NAM, G77+China: Unilateral coercive measures violate right to development, UN Charter - MPPRE

NAM, G77+China: Unilateral coercive measures violate right to development, UN Charter

At the high-Level Meeting to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the G77 and China agreed on Monday that the application of unilateral coercive measures against countries violates the right to development and international laws, including the Charter of the United Nations.

Mohamed Irfaan Ali, president of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Chair of the G77 and China, reaffirmed on behalf of the Group that “the imposition of unilateral coercive economic measures against developing countries is an impediment to economic and social development and to dialogue and understanding among countries.”

Irfaan Ali alsor atified the organization’s commitment to multilateralism and their and our resolve to strive for peace, justice and development, and stressed their priority is the eradication of poverty.

Likewise, President of Azerbaijan and Chairman of Non-Aligned Movement Ilham Aliyev reiterated the NAM’s “strong concern at the growing resort to unilateralism and unilaterally imposed measures that undermine the UN Charter and international law.”

Aliyev stressed the world today needs, more than ever, respect for international law and effective global institutions to ensure compliance with it.

NAM also called for reforming the UN Security Council, in order to transform it into a more democratic, effective, efficient, transparent and representative body, and in line with contemporary geopolitical realities.

On numerous occasions, UN Secretary-General António Guterres and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, as well as special rapporteurs and independent experts from the Human Rights Council, have also expressed their concerns about unilateral coercive measures in the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic and have called for their lifting or suspension.

Since 2014, no less than 300 unilateral coercive measures have been approved by the U.S. Government and its satellite countries against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, severely affecting its economy and the everyday life of the Venezuelan people.

The Bolivarian Government filed in February this year a referral before the International Criminal Court against those responsible for imposing this genocidal policy, under article 14 of the Rome Statute, as it represents crimes against humanity.