Argentine President Javier Milei has criticised the United Nations, accusing the organisation of failing to fulfil its role in maintaining international security and protecting human rights.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, Milei also renewed Argentina’s claim to sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, known in Argentina as the Malvinas, and urged a peaceful resolution to the long-running dispute with the United Kingdom.
Milei said the UN had failed to adequately address conflicts around the world and accused it of allowing what he described as chaos, violence and international terrorism to persist.
The Argentine president said the organisation had also failed to take meaningful action over Argentina’s claim to the Falkland Islands, which have been administered by the UK and remain the subject of a sovereignty dispute between the two countries.
“The Malvinas for us is a national cause,” Milei said while addressing the General Assembly.
He accused the UN of “looking the other way” over the dispute and argued that countries that comply with international rules should not be disadvantaged while those that violate them face no consequences.
“Those who follow the rules receive no reward for doing so, while those who break them face no repercussions whatsoever,” Milei said.
Argentina and the UK fought a 10-week war over the islands in 1982. The sovereignty dispute has continued since then, with Argentina maintaining its claim and the UK maintaining that the islands are British.
The UN has repeatedly addressed the Falklands/Malvinas issue, including through General Assembly Resolution 2065, which called for negotiations between Argentina and the United Kingdom to find a peaceful solution to the sovereignty dispute.
Milei’s criticism of the UN came as Argentina and the United States also announced a new initiative aimed at improving infrastructure links across Argentina and connecting major economic sectors with Atlantic ports and Western markets.
The initiative, known as the Andes-Atlantic Corridor, is expected to focus on transport, digital infrastructure, minerals and energy, including development associated with Argentina’s Vaca Muerta hydrocarbon formation.
The announcement further highlighted the close relationship between Milei’s government and the administration of US President Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, tensions between Argentina and the UK over the Falklands have also extended to energy exploration. Argentina has objected to oil development activities around the disputed territory, while Britain has maintained its position on sovereignty over the islands. The UK has also said it supports businesses and individuals operating in the Falkland Islands.
Milei’s latest remarks therefore put the Falklands dispute back into focus at the UN, while Argentina continues to call for negotiations with Britain over the islands.
Source: AFP
