Need for a credible mechanism to secure accountability

Abstract

Since the founding of the United Nations in 1945, over 500 multilateral treaties have been deposited with the Secretary General… The aspirations of nations and of individuals for a better world governed by clear and predictable rules agreed upon at the international level are reflected in these instruments. They constitute a comprehensive international legal framework covering the whole spectrum of human activity, including human rights, humanitarian affairs, the environment, disarmament, international criminal matters, narcotics, outer space, trade, commodities and transportation. The norms of international behaviour expressed through these treaties make the modern world a far better place to live in than before… It is my hope that, as we enter the twenty-first century, nations would leave behind a world that was governed for most of history by a reliance on might and become more dependent on the international rule of law as envisaged by the Charter to guide their relations among each other.2.