STATEMENT BY
H.E. DR. MICHAEL IMRAN KANU
AMBASSADOR & PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE
ON
AGENDA ITEM 63 “USE OF THE VETO”
(Special report of the Security Council (A/79/804)
Mr. President,
Thank you for convening this meeting as mandated by resolution 76/262 adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2022; and following the exercise of the veto by a Permanent Member in the Security Council.
We believe that this debate provides Member States with a valuable opportunity to consider the impact of the Veto on the functioning and effectiveness of the Security Council in fulfilling its mandate, as it relates to the lives and livelihoods of persons and relevant country situations.
At the meeting held on the 24th February 2025 the Security Council took action on draft resolution contained in S/2025/112, as well the amendments contained in documents S/2025/114, S/2025/115, and S/2025/116 respectively under the agenda item ‘Maintenance of Peace and Security of Ukraine.’
Sierra Leone voted in favour of the draft resolution adopted as [tbc], as well the amendments contained in documents S/2025/114, S/2025/115, and S/2025/116. We abstained in the vote on the amendment contained in S/2025/112. Our votes were guided by principled position that the UN should help foster peace between nations and that Ukraine must be at the forefront of any peace process or agreement, in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter. Additionally, the legitimate concerns of all parties must be addressed.
During the briefing under the same agenda item held on the same day, we elaborated on our position on the issue, that is, in the context of the urgent need for cessation of hostilities in the Ukraine conflict and an end to the immense suffering of civilians caught on both sides of this conflict, in the Russian Federation and Ukraine.
Mr. President,
We are convened today, and both organs of the UN, the General Assembly in the Eleventh Emergency Special Session, and the Security Council, met under the shadow of a conflict that challenges the very foundation of our international rules-based system. In doing so, let me recall a guiding principle reiterated by the President of Poland Andrzej Duda: “Peace through law”, during his address to the Assembly on the 4th of March (2025).
This simple yet profound phrase underlines that true and lasting peace is achieved not by the force of arms, but by the force of law, by respect for the Charter of the UN and the whole body of international law. We fully endorse this vision.
Peace through law means that no nation is above the rules that bind us all. It is in that spirit that we view the Veto Initiative, the new General Assembly mechanism to scrutinize any use of the veto, as a valuable tool rooted in the supremacy of law and accountability. When the Security Council cannot act because of a veto, the wider membership, upholding our legal and moral principles, must have its voice heard. This is multilateralism at work, ensuring that might does not mean right.
Mr. President,
Sierra Leone’s own history and commitment to peace compel us to stand firmly on the side of international law. In the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, my delegation’s votes and statements have been consistent with the UN Charter’s principles and the obligation to settle disputes by peaceful means.
We participated in the Emergency Special Session on Ukraine and voted in favor of the General Assembly resolutions addressing that conflict. These resolutions, which Sierra Leone proudly supported, reaffirm the Charter: they uphold the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, denounce the unlawful use of force, and call for the peaceful resolution of the dispute. They demand an immediate cessation of hostilities and a return to dialogue, in line with international law.
By voting for these texts, Sierra Leone made clear that our position is principled, not geopolitical. We are guided by the consistent application of international law, for it is only through such consistency that we can maintain a rules-based system that protects all States, big and small.
Mr. President,
We also acknowledge efforts in the Security Council to address the conflict in Ukraine. We further acknowledge the recent initiative by the United States in the Council to table a succinct resolution aimed at finding a path toward peace. That draft was a model of brevity and principle: it implored a swift end to the conflict and urged a lasting peace between Ukraine and the Russian Federation , encapsulating the very objectives of the United Nations Charter.
In essence, it asked for nothing beyond what we all seek, an end to violence and the start of dialogue. Sierra Leone welcomes this focus on dialogue and diplomacy. We view it as a reaffirmation that even the Security Council, despite deep divisions, can rally around fundamental Charter aims when the language is kept impartial and centered on humanitarian and peace imperatives.
It is regretful, however, that the Council has often been paralyzed by the use of the veto. This brings me to the broader issue of the veto power and the urgent need for reform. Sierra Leone hereby assert the Common African Position on Security Council reform, as espoused in the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration. Africa’s stance is clear: we fundamentally oppose the continued existence of the veto in its current form, for it contradicts the very principle of sovereign equality enshrined in the UN Charter. The veto is the most undemocratic element of our UN architecture, often undermining the collective security interests of the wider membership.
We believe that abolishing the veto would greatly enhance the Council’s credibility and effectiveness. However, we are also pragmatic. As long as the veto exists, it must not be the privilege of a few; it should be extended to all new permanent members in a reformed Council, as a matter of common justice and equality.
The status quo, where Africa, comprising 54 nations, has no permanent seat and no voice in veto decisions, is a historical injustice that must be rectified. Sierra Leone, as one of the African states on the Council, carries a mandate to advocate for these reforms. We lend our voice to calls for a more democratic Security Council that reflects today’s world and curtails the misuse of the veto.
In the interim, we note the Veto Initiative in the General Assembly, which brings transparency and accountability whenever a veto is cast, is another step in the right direction. It ensures that the Council’s deadlock does not mean the world’s silence. Law, we assert, must reign supreme over power politics. Let me therefore conclude by reaffirming Sierra Leone’s commitment to “peace through law.”
I thank you.
