Topic: 2026 – Clarification of Article 51
Country: Somalia
Delegate Name: Nathan Schreibeis
Article 51 is a vital part of the United Nations’ charter, providing the ability to defend one’s own country and citizens from danger. It allows for a flexible response to attacks from other states and prohibits the United Nations from interfering with one country’s defense until reviewed by the Security Council. This way, the United Nations allows for adaptive responses of self-defense while still trying to promote peace. However, in recent events, Article 51 has been invoked over 78 times since 2021, typically with more invocations in the global north. One example is from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, invoking the Article on September 9th, 2025. Using Article 51, the Israeli Prime Minister ordered an airstrike against the Islamic Resistance Movement in Qatar, out of self-defense. Some have also used the “unwilling or unable doctrine,” where the state that strikes is doing so because the victim state does not have the ability to stop the threat itself. Many states are currently wondering what action should be taken to clarify Article 51 in a way that will further peace and prosperity among members of the United Nations, while still allowing for self-defense.
The Federal Republic of Somalia has never invoked Article 51 against any specific state or non-state group. However, Kenya invoked the article after the terrorist group of Al-Shabaab attacked citizens of the Republic of Kenya in 2012. Somalia does support strong self-defense, though, in Article 126 of the Somali Constitution, the armed forces of Somalia have the ability to guarantee the sovereignty and independence of the country of Somalia. The delegation of Somalia reflects this sentiment in the idea that Somalia should also have the right of self-defense on the international stage. The Federal Republic of Somalia also strongly holds the belief that Article 51 should be allowed against non-state actors. With Somalia being deeply affected by the armed attacks of non-state actors, specifically Al-Shabaab, the delegation of Somalia believes that states supporting the fight against non-state groups should be allowed to invoke Article 51 with the rationale of collective defense. In 2018, the United States of America helped the fight against Al-Shabaab with effective counteroffensives, one being in 2024, where 1,650 members of Al-Shabaab were killed, and 550 were wounded. The Federal Republic of Somalia believes that any state should be able to invoke Article 51 when countering non-state groups. With the rationale of Article 51 allowing for collective self-defense and effective measures, states should be allowed to enact Article 51. This way, the United Nations can foster peace among nations.
The Federal Republic of Somalia believes that the United Nations should allow for self-defense, but should clarify what self-defense is in the Article. With Somalia being a part of the African Union, the state also supports the idea of self-defense being a response to an “armed attack.”The delegation believes that this wording should be implemented in Article 51. However, Article 51 should still allow for collective defense if one nation has been affected by an armed attack and there is a necessity for collective defense. The delegation also believes that collective defense should replace the “unwilling or unable” doctrine. This would allow the United Nations to promote peace among its members, but with more specific constraints.
Works Cited
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Deeks, Ashley. “Unwilling or Unable: Toward a Normative Framework For… | University of Virginia School of Law.” Www.law.virginia.edu, 12 May 2020, www.law.virginia.edu/scholarship/publication/ashley-s-deeks/866576.
Hathaway, Oona A., and Luke Hartig. “Still at War: The United States in Somalia.” Just Security, 31 Mar. 2022, www.justsecurity.org/80921/still-at-war-the-united-states-in-somalia/.
Security Council, United Nations. “In Hindsight: The Increasing Use of Article 51 of the UN Charter and the Security Council.” Security Council Report, 30 Sept. 2025, www.securitycouncilreport.org/monthly-forecast/2025-10/in-hindsight-the-increasing-use-of-article-51-of-the-un-charter-and-the-security-council.php.
“Somalia 2012 Constitution – Constitute.” Www.constituteproject.org, 2012, www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Somalia_2012.
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Wyse, Christian. “The African Union’s Right of Humanitarian Intervention as Collective Self-Defense | Chicago Journal of International Law.” Cjil.uchicago.edu, cjil.uchicago.edu/print-archive/african-unions-right-humanitarian-intervention-collective-self-defense.
