Indonesian Foreign Minister Addresses Palestine at UN Security Council, Cites UN Charter

Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono addressed the plight of the Palestinian people at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), highlighting the failure to uphold the UN Charter in maintaining peace in Palestine. Sugiono made the remarks during the UNSC’s High-Level Open Debate on ‘Upholding the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter and Strengthening the UN-centred International System’ in New York, United States. The session was chaired by China’s Foreign Minister as May 2026 UNSC President, attended by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Sugiono stressed that Palestine serves as a test of international commitment to implementing the UN Charter, noting the global community has failed to uphold these commitments. “The Indonesian Foreign Minister stated that current global challenges are not due to the UN Charter losing relevance, but because international law and multilateralism are often applied selectively. Indonesia believes the situation in Palestine, particularly Gaza, is a clear reflection of the international community’s failure to uphold these principles fairly and consistently,” according to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement on Wednesday (27 May 2026). “Indonesia reaffirmed that the two-state solution, based on international law and relevant UN resolutions, remains the only path to a just and sustainable peace for Palestine,” he added. Sugiono highlighted recent increases in attacks on UN peacekeeping forces, stating that such assaults violate multilateral principles. He also stressed the importance of respecting international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The Indonesian Foreign Minister said international shipping lanes should not be arenas for confrontation or political bargaining. Sugiono urged all parties to remain vigilant against global security threats, including advancements in artificial intelligence and autonomous weapons. “In this context, Indonesia again called for UN Security Council reform to be more representative, transparent, accountable, and reflective of developing nations’ voices,” he said. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Sugiono held bilateral meetings with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Argentina’s Foreign Minister to discuss strategic regional and global issues. He also engaged in diplomacy with the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Bahrain, Kyrgyzstan, and Cuba.