Norway urges the Security Council to act in Gaza
News story | Date: 08/12/2023 | Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Yesterday, the UN Secretary-General sent a letter to the Security Council in which he explicitly invokes Article 99 of the UN Charter. Article 99 gives the Secretary-General the authority to bring to the attention of the Security Council situations he believes threaten the maintenance of international peace and security.
'Norway fully supports Secretary General Guterres' initiative and message. The message is very serious and reflects the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza. The Security Council must act and now agree on a humanitarian ceasefire. The Secretary-General's decision to take this rare step cannot be interpreted in any other way than that he is now sounding the alarm about what is unfolding in the Middle East', said Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide.
In his letter to the Security Council, Antonio Guterres describes a health system that is collapsing. That nowhere in Gaza is safe. And that the humanitarian situation is now so serious that it risks threatening peace and security.
'The letter and the invocation of Article 99 is a diplomatic alarm from the UN Secretary General. The Security Council and the international community should listen. The Secretary General's call to the international community is clear: we have a responsibility to do everything in our power to prevent further escalation', said the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
In the letter the Secretary General reiterates the immediate need for a humanitarian ceasefire, to protect civilians and ensure that sufficient humanitarian aid reaches people in need in Gaza.
'We have been clear in our statements: a humanitarian ceasefire must be put in place as soon as possible. Civilians must be protected. Humanitarian aid must arrive. The hostages must be released. It is mainly Israel that must do more to ensure that larger amounts of humanitarian aid can arrive, but Hamas must also facilitate this. This is a responsibility that clearly falls on the parties under humanitarian law', emphasized Espen Barth Eide.
Two months ago, Norway warned against the consequences of a near full blockade for Gaza's civilian population. Since then, very little food, medicine and other vital supplies have arrived. Almost half of the buildings in Gaza are either damaged or in ruins.
'There are no safe places in Gaza, and no safe places to flee to. The consequences for the civilian population cannot be described as anything other than catastrophic', said Eide.
Facts about the use of Article 99
- The UN Secretary General may draw the attention of the Security Council to any matter which, in his opinion, may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security.
- The article is rarely used, and in practice there is a high threshold for the Secretary-General to invoke article 99.
- It has not been explicitly used since the Cold War. The article was last used in 1989, on the situation in Lebanon.
- This is the first time Antonio Guterres has used this option during his term as Secretary-General.