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During a high-level open debate held by the Security Council on “Leadership for Peace” under the “Maintaining International Peace and Security” agenda item. Attaf said that Algeria “urged further efforts to restore the role of the Security Council and the UN,” outlining five key areas focus should be placed on to achieve this goal.

The minister stressed the “urgency of moving beyond polarization to improve the working environment within the Security Council by creating more space for the elected nations (E-10) , which has proved ability to bring viewpoints closer and to build bridges of communication and understanding between the permanent member States of the Council, and to develop consensual solutions among all parties while prioritizing the general interest, in service of international peace and security,” he said.

Recalling the necessity to implement the Security Council’s resolutions and to hold accountable the parties that defy these resolutions, Attaf stated that “the restrictive character remains valid for all resolutions of the Security Council, just like those adopted for the Palestinian issue, thus, ensuring their activation and effectiveness on the ground is a fundamental responsibility of our Council.”

In order to enhance coordination between the Security Council and the UN General Assembly on international peace and security issues, Attaf stated that “the General Assembly’s interference in situations where the Security Council is unable to act, should be encouraged and valued to foster a complementary rather than confrontational relationship between these two principal UN bodies.”

The key issues under Algeria’s call for the Security Council and the UN reform include the UN Secretary-General’s roles and responsibilities, being the first official of this organisation.

The FM assured that “the Secretary-General must possess the absolute freedom to initiate any diplomatic endeavour that serves international peace and security,” adding that his actions should not be constrained by prior agreements that are often challenging to achieve within the Security Council.”

According to Attaf, the reform of the Security Council should involve “democratizing its working methods and expanding its composition for a broader representation of the international community at this juncture,” emphasizing that “our absolute priority would be to mend the injustice done to Africa, the only continent without a permanent seat and the least represented in the non-permanent seats category.”

“The critical crisis affecting multilateral international action is the most dangerous in the UN’s history, given its significant scale at several levels,” as evidenced by the domination of “power relations” and the return of unilateralism and individualism, as well as isolationism, in disregard of the multilateralism enshrined by the UN Organization, initially created to establish and strengthen ties between its members.

Attaf also deplored the unprecedented resurgence and exacerbation of crises, conflicts and wars in the contemporary history of international relations, in light of a growing regression in the respect for international law, regardless of references and constants," deploring with deep regret the lack of international initiatives aimed at resolving these crises, conflicts and wars, in the face of the weakening of our UN Organization.

After warning that “the Security Council is now documenting the succession of crises (...) without being able to make any crucial decision or even fulfil a major role in achieving the expected solutions and imposing them as provided for in the United Nations Charter,” Attaf affirmed that this passivity has “given the green light to the instigators of crises (...) and to those who consider international legality and the UN Charter as an obstacle to achieving their objectives and implementing their plans.”

In this regard, Attaf mentioned the ongoing genocidal war waged against Palestinians in Gaza, in absolute impunity, which allows the Zionist occupation to continue its crimes and immoral and inhuman violations.[/ecr]