United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned of "colossal global dysfunction" amid international challenges that world leaders are struggling to address, including climate change, poverty, and war.
Guterres added that the UN charter and the ideals it represents are now in jeopardy, urging everyone to act immediately. The UN chief's remarks come as Europe grapples with what is considered its biggest military conflict since World War II.
UN General Assembly Begins
The war between Russia and Ukraine, which started in early February of this year, has uncovered fissures among major powers on how to deter Moscow, support Kyiv, and mitigate the consequences of the conflict.
Russian troops launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine after nearly five months of a gradual military buildup along the latter's borders. The conflict, which has already lasted more than 200 days, has exacerbated a global food crisis that is already strained by climate challenges and disrupted supply chains.
The war between the two European nations has taken the lives of more than 6,000 civilians and has reduced once industrious Ukrainian cities to little more than rubble. Guterres said that geopolitical divides were undermining the work of the security council, international law, trust and people's faith in democratic institutions, and all forms of international cooperation, as per CNBC.
Guterres warned that the world cannot continue under these circumstances, urging global leaders to address the looming climate crisis, gender inequality, and extreme poverty. He called on other leaders to invest in policies that promote peace around the world.
The UN chief's remarks were made as global leaders descended on New York City for the annual UN General Assembly. In his opening speech, Guterres also warned that divides are growing deeper, inequalities are growing wider, and challenges are spreading farther.
According to ABC News, the annual gathering of high-level diplomats in the assembly is the first to occur in a fully in-person format since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. It is also the first to take place since Russia's war on Ukraine.
Tackling Global Issues
Guterres argued that the international community is not ready or willing to tackle the major issues and dramatic challenges of our age. He said that these crises threaten the very future of humanity and the future of our planet.
The UN chief also sought to remind the audience of the assembly that the UN was still capable of finding solutions to the problems. People looked to the large projectors in the room that displayed a picture of a ship called Brave Commander that Guterres called "an image of promise and hope."
The vessel was the first to leave Ukrainian ports since the outbreak of Russia's invasion, navigating Black Sea trade routes to bring its badly needed cargo to the Horn of Africa. It was thanks to an agreement that Guterres played a pivotal part in brokering.
Also, during the assembly, Polish President Andrzej Duda reiterated his country's support for Ukraine and for the refugees who have fled the war-torn country. In his remarks, the leader said that he was one of the politicians that believed Ukraine would successfully defend itself, CNN reported.
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