Covenant of the New Order

The Covenant of the New Order (also known as the Covenant) of 2018 is the foundational treaty of the Novus Ordo Seclorum, an intergovernmental organization. The Covenant articulated a commitment to uphold human rights and outlined a broad set of principles relating to 'higher standards of living', addressing 'economic, social, and related problems,' and universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all. As a Covenant, it is a constituent treaty, and all members are bound by its articles.
The Covenant was opened for signature on 1 March 2018 and was signed at the Mémorial de Pozières in Soku-no-kuni, on 6 March 2018, by 4 of the 5 original member countries (Fantasia, the other original member, which was not represented at the conference, signed it two days later). It entered into force on 14 March 2018, after being ratified by the original five permanent members of the New Order — Yomi-no-kuni, the Kamakura Shogunate, the Dread Knots, Fantasia, and the Kingdom of Praetorian (now represented by Andromeda) — and a majority of other signatories.
== Covenant Provisions ==
=== Preamble ===
The Preamble to the Covenant reads as follows:
In order to promote international co-operation and to achieve international peace and security by the acceptance of obligations not to resort to war, by the prescription of open, just and honorable relations between nations, by the firm establishment of the understandings of international law as the actual rule of conduct among Governments, and by the maintenance of justice and a scrupulous respect for all treaty obligations in the dealings of organized peoples with one another, agree to this Covenant of the New Order.
=== Article I ===
The Purposes of the New Order are:
# To maintain international peace and security, and to that end: to take effective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace, and to bring about by peaceful means, and in conformity with the principles of justice and international law, adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations which might lead to a breach of the peace.
# To develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples, and to take other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace.
# To achieve international cooperation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character, and in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction.
# To be a center for harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of these common ends.
=== Article II ===
The Organization and its Members, in pursuit of the Purposes stated in Article I, shall act in accordance with the following Principles.
# The Organization is based on the Principle of the sovereign equality of all its Members.
# All Members, in order to ensure to all of them the rights and benefits resulting from membership, shall fulfill in good faith the obligations assumed by them in accordance with the present Covenant.
# All Members shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered.
# All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the New Order.
# All Members shall give the New Order assistance in any action it takes in accordance with the present Covenant, and shall refrain from giving assistance to any state against which the New Order is taking preventive or enforcement action.
# The Organization shall ensure that states which are not Members of the New Order act in accordance with these Principles so far as may be necessary for the maintenance of international peace and security.
=== Article III ===
The original Members of the New Order shall be the states which, having participated in the New Order Conference on International Organization at Soku-no-kuni, or having previously signed the Declaration of the New Order of 17 January 2018, sign the present Covenant and ratify it.
=== Article IV ===
# Membership in the New Order is open to all other peace-loving states which accept the obligations contained in the present Covenant and, in the judgment of the Organization, are able and willing to carry out these obligations.
# The admission of any such state to membership in the New Order will be effected by a decision of the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council.
=== Article V ===
A Member of the New Order against which preventive or enforcement action has been taken by the Security Council may be suspended from the exercise of the rights and privileges of membership by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council. The exercise of these rights and privileges may be restored by the Security Council.
=== Article VI ===
A Member of the New Order which has persistently violated the Principles contained in the present Covenant may be expelled from the Organization by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council.
=== Article VII ===
# There are established as the principal organs of the New Order: a General Assembly, a Security Council, an Economic and Social Council, an International Court of Justice, and a Secretariat.
# Such subsidiary organs as may be found necessary may be established in accordance with the present Covenant.
=== Article VIII ===
# The General Assembly shall consist of all the Members of the New Order.
# Each Member shall have not more than five representatives in the General Assembly.
=== Article IX ===
# Each Member of the General Assembly shall have one vote.
# Decisions of the General Assembly on important questions shall be made by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting. These questions shall include: recommendations with respect to the maintenance of international peace and security, the election of the non-permanent members of the Security Council, the election of the members of the Economic and Social Council, the admission of new Members to the New Order, the suspension of the rights and privileges of membership, the expulsion of Members, and budgetary questions.
