– CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY –

Thank you, Mr. Chair,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries Montenegro*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina^* and Georgia, align themselves with this statement.

We welcome the opportunity to engage also this year in the thematic debate on the peaceful settlement of disputes. As conflicts continue to emerge and escalate around the world, the importance of this topic cannot be overstated.

The European Union is in itself a project of peace. The Treaty Establishing the European Union (TEU) commits the EU and its Member States to promoting peace, security, and progress in Europe and around the world. The principle of peaceful dispute settlement is embedded in our foundation, and our experience demonstrates the effectiveness of institutionalized dispute settlement mechanisms. Our internal procedures for addressing differences between Member States have contributed to seven decades of peace and stability in Europe, shaping also our strong support for similar mechanisms at global level.

As regards this year’s subtopic, we will follow the suggestion in the Explanatory note A/AC.182/L.162 to focus on non-judicial procedures of dispute settlement.

The Charter, the Manila Declaration, and other international instruments provide a comprehensive toolkit of non-judicial means for the peaceful settlement of disputes, including negotiation, enquiry, mediation, conciliation, regional arrangements, and good offices. As illustrated during the previous thematic debates, the EU and its Member States have been actively employing all these mechanisms, which can offer flexible and effective means of resolving international disputes. Of course, their success requires participation, willingness and commitment from all relevant parties.

Mr./Madam Chair,

Recent developments in the Middle East confirm the importance of diplomatic initiatives to resolve complex disputes.

We welcomed the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon and commend the mediation efforts undertaken by France and the United States, which made it possible. This was a significant achievement, which the EU and its Member States have been repeatedly calling for. We have adapted our longstanding and multi-layered support to Lebanon, by ensuring, for instance, the continuity of health services for the populations affected by hostilities in the southern part of the country. We are also committed to mobilizing a wide range of EU instruments, including the European Peace Facility, to support the Lebanese Armed Forces and UNIFIL so that UNSC resolution 1701 can be effectively and fully implemented on the ground.

We also warmly welcomed the ceasefire agreement in Gaza and extend our gratitude to the US, Egypt and Qatar for their efforts in negotiating it. It is vital that the deal is fully implemented to allow all the hostages to be released, ensure a permanent end to hostilities, and to enable the safe and dignified return of the displaced Gazans and the reconstruction of Gaza. The EU is supporting the implementation of the ceasefire, including by redeploying the EU civilian mission to Rafah (Border Assistance Mission for the Rafah Crossing Point, EUBAM Rafah) to supervise border checks. This is part of our continued commitment to a just, comprehensive and lasting peace based on the two-state solution, with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security.

To mobilise the international community in support of a comprehensive and credible political solution to the Syrian conflict, the EU has organised yearly conferences since 2017. The 9^th Brussels Conference on Syria will take place on 17 March 2025. Following the fall of Assad’s regime, there is now a historic opportunity to reunite and rebuild the country and we underline the importance of an inclusive and Syrian-led political process that meets the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people, in line with the core principles of UN Security Council Resolution 2254. In this respect, we support the work of the UN Special Envoy for Syria, through all relevant EU instruments. We will continue to scale up humanitarian aid and recovery efforts (since the start of the crisis in 2011, the EU and its Member States have mobilised more than €33.3 billion in humanitarian, development, economic and stabilisation assistance to support Syrians both inside the country and across the region). In parallel, we will begin easing restrictive measures, in a reversible and gradual way, to facilitate the economic stabilisation and reconstruction of Syria. At the same time, we emphasise the need to ensure respect for human rights and international law, including international law of the sea, to fight terrorism, to destroy the remaining chemical weapons stockpiles, and ensure accountability for serious violations of international law, as key conditions for a successful transition and the prevention of new conflicts.

Mr./Madam Chair,

Zooming out from the Middle East, an increasing number of disputes across the continents continues to require our collective attention and engagement.

Among them, we take the opportunity to welcome recent steps taken by the UN Secretary-General towards the resumption of formal talks for the comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus Question, and his plan to convene a broader informal meeting next March. The EU remains ready to play an active role in supporting all stages of the UN-led process, with all appropriate means at its disposal. The EU reiterates its full commitment to a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem, within the UN agreed framework, in accordance with all relevant UNSC resolutions and in line with the principles on which the Union is founded and the acquis.

Almost three years since Russia started its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we reaffirm our support for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on the principles of the UN Charter and international law, in line with the key principles and objectives of Ukraine’s Peace Formula. The European Union and its Member States will participate in the discussions affecting Europe’s security.

Looking ahead, we see several ways to enhance the effectiveness of non-judicial dispute settlement procedures.

First, the best way to settle a dispute is to prevent it (or at least prevent its repetition). We support strengthening the connection between early warning systems, preventive diplomacy, development cooperation, and peace building initiatives to address potential conflicts before they emerge or escalate. The EU’s Conflict Early Warning System represents our commitment to this approach.

Second, international cooperation and collective engagement are key. Cooperation with and within the UN remains a priority for us. Our continued financial and political support for UN mediation efforts, including as leading contributors to the Peacebuilding Fund, underscores our commitment to these mechanisms. The EU-UN Global Terrorist Threat Facility is a concrete example of a partnership that has created important synergies between our missions on the ground. As an EU-funded initiative, the Facility provides support to Member States faced with terrorism and violent extremism, including through assistance, training, and mentoring, tailored to the needs of requesting recipient countries. We also continue to strengthen our engagement within regional organisations (like OSCE) and with other regional organisations, like the African Union and ASEAN. The recent Samoa Agreement, concluded in 2023 with 79 African, Caribbean and Pacific States, features peace and security among its priority areas and includes commitments to peaceful dispute settlement.

Third, we stress the importance of women’s participation in peace processes, pursuant to UNSC Resolution 1325. The implementation of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda is among the objectives of the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy. An example of this is the inclusion of gender and human rights perspectives in all EU Common Security and Defence Policy Missions.

Finally, we emphasize that non-judicial procedures complement rather than replace judicial settlement of disputes. The European Union and its Member States firmly believe in the crucial role of international courts in establishing legal responsibility and ensuring accountability. This judicial dimension is essential not only for delivering justice but also for preventing future disputes by upholding the international legal order. In this context, we reiterate our unwavering support for the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.

Mr./Madam Chair,

To conclude, as staunch supporters of multilateralism and international law, with the United Nations at its core, the European Union and its Member States remain committed to promoting peaceful dispute settlement. We believe that the United Nations Charter provides a valuable framework for achieving this goal, and we will continue to work with the UN and other international partners to promote peaceful solutions to conflicts.

Thank you.

* North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.