Media Center

New York– Information Office – 05 October

 The State of Qatar stressed its continued commitment and efforts with its partners in the United Nations to uphold the principle of the rule of law at the national and international levels, out of its belief in the importance of this principle which is an essential element of conflict prevention, peacekeeping, conflict resolution and peace-building in the world.

This came in a statement delivered by Ali bin Ahmed Al Sulaiti, a member of Qatar's delegation participating in the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly today, before the Sixth Committee of the UN General Assembly on the "Rule of law at national and international levels".

Al Sulaiti stressed that the government institutions in the State of Qatar are keen on upholding the rule of law and continuing their efforts to increase the community awareness of this principle as it is the key factor for achieving equality and justice among all (citizens and residents) and promoting good governance, stressing that the country's leadership attaches a special importance to strengthening national institutions involved in the implementation of the principle of the rule of law, with a view to ensuring clear national legal frameworks to uphold the law based on international standards and norms and in accordance with the 2005 World Summit High Declaration on the Rule of Law.

The State of Qatar paid special attention to the issue of complementarity between national laws and international instruments in the area of the rule of law based on the shared responsibility of States to face internal, regional and international challenges.

Building on the close link between the rule of law and the three pillars of the United Nations - peace and security, human rights and development - the strengthening of the rule of law requires an environment conducive to the realization of the aims and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations which affirms that relations between States must be subject to the principle of the rule of law on the basis of equality and mutual respect, and commitment to the principle of international cooperation in the face of common challenges, Al Sulaiti said, pointing out that States' behavior must comply with the provisions of international law, with all the obligations and guarantees under international law, a matter which requires the existence of mechanisms for follow-up and accountability to States' implementation of their obligations in this area.

He added that international developments reaffirmed that the principle of the rule of law had been and remains the cornerstone of the success of international efforts to achieve the goals for which the United Nations was established. This is what had led the international community to adopt many international instruments and declarations emphasizing the importance of the rule of law and the duty of States to implement their commitments at the national and international levels, and the close link between the rule of law and international peace and security, development and human rights.

The principle of the rule of law at the national and international levels was not a voluntary choice but an obligation incumbent on all States, in order to provide the environment required to achieve regional and international peace and stability sought by the international community to overcome the internal challenges facing many societies, he said, pointing out that the international consensus on the commitment to the 2005 World Summit Declaration that emphasized the importance of the rule of law as an essential element of conflict prevention, peacekeeping, conflict resolution and peace-building.

Al Sulaiti said that the international community had recognized that the rule of law would not prevail if human dignity and human rights were not protected and international law was not respected in international relations, as the implementation of the rule of law would make this principle a reality. He added that the principle of the rule of law is central to the consolidation of international law and respect for fundamental human rights, which have made these principles a cornerstone of the national constitutions, laws and regulations of States that are committed to the rule of law. 

In the statement, Ali bin Ahmed Al Sulaiti expressed Qatar's regret at the continued suffering due to continued regional and international conflicts and tensions, despite the international community's adoption of many international instruments aimed at achieving peace and stability in international relations.

Perhaps what gives hope is that this regrettable situation did not discourage the international community from fulfilling its legal obligations based on respect for the rule of law as the cornerstone of the stability of international relations, especially since lessons learned from international crises indicate that States with weak adherence to the rule of law and disrespect human rights are the most vulnerable to conflicts and crises not only at the national level, but also because they pose a negative impact on stability, peace and regional and international security, Al Sulaiti added.

He stressed that the use of coercive means in international relations in order to confiscate the sovereign decision of States, impose guardianship on them and intervene in their internal affairs constitutes a flagrant violation of the international dimension of the rule of law, which is the cornerstone of international relations and to refrain from any action that would harm their people and national security and distort their image and create a state of regional and international instability.

Al Sulaiti also stressed that the attempt to impose policies on States to achieve certain objectives and to cover violations of human rights and international law in general, without regard to the will of the international community and adherence to the principle of the rule of law, constituted a flagrant violation of this principle, which had been discussed by the Sixth Committee for many years, as it is an essential foundation for international security and the common challenges of the international collective system.

He stated that such a dangerous approach was the imposition of unilateral measures outside the United Nations system and constituted a flagrant violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, a serious threat to the international order and a flagrant violation of human rights and of peoples subjected to such measures, in addition to violating the principle of equality, sovereignty and territorial integrity of States and infringe on the mandate of the United Nations organs established by the Charter, namely the United Nations Security Council, as the only international legal body capable of imposing sanctions under the Charter.

The seriousness of these procedures also contributes to the creation of an unstable environment, fueling conflicts and assisting terrorist organizations in achieving their illegal objectives, taking advantage of the absence of coordination between the countries imposing such measures and the targeted State by this coercive measures.

"The State of Qatar continues to cooperate with international institutions concerned with strengthening the rule of law, because we believe that respect for the law is a prerequisite for the promotion of international peace and security and development," said Ali bin Ahmed Al Sulaiti.

In the context of its commitment to international cooperation, Qatar have been contributing actively to the efforts of the international community to achieve international peace and security through its contribution to the peaceful settlement of regional and international disputes based on the Charter of the United Nations and international law and in coordination with the concerned organs of the United Nations and relevant regional organizations, he said.

Al Sualiti noted that the State of Qatar provided all the necessary resources for the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Center in Doha, which was established in 2012, in order to carry out its functions in accordance with the mandate approved by the United Nations, considering the positive effects that may result from the commitment to the rule of law at the regional level and the importance of increased awareness of this principle in our region.

He pointed out that the Center is currently making great efforts to promote respect for the rule of law and to help countries in the region fight corruption and train judges and prosecutors, pointing out that the Center has expanded and has branches in Geneva and Dakar. The Center also established the first Master's program to combat corruption in the region, which confirms the positive role it is doing.

He pointed out that an international prize for combating corruption has been established under the name of HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani for excellence in combating corruption, which was launched in Vienna in 2016, in the presence of the former Secretary General and will be organized this year in its second edition in Geneva, with the participation of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to expand activities on the rule of law and the fight against corruption.

In conclusion, the delegation of the State of Qatar, participating in the work of the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly, renewed its position that respecting and enforcing the rule of law means respecting and implementing the will of the international community which had adopted international instruments that would uphold the rule of law in international relations, away from duplication and political interpretations and attempts for political extortion and interference in internal affairs to divert attention from human rights violations and violations of the sovereignty of States in total disregard of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, which ensured the equal rights and responsibilities of all States.