserted. He highlighted efforts to modernize its working methods and increase female representation within the Court as evidence of progress.
The Court remains the guarantor that sovereignty and equality are not just words on paper. It also reminds that even overwhelming force should not and must not replace legal obligations, he continued.
However, the UN Chief cautioned that this rule-based system is being severely tested. “Violations of international law are happening before our eyes. Military operations violate the fundamental rules that govern conflicts. Humanitarian obligations are being ignored,” he stated. Additionally, the international rules protecting the UN are being violated, while the ICJ and other judicial institutions are increasingly being questioned and challenged.
“This erosion is not happening on the sidelines of the international system. It is happening at its heart – including by states invested with unique responsibilities for maintaining international peace and security,” he warned, pointing out the consequences.
“When the law of force replaces the force of law, instability becomes contagious. Conflicts spill across borders. Economic shocks spread around the world. And it is always the most vulnerable who suffer first, and who suffer the most.”
Context: – International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the main judicial body of the United Nations. – The ICJ is located at the Peace Palace in The Hague. – The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, spoke at the ICJ’s 80th-anniversary celebration.
Fact Check: – The International Court of Justice (ICJ) was established in 1945 following World War II. – The ICJ settles disputes between states and provides legal advice to the UN.
