South African President Cyril Ramaphosa warned Thursday that global conflicts and displacement were testing the principles of justice and international law, urging renewed commitment to the international rule of law.
Ramaphosa made the remarks at the Access to Justice International Conference in North West Province, calling for stronger international dialogue, cooperation and innovation to improve justice systems worldwide.
“We must therefore reaffirm our commitment to the international rule of law. International law must apply equally to all nations,” he said, Xinhua News Agency reported.
Ramaphosa noted that millions of people around the world are suffering from conflict and displacement, while those responsible for violating international law fail to be held accountable.
He called for the protection of civilians and stressed that accountability and human dignity should not be compromised or determined by the political influence, economic power or status of those involved.
“There cannot be one standard of justice for the powerful and another for the weak. The credibility of the international legal order depends on its fairness, its consistency and its independence,” he said.
Ramaphosa also reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to multilateralism and called for stronger international institutions to improve access to justice.
“We believe that respect for international law is essential to building a more peaceful, just and equitable world,” he said.
He also highlighted the importance of ensuring access to justice for ordinary people, including workers facing challenges in the workplace, women experiencing violence, consumers involved in contractual disputes and families facing eviction.
The three-day conference, running from Wednesday to Friday, coincides with the 30th anniversary of the adoption of South Africa’s Constitution.
Convened under the theme “Strengthening People-Centred Justice Systems: Deepening Democracy,” the conference seeks to promote international dialogue on strengthening people-centred and victim responsive justice systems, and to examine global and regional efforts to expand access to justice with a focus on the lived experiences of access to justice, according to the official statement.
