UN chief: Our world is in peril
United Nations, Sep 20 (EFE).- The annual United Nations General Assembly started this Tuesday with a dire warning from its secretary-general Antonio Guterres, who said the world was becoming more fractured and unequal.
In his opening speech, Guterres said that the world was “in peri and paralyzed,” and demanded the heads of state and government to cooperate and take urgent measures to tackle the effects of war, the food crisis and climate change.
The leader of the UN insisted that the biggest challenges could not be faced alone.
“We live in a world where the logic of cooperation and dialogue is the only path forward.
“A winter of global discontent is on the horizon. A cost-of-living crisis is raging. Trust is crumbling. Inequalities are exploding. Our planet is burning. People are hurting – with the most vulnerable suffering the most,” he added.
Guterres listed the leading issues starting with the food crisis, which has been aggravated by the war in Ukraine and could unleash famines in several countries.
He emphasized the importance of resolving the fertilizer supply issues, which although have not come under sanctions have been affected by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The UN chief said crises like the war in Ukraine “threaten the very future of humanity and the fate of our planet” with the loss of so many lives and the forced displacements that have affected millions of people around the world.”
He said he regretted that there was “no cooperation, no dialogue, no collective problem solving” towards ending the conflict.
The former Portuguese prime minister called on G20 nations to boost sustainable projects in developing countries to offset the effects of inflation.
“Some 94 countries, home to 1.6 billion people, many in Africa, face a perfect storm: economic and social fallout from the pandemic, soaring food and energy prices, crushing debt burdens, spiraling inflation, and a lack of access to finance.”
Over the week, some 150 heads of state and government are planned to deliver their speeches in the 75th UN General Assembly. EFE
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