Statement by the Permanent Representative of Brazil to the United Nations, Ambassador Ronaldo Costa Filho, during the UN Security Council briefing on "Maintenance of international peace and security: Promote common security through dialogue and cooperation" - August 22nd, 2022

Mr. President,

I would like to thank China for convening this briefing and the Secretary-General for his important remarks. I would also like to thank Ambassador Gustavo Zlauvinen for his insightful intervention. While it is important to clarify that the decisions regarding the NPT review process are the exclusive and collective competence of the States parties to the Treaty, the fact that, for the first time, the president of an ongoing RevCon briefed the Security Council in an official meeting is a positive sign. It shows that the body which bears the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security is attentive to the main multilateral discussions taking place beyond the walls of this Chamber.

Ambassador, you can rest assured of Brazil`s full support for your efforts to reach a balanced, meaningful, consensual outcome document for the Conference. Brazil is convinced that we are in the best hands to lead the way.

Mr. President,

We need to take certain steps for achieving a safer and a more peaceful world.

First, we need to overcome, once and for all, the false narrative that nuclear weapons make the world a safer place. In reality, such weapons spawn an elusive and precarious security. Their mere existence invites further proliferation, undermines global stability and compromises international security, putting the whole world at existential risk. The substantial increase in nuclear tensions since the beginning of this year is a powerful demonstration of this fact.

As we kick-start the final week of NPT RevCon, we cannot lose sight of our common objective of achieving a world without nuclear weapons. Nuclear disarmament is not a concession on the part of nuclear-weapon-sates. It is an unequivocal commitment and a binding obligation in accordance with Article VI of the NPT. While nuclear risk reduction measures are important and necessary, they are by no means a panacea for our atomic malady, let alone a substitute for nuclear disarmament. We must always keep in mind the fragile balance between the three pillars that allowed for the adoption of the NPT. This balance is the only way to ensure that the Treaty can remain relevant.

Second, prevention is better than cure, as conventional wisdom reminds us. The international community should make more frequent use of preventive diplomacy and mediation. It should focus more on Chapter VI rather than Chapter VII of the UN Charter. It should condemn the abusive use of article 51. The law of action and reaction is especially applicable to the use of force, which tends to generate further use of force, in a chain reaction. Insisting on the peaceful settlement of disputes is the only way to get out of this vicious circle.

Third, there can be no stability where the rule of law does not prevail. Respect for international law is crucial for peaceful international relations. International law is the language we must speak when differences arise between us. International humanitarian law protects us from further damage when conflict regrettably breaks out. International human rights law and international refugee law, by protecting individual rights and thus saving lives, may avoid trauma and resentment, which are among the root causes of conflict - and they are key for any reconciliation process.

Fourth, it is of paramount importance to acknowledge the strong and reinforcing relationship between peace and economic and social development. There can be no development without peace and no lasting peace without development. A New Agenda for Peace will only be successful if it has its foundations on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. A strong economic foundation and robust productive capacities are the path to job and wealth creation, solid fiscal revenues, debt sustainability, political and social stability and, ultimately, peace. Strengthening international cooperation, investing in productive capacities and combating poverty and hunger must remain at the heart of our deliberations. In addition, we must not forget that developing countries are manifestly underrepresented in peace and security decisions. There is a pressing need to move forward the discussions on the Council´s reform and we invite all member states to constructively engage in the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN).

Fifth, durable peace requires comprehensive approaches that could benefit significantly from the support of the Peacebuilding Commission. The PBC is well suited to work as a platform to promote greater coordination among relevant partners of a particular country at risk of lapsing or relapsing into conflict. Additionally, it can mobilize regional organizations and International Financial Institutions (IFIs) and foster South-South and triangular cooperation arrangements in support of national peacebuilding initiatives. The Commission can also support the implementation of peacebuilding activities by peacekeeping operations and help mobilize political support to promote reconciliation, the Women Peace and Security agenda, institution building and other nationally defined peacebuilding priorities.

Mr. President,

This briefing brings about a timely discussion. We look around and we see war, conflict, terrorism, pandemic and poverty. The fear of nuclear devastation looms at our doors, and this fear is currently heightened. As the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute pointed out, inter-state conflict has been on the rise. Wars and ill-devised sanction regimes disrupt supply chains, spread scarcity, raise inflation, result in food insecurity and ultimately affect in a disproportionate way those most in need.

There are myriad factors that we can point to as causes of international instability and insecurity. As this Council has recognized, sustainable peace can only be achieved by promoting security and development. We need comprehensive approaches that integrate political, security, development, human rights and rule of law activities, and address the underlying causes of each conflict.

I thank you.