United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said Thursday a new multipolar order is on the way, highlighting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as one factor in the current “division” and “tensions” between countries.
“This is a time to unite and work together,” the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General proclaimed during his speech at the 15th BRICS Summit, which ends in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Thursday.
“But instead, divisions are growing and tensions are rising,” he warned.
Guterres pointed to several factors that he believes contribute to this division: “Different perspectives on global crises, contrasting approaches to non-traditional security threats, different strategies regarding new technologies and, of course, the impact of Covid-19 and the Russian invasion of Ukraine”.
“I remain deeply concerned about the risk of a rupture in the world order, we are entering a multipolar world,” he stressed.
The UN Secretary-General stressed that “our world is in a difficult situation”, stating that humanity faces “existential challenges”, from the deepening climate crisis and the escalation of conflicts to the global crisis in the cost of living , to the increase in inequality and the escalation of conflicts. technological disruption.
Regarding the calls by the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa for “deep reforms” of global institutions, such as the United Nations and its Security Council, and the global financial system, António Guterres defended that “the world changed’. and global governance must change with it.”
‘To this day the continent [africano] it is underrepresented in the global financial architecture, just as it does not have a permanent seat on the Security Council,” he said.
“That is why I have advocated profound reforms to make global frameworks truly universal and representative of current realities, and more sensitive to the needs of developing economies,” argued António Guterres.
In his speech, the former Portuguese socialist prime minister stressed that “developed countries have a special responsibility that they must lead and fulfil”.
In that sense, Guterres listed as a priority “the $100 billion pledge [cerca de 92 mil milhões de euros] to developing countries” and the “Supplement to the Green Climate Fund”, among others, stating that “Africa should be considered as a priority in all these critical commitments out of fairness”.
“Every country has a role to play,” he said, adding that “actions are needed to save economies and reduce inequality.”
In South Africa, which is facing an unprecedented energy crisis, the UN Secretary-General also praised Pretoria for “breaking ground with the Energy Partnership for a Just Transition, a critical tool to achieve emission reductions, promote renewable energy and to grow the green economy”.
Guterres also called on the multilateral development banks to change their “business models” to attract “a lot more private finance to the developing world,” which he says needs “more inclusive” and “effective” international tax cooperation..
“And work together to stop the illicit financial flows that are taking vital resources from the African continent,” the UN Secretary-General concluded.
On the eve of the annual meeting of the BRICS, the South African head of state reiterated South Africa’s support for the United Nations, underlining that this support coexists with the “firm belief that this important multilateral institution needs real reforms to make it more democratic, become more representative and democratic. efficient”.
“The United Nations Security Council must be transformed into a more inclusive and effective body that can guarantee peace and security,” he