Discuss the challenges faced by international law in the context of rising geopolitical tensions. How can the global rules-based order be strengthened to ensure peace and accountability?

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The post-1945 international legal order, anchored in the UN Charter, sovereignty, and multilateralism, is under strain amid rising geopolitical rivalries, great-power competition, and regional conflic...

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Key challenges include:

Selective compliance and power asymmetry: Major powers often bypass or reinterpret international norms, weakening the credibility of institutions such as the UN Security Council (UNSC). The frequent use of veto power undermines collective security.
Erosion of multilateralism: Rise of unilateral sanctions, trade protectionism, and bloc politics dilute WTO norms and global cooperation.
Enforcement deficit: International Court of Justice (ICJ) and International Criminal Court (ICC) rulings depend on state consent, limiting accountability.
Emerging domains: Cyber warfare, artificial intelligence, and space militarisation lack comprehensive legal frameworks.
Non-state actors and proxy conflicts: Terror groups and private military contractors complicate attribution and legal responsibility.

To strengthen the rules-based order:

Reform of global institutions, particularly UNSC expansion and curbing veto misuse, to enhance legitimacy.
Strengthening compliance mechanisms, including targeted sanctions and improved monitoring under UN bodies.
Developing new legal regimes for cyber security, autonomous weapons, and climate governance.
Promoting multilateral diplomacy through forums such as G20 and regional organisations.
Capacity-building in Global South countries to enable effective participation in rule-making.

A resilient international legal order requires inclusive reform, credible enforcement, and renewed commitment to multilateral norms to ensure peace and accountability.

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