Discurso do Coordenador Político, Ministro-Conselheiro Gustavo Sénéchal de Goffredo Junior, em reunião do Conselho de Segurança sobre Ameaças à Paz e Segurança Internacional - 12 de setembro de 2023 (texto em inglês)

Statement by the Political Coordinator, Minister-Counselor Gustavo Sénéchal de Goffredo Junior, on Threats to International Peace and Security
September 12th, 2023

Madam President,

I thank Under-Secretary-General Nakamitsu and Mr. Szamuely for their briefings, and I welcome the representative of Ukraine to this meeting.

Our position has not changed since our previous meeting on this issue last month. Brazil fully recognizes and upholds the right of all States to self-defence under Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations. Without prejudice to such right, we believe that the increasing flow of weapons to any conflict will not help tits solution and bring lasting peace.

In particular, the addition of increasingly more destructive weapons fits the spiral of armaments and makes peace even more elusive, with consequences well beyond the battlefield. An additional factor of instability brought by the transfer of weapons and ammunition to conflict zones is the constant risk of diversion to non-State actors, including criminals and terrorist groups. Brazil urges all Member States to adhere to the Arms Trade Treaty and other instruments to prevent diversion.

All States must abide by their responsibility under international humanitarian law. We reiterate our call for all the parties to honour and respect international humanitarian law and the fundamental principles that distinguish combatants from civilians. There should be no acceptable collateral damage when the stakes are the well-being of civilians.

We strongly urge the parties to prevent harm to residential areas, energy and transport infrastructure and port facilities. Nuclear civilian installations are of particular concern and should be carefully protected against any harm. The only truly effective way to protect civilians, vital infrastructure and economic activity is by ending the war. Only a political solution that takes into account the purposes and principles of the Charter and the legitimate security concerns of all parties will bring lasting peace.

Brazil once again renews its call for a de-escalation of hostilities and for the establishment of negotiations, either directly or through the other peaceful means described in Article 33 of the Charter, which have brought just and lasting solutions to so many other conflicts.

Thank you.