STATEMENT BY MR. NATHANIEL KHNG (SINGAPORE)

Mdm Chair, 

     I have the honour and great pleasure to introduce the report of the 2025 session of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization, contained in Supplement No. 33 (A/80/33). 

     The Special Committee met in New York this year, which would be the year that the Charter celebrates its 80^th anniversary, from 18 to 26 February and continued its deliberations on the questions mandated by General Assembly resolution 79/125. It would be recalled that, in this resolution, the General Assembly had encouraged the Special Committee to adopt all chapters of its report. I am pleased to inform the Sixth Committee that the Special Committee was able, after a three-year hiatus, to return to its tradition of adopting a full substantive report by consensus. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to all delegations for their support and flexibility in making this achievement possible. 

     Allow me now to take you through the Report, which consists of five chapters and four annexes. The first of these chapters is entirely procedural. Paragraphs 10 to 14 list all items and proposals that were under consideration by the Special Committee.   

     Chapter II of the Report relates to the maintenance of international peace and security. Paragraphs 16 to 20 pertain to general comments on the topic. Sections A to D of Chapter II then set out the Special Committee’s consideration of a number of items under the topic. 

     Section A of Chapter II covers the work of the Special Committee on the question of the introduction and implementation of sanctions imposed by the United Nations. Paragraphs 21 to 28 of the Report reflect the Special Committee’s discussion on this question. As requested in paragraph 4 of resolution 79/125, the Special Committee was briefed by the Secretariat on the document entitled “Introduction and implementation of sanctions imposed by the United Nations” contained in the annex to General Assembly resolution 64/115. A summary of the briefing and the following discussion in the Special Committee can be found at paragraphs 29 to 33 of the Report. 

     Section B of Chapter II, at paragraphs 34 to 37, reflects the Special Committee’s consideration of the revised proposal submitted by Libya with a view to strengthening the role of the United Nations in the maintenance of international peace and security. 

     Section C of Chapter II, at paragraphs 38 to 40, summarizes the discussion on the revised working paper submitted by Belarus and the Russian Federation concerning the request for an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice as to the legal consequences of the resort to the use of force by States without prior authorization by the Security Council, except in the exercise of the right to self-defense. 

     The last section of Chapter II, Section D, at paragraphs 41 to 44, deals with the consideration of the revised working paper submitted by Cuba on the strengthening of the role of the Organization and enhancing its effectiveness: adoption of recommendations.

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Mdm Chair, 

     I turn now to Chapter III of the Report, which deals with the item on the peaceful settlement of disputes. Paragraphs 45 to 51 pertain to general comments on the topic. 

     Section A of Chapter III covers the Special Committee’s annual thematic debate on the means for the settlement of disputes, on the subtopic, “Exchange of information on State practices regarding the use of procedures envisaged in the Charter and other international instruments”. A summary of the debate can be found at paragraphs 52 to 56. The Special Committee did not make any recommendation on the subtopic of next year’s annual thematic debate, under the agenda item on the peaceful settlement of disputes, as paragraph 5(b) of the General Assembly resolution 77/109 already prescribed a list of subtopics for future thematic debates. Accordingly, the subtopic for the thematic debate in the 2026 session would be “Exchange of information on State practices regarding the use of adaptation or combination of traditional means”. 

     Section B of Chapter III, at paragraphs 57 to 60, summarizes the discussion on the Russian Federation’s proposal recommending that the Secretariat be requested to establish a website dedicated to the peaceful settlement of disputes between States and update the 1992 Handbook on the Peaceful Settlement of Disputes between States. 

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Mdm Chair, 

     Chapter IV of the Report, from paragraphs 61 to 75, summarizes the Special Committee’s discussion on the Repertory of Practice of United Nations Organs and the Repertoire of the Practice of the Security Council. The Special Committee was briefed by the Secretariat on the status of the Repertory and the Repertoire. The recommendations of the Special Committee on this item are set out in paragraph 76 of the Report.  

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Finally, Mdm Chair, 

     Chapter V of the Report concerns the consideration of the remaining items on the agenda of the Special Committee. Section A, at paragraphs 77 to 82, reflects a summary of the discussion on the working methods of the Special Committee. 

     Section B concerns the identification of new subjects. Paragraphs 83 and 84 pertain to general comments on the topic. Paragraphs 85 to 98 summarize the discussion on specific proposals for the inclusion of new subjects, including four written proposals submitted respectively by Mexico, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Syrian Arab Republic, and the Russian Federation on behalf of a group of States, as well as the oral proposal made by Cuba. The written proposals submitted by Mexico, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Russian Federation on behalf of a group of States are annexed to the report, together with the explanatory note by the Non-Aligned Movement on the identification of “other peaceful means” of pacific settlement of disputes.

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Mdm Chair, 

     Before concluding, I would like to convey my appreciation to all delegations for their cooperation, as well as to the members of the Bureau for their invaluable assistance and advice. 

Thank you.