Iceland’s minister urges defence of international law and UN reform at United Nations

Iceland’s Minister for Affairs told the United Nations that the organization built after World War II faces fresh pressures and must be preserved and reformed to continue protecting small states and global order. “Today that wisdom and the United Nations that embodies it is under enormous pressure,” the minister said in opening remarks.

The minister outlined how instruments such as peacekeeping, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Criminal Court reshaped global norms and argued that the UN must be reformed to act faster and direct resources where they make the greatest difference. He said Iceland “fully support[s] the UN reform process” while warning that political choices—selective enforcement and impunity—undermine the institution’s work.

The address ranged across crises in Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan, and raised concerns about freedom of navigation, climate change and disinformation amplified by artificial intelligence. In closing the minister urged member states to choose “international law over selective obedience” and to prioritize accountability over impunity.