New york: Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres has issued a stark warning to world leaders on the eve of the United Nations General Assembly’s high-level week, urging them to take urgent, coordinated action to address a ‘global crisis’ of war, climate change, inequality, and technological risk.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, Guterres told UN News in an interview with Global Communications chief, Melissa Fleming, that conflicts are multiplying in a context where geopolitical divides hinder effective resolution. He emphasized that there is a prevailing sense of impunity, as countries act independently without regard for global cooperation. Developing countries, he noted, are particularly struggling, burdened by debt and lacking access to necessary concessional funding to revitalize their economies, which exacerbates inequality.
The Secretary-General highlighted the urgent need for global cooperation on multiple fronts. He expressed concern that climate change remains uncontrolled and warned that maintaining the central objective of keeping global warming below 1.5° Celsius, as agreed in the 2015 Paris Agreement, is becoming increasingly challenging.
Guterres also addressed the dual nature of cutting-edge technology, such as Artificial Intelligence, which, while promising, can also escalate polarization and hate speech if not governed properly. He stressed the importance of ensuring that technology serves as a force for good, preserving human agency.
He called for the upcoming assembly to result in commitments across key areas including carbon emissions reduction, international financial reform, and the strengthening of multilateralism. He urged leaders to ‘turn the tide’ by accepting reforms to the international financial architecture to promote greater justice and equality.
In his conversation with Under-Secretary-General Fleming, Guterres reiterated his unwavering commitment to combating climate change through urgent action. He called on every Member State to present new climate plans aimed at significantly reducing emissions to prevent irreversible damage with catastrophic consequences for people worldwide. He particularly highlighted the disproportionate risks faced by vulnerable countries, including small island developing States and those in Africa.
Guterres concluded by stating his determination to continue building hope and working towards achieving these objectives, regardless of the challenges.