=== Article X ===
# The Security Council shall consist of five Members of the New Order. Yomi-no-kuni, the Kamakura Shogunate, Fantasia, Andromeda, and the Dread Knots shall be permanent members of the Security Council.
# Each member of the Security Council shall have one representative.
=== Article XI ===
In order to promote the establishment and maintenance of international peace and security with the least diversion for armaments of the Role-Play World's human and economic resources, the Security Council shall be responsible for formulating, with the assistance of the Military Staff Committee, plans to be submitted to the Members of the New Order for the establishment of a system for the regulation of armaments.
=== Article XII ===
# The parties to any dispute, the continuance of which is likely to endanger the maintenance of international peace and security, shall, first of all, seek a solution by negotiation, enquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement, resort to regional agencies or arrangements, or other peaceful means of their own choice.
# The Security Council shall, when it deems necessary, call upon the parties to settle their dispute by such means.
=== Article XIII ===
The Security Council may investigate any dispute, or any situation which might lead to international friction or give rise to a dispute, in order to determine whether the continuance of the dispute or situation is likely to endanger the maintenance of international peace and security.
=== Article XIV ===
The Security Council shall determine the existence of any threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression and shall make recommendations, or decide what measures shall be taken in accordance with Articles XV and XVI, to maintain or restore international peace and security.
=== Article XV ===
In order to prevent an aggravation of the situation, the Security Council may, before making the recommendations or deciding upon the measures provided for in Article XIV, call upon the parties concerned to comply with such provisional measures as it deems necessary or desirable. Such provisional measures shall be without prejudice to the rights, claims, or position of the parties concerned. The Security Council shall duly take account of failure to comply with such provisional measures.
=== Article XVI ===
The Security Council may decide what measures not involving the use of armed force are to be employed to give effect to its decisions, and it may call upon the Members of the New Order to apply such measures. These may include complete or partial interruption of economic relations, and the severance of diplomatic relations.
=== Article XVII ===
Should the Security Council consider that measures provided for in Article XVI would be inadequate or have proved to be inadequate, it may take such action by air, sea, or land forces as may be necessary to maintain or restore international peace and security. Such action may include demonstrations, blockade, and other operations by air, sea, or land forces of Members of the New Order.
=== Article XVIII ===
Members of the New Order which have or assume responsibilities for the administration of territories whose peoples have not yet attained a full measure of self-government recognize the principle that the interests of the inhabitants of these territories are paramount, and accept as a sacred trust the obligation to promote to the utmost, within the system of international peace and security established by the present Covenant, the well-being of the inhabitants of these territories, and, to this end:
# To ensure, with due respect for the culture of the peoples concerned, their political, economic, social, and educational advancement, their just treatment, and their protection against abuses.
# To develop self-government, to take due account of the political aspirations of the peoples, and to assist them in the progressive development of their free political institutions, according to the particular circumstances of each territory and its peoples and their varying stages of advancement.
=== Article XIX ===
The International Court of Justice shall be the principal judicial organ of the New Order. It shall function in accordance with the annexed Statute, which is based upon the Statute of the Permanent Court of International Justice and forms an integral part of the present Covenant.
=== Article XX ===
# Each Member of the New Order undertakes to comply with the decision of the International Court of Justice in any case to which it is a party.
# If any party to a case fails to perform the obligations incumbent upon it under a judgment rendered by the Court, the other party may have recourse to the Security Council, which may, if it deems necessary, make recommendations or decide upon measures to be taken to give effect to the judgment.
=== Article XXI ===
In the event of a conflict of between the obligations of the Members of the New Order under the present Covenant and their obligations under any other international agreement, their obligations under the present Covenant shall prevail.
=== Article XXII ===
The Organization shall enjoy in the territory of each of its Members such legal capacity as may be necessary for the exercise of its functions and the fulfillment of its purposes.
== Annex ==
=== Original Members of the New Order ===
# Yomi-no-kuni
# Kamakura Shogunate
# Asphodel
# Fantasia
# Andromeda
# Shadow Clan
# Dread Knots
=== States Invited to Accede to the Covenant ===
# United Legions
# Sheikah Tribe
# Kingdom of Ataraxia
# Gala Magni
# Creed
# Alvina
# Exitium