Taking into account the number of human casualties in Gaza and Israel, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sent a letter to the Security Council on Wednesday, applying Article 99 of the UN Charter for the first time since taking office as head of the UN in 2017.
Article 99 of the UN Charter
“The Secretary–General has the right to bring to the attention of the Security Council any issues that, in his opinion, may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security,” states Article 99 of the UN Charter.
In his message, the Secretary-General calls on the members of the UN Security Council to make efforts to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe and achieve a humanitarian ceasefire.
Thousands of civilians were killed
In his message to the members of the Security Council, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recalls that since October 7, when Hamas and other Palestinian groups committed terror against Israel, more than 1,200 people have been killed in Israel, including 33 children. 250 were taken hostage, including 34 children, and 150 people have not yet been released.
As a result of the Israeli military operation in Gaza, the Secretary General writes, according to reports, 15,000 people were killed, forty percent of whom are children. Thousands more were injured. 80 percent of the population, totaling 2.2 million people, were forced to leave their homes.
The entire humanitarian system could collapse
Further in his message, the UN chief outlined the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, warning that the entire system of providing assistance to the Palestinians could collapse in the current conditions.
“The situation is rapidly approaching a catastrophe with potentially irreversible consequences for all Palestinians and for peace and security in the entire region,” Guterres writes. “No matter what, such an outcome must be avoided.”
A humanitarian truce is urgently needed
The international community, the Secretary General writes, has a responsibility to use all its influence to prevent further escalation and put an end to the crisis. In this context, he called on the members of the Security Council to urgently seek a humanitarian truce, protect civilians and ensure the supply of aid to Gaza.
Cases of application of Article 99 in the history of the United Nations
Article 99 is one of the tools in the arsenal of the UN Secretary General. It has not been used so often in the history of the organization. In response to a request from journalists, the UN press service provided a list of cases when the head of the UN invoked this article of the Charter.
The situation in the Congo. The Secretary General sent a letter to the Security Council on July 13, 1960, demanding to convene a meeting of the Security Council.
East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). In his report to the Security Council on December 3, 1971, the UN chief stressed that the situation on the borders of East Pakistan poses a threat to international peace and security.
Cyprus. In a letter to the Security Council dated July 16, 1974, the UN Secretary General drew the attention of the members of this body to the “seriousness of the problem [of Cyprus]for international peace and security.”
The hostage crisis in Iran. On November 25, 1979, the UN Secretary General sent a letter to the Security Council, in which he stressed that relations between the United States and Iran had led to an alarming situation. The United States was extremely concerned about the seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and the detention of diplomatic personnel. Iran, for its part, was concerned about human rights violations by the previous regime. The Secretary General considered that the confrontation threatens international security and called on the Security Council to make efforts to resolve the problem peacefully.
Iran-Iraq. On September 23, 1980, the Secretary General sent a letter to the Security Council, calling on the members of this body to begin peaceful consultations to overcome the crisis, which, in his opinion, threatened international security.
Lebanon. On August 15, 1989, the UN Secretary General drew the attention of the members of the Security Council to the situation in Lebanon, calling for an urgent search for a peaceful solution to the problem.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo. In a message dated May 15, 2003, the Secretary General expressed deep concern about the rapidly deteriorating situation. On May 30, the Council adopted a resolution authorizing the use of force to resolve the crisis.
Liberia. On June 28, 2003, the Secretary General sent a message to the Security Council, in which he called for sending a trained and well-equipped military contingent to Liberia. On August 1 of the same year, the Security Council authorized the dispatch of such a contingent to the country.
Lebanon. On July 29, 2006, in his letter to the Security Council, the Secretary General called for an immediate ceasefire and the beginning of a political dialogue in Lebanon.
Myanmar. On September 2, 2017, in his letter to the Security Council, the Secretary General expressed deep concern about the situation in Rakhine State in Myanmar, warning of the possibility of a humanitarian catastrophe with far-reaching consequences. On July 13 of the same year, the Security Council held a meeting on the situation in Myanmar for the first time since 2009.
