• Resolution calls for strengthening international mechanisms to settle disputes through peaceful means adopted during high-level debate
• Resolution doesn’t mention any ongoing disputes but includes clauses underscoring need to resolve conflicts such as Kashmir & Palestine
• Dar signs UN maritime treaty

WASHINGTON: The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution sponsored by Pakistan, calling for the strengthening of international mechanisms to settle disputes through peaceful means.

The resolution — titled Strengthening Mechanisms for Peaceful Settlement of Disputes — was adopted during a high-level open debate chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, who is presiding over the Security Council for the month of July.

Designated as Resolution 2788 (2025), the measure urges UN member states to prioritise diplomacy, mediation, and dialogue to prevent disputes from escalating into armed conflict. It also calls for enhanced cooperation between the United Nations and regional or sub-regional organisations to promote peace and stability.

The resolution does not name any of the ongoing disputes that threaten international peace, but includes clauses that, according to Pakistani officials, underscore the need to resolve long-standing conflicts such as Kashmir and Palestine.

It calls on member states to “refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.”

Islamabad views this language as a reference to recent tensions in South Asia. In May, a terrorist attack in Pahalgam triggered an undeclared military standoff between India and Pakistan, bringing the region dangerously close to a broader conflict.

Further, the resolution “calls upon member states to take necessary measures for the effective implementation of Security Council resolutions for peaceful settlement of disputes.” Both Kashmir and Palestine have been the subject of multiple UN resolutions that remain unimplemented.

Addressing the Security Council, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said: “Peace is a choice. And the world expects the UN Security Council to help countries make this choice.”

“Competition between states is a geopolitical reality,” he added, “but cooperation — anchored in shared interests and the greater good — is the sustainable pathway to peace.”

Senator Dar, in his remarks, emphasised the importance of reinvigorating multilateralism and warned against ignoring peaceful avenues for dispute resolution.

“Multilateralism is not merely a diplomatic convenience; it is the need of the art,” he said. “Peaceful settlement of disputes is not just a principle. It is the lifeline of global stability.”

“It is time to return to the spirit of San Francisco,” he said, referencing the 1945 conference that produced the UN Charter — “a Charter born out of the ashes of war and with a hope for peace.”

More than 80 UN member states participated in Tuesday’s debate, titled Promoting International Peace and Security through Multilateralism and Peaceful Settlement of Disputes. Pakistan, currently serving a two-year term as a non-permanent member of the Security Council, views the adoption of this resolution as a significant diplomatic achievement and a step toward restoring the UN’s central role in conflict prevention and global peacekeeping.

Marine treaty signed

Meanwhile, Pakistan signed an agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction that establishes a legal framework for all marine and maritime activities, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported.

Foreign Minister Dar signed the agreement at the UN Headquarters.

Pakistan played a leading role during the negotiations, serving as Chair of the Group of 77 and China during the two main sessions in 2022. The signing of the agreement reflects on Pakistan’s commitment to multilateral cooperation and to the protection and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.

Representing the collective voice of developing countries, Pakistan consistently advocates for fair benefit-sharing, capacity-building, and technology transfer.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2025