By Maher Ahmed - Reporter
United Nations, 27 January 2026 Judge Abdulqawi Yusuf, founding President of the African Institute of International Law and former President of the International Court of Justice, is warning that the creeping influence of power politics is eroding the predictability and legal certainty that underpin international relations, as global threats to international order escalate.
Addressing an open debate of the UN Security Council on the rule of law, Yusuf said the rules-based international legal system represents a modern human achievement, standing in contrast to a world governed by claims of force advanced by a limited number of states at the expense of others.
He stressed that a world without legal rules or safeguards “is not in the interest of any state, whether small or large, weak or powerful,” warning that insecurity and disorder benefit no nation. Without adherence to the rule of law at the international level, he said, arbitrariness would increase, predictability would decline, and certainty in international relations would disappear.
Guterres: The Law of the Jungle Is Replacing International Law
For his part, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned of a dangerous global decline in respect for the rule of law, describing it as the cornerstone of international peace and security and the beating heart of the UN Charter.
“Across the world, the rule of law is being replaced by the law of the jungle,” Guterres said, pointing to what he described as “blatant violations of international law and brazen disregard for the UN Charter.”
From Gaza to Ukraine and beyond, he said, the rule of law is increasingly treated as an “à la carte” option. He cited unlawful uses of force, attacks on civilian infrastructure, human rights violations, illegal development of nuclear weapons, unconstitutional changes of government, and the denial of life-saving humanitarian assistance
The Secretary-General warned that such practices entrench dangerous precedents, fuel mistrust and division among states, and undermine public confidence in the international community’s ability to resolve crises collectively.
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Call for Security Council Reform and Stronger Multilateralism
Guterres reaffirmed his commitment to pursuing a just and sustainable peace—one that addresses the root causes of conflict rather than merely its symptoms—and underscored the unique global responsibility of the Security Council as a body whose decisions are binding on all.
He stressed that reform of the Council is essential and should proceed without delay to enhance its representativeness and effectiveness. He outlined three priority areas: ensuring states honour their commitments, making full use of UN dispute-resolution mechanisms to prevent conflicts, and strengthening fair and independent judicial processes.
African Union: Permanent Representation Is a Matter of Justice
Meanwhile, African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf reiterated Africa’s commitment to multilateralism, warning that global challenges—from terrorism and climate change to poverty and insecurity—cannot be addressed by any country acting alone.
He said the absence of a permanent African seat on the Security Council, despite the continent’s population and number of member states, constitutes a historical injustice that undermines the Council’s credibility and effectiveness.
Youssouf reaffirmed the African consensus calling for a permanent seat with full powers, including veto rights, describing it not as a privilege but as a necessary correction to longstanding structural imbalances in the international system.
