When states decide to use force to deal with broader threats to international peace and security, there is no substitute for the unique legitimacy provided by the United Nations.

Annan is arguing that when military force is contemplated in response to threats that affect international peace and security, the decisive factor is not only capability but legitimacy. For him, the UN—through its Charter framework and especially the Security Council’s authorization—provides a uniquely recognized legal and moral mandate that unilateral or ad hoc coalitions cannot replicate. The statement reflects a post–Cold War debate sharpened by controversies over humanitarian intervention and the Iraq War era: how to reconcile urgent action with international law. Annan’s emphasis is institutional as well as ethical: durable peace and broad compliance are more likely when force is grounded in collective authorization rather than national discretion.