Statement by Denmark on behalf of Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark 75th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations Debate in the General Assembly Agenda item 74: Report of the International Court of Justice Delivered by: Counsellor Rasmus Jensen, Denmark New York 2 November 2020 Check against delivery E-mail: [email protected] http://fnnewyork.um.dk 1 M(r/s) Chair, I have the honour to speak on behalf of Finland, , Iceland, Norway, Sweden - and my own country - Denmark. The Nordic countries would like to thank the President of the International Court of Justice for his report on the Court’s work over the past year (A/75/4) and for his presentation today. The big amount of cases indicate the trust and confidence States place in the Court by referring disputes to it for resolution. The Nordic countries would in particular like to note the case filed by The Gambia against Myanmar regarding application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, where the Court indicated provisional measures on January 23rd. In addition to being important for the gravity of the issues The Gambia’s application seeks to address, the case is also an opportunity for the Court to develop its jurisprudence regarding obligations erga omnes and erga omnes partes. All States parties share an interest in compliance with the obligations under the Genocide Convention by all States parties. We applaud the Court and its personnel for continuing to discharge its judicial functions as described by the President in his report, despite the difficult circumstances following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. M(r/s) Chair, As the President notes in his report, the Court is a key part of the mechanism for peaceful settlement of inter-State disputes, and of the system for maintaining international peace and security. Furthermore, as he notes, everything the Court does is aimed at promoting and reinforcing the rule of law. Indeed the Court, as the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, stands as the cornerstone of the rules-based international order. This role has, in our view, never been more important than today, where multilateralism faces new challenges. We urge all states to engage actively and constructively in international cooperation supporting the rules-based international order, of which the Court forms an integral and crucial part. M(r/s) Chair, 2 The Nordic countries look forward to the upcoming election of five new Judges. We encourage all states to cast their votes based on merit. It is our view that ensuring gender balance as well as the representation of diverse legal systems, cultures and languages contributes significantly to the quality and acceptance of its work. M(r/s) Chair, In closing, we would like to highlight young people as playing a vital role when it comes to promoting the rule of law in developed and developing countries alike. We therefore, in line with our commitment to rules-based international order, welcome the particular interest the Court takes in young people, giving students from various backgrounds a chance to familiarize themselves with the Court. Thank you. 3 .