UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- European Council President Antonio Costa Thursday reiterated his support for the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC) in defense of international law.
In delivering his speech in the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, Costa said there can be no double standards in terms of international law and "we are witnessing deliberate violations of international law."
Following and defending international law is not an option but a responsibility, according to Costa.
"We stand firmly behind them and will uphold their independence, their integrity and their ability to fully exercise their mandate," said Costa, referring to ICJ and ICC.
"It is unacceptable to threaten or attack the International Criminal Court, its officials and its staff. Accountability cannot depend on political convenience," he added.
In August, Costa said on social media platform X that he stood firmly with the ICC, its president Tomoko Akane and officials working to uphold its mission.
Costa urged for strong, effective, representative and deliverable multilateralism in a bid to address challenges of today around peace, climate emergency, economic insecurity and artificial intelligence (AI).
Costa called for an accountable, transparent and regulated architecture on AI and its governance.
"We need an AI that serves humanity, not controls it," said Costa, who added that the United Nations must play a central role in setting global standards on AI governance.
Moreover, Costa stressed the need to reform the global financial architecture with an eye on sustainable development.
The 2027 Sustainable Development Goals Summit must be a "turning point" to correct course, regain momentum and meet the targets for 2030 and beyond, said Costa. ■
