Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev delivered a pointed critique of the global order during the Res 2026 Regional Environmental Summit in Astana.
Tokayev said the United Nations Charter should be treated as a single, comprehensive document — not a set of principles applied selectively, particularly in the context of military conflicts.
«The UN Charter is not a menu, and it cannot be approached by cherry-picking,» Tokayev said, using a metaphor to underscore his argument.
He emphasized that a selective approach to international law is especially dangerous in matters of war and peace. When countries uphold some principles of the Charter while ignoring others, trust in international institutions erodes.
At the same time, Tokayev acknowledged that the United Nations and other multilateral organizations currently lack sufficient authority to effectively address major global challenges.
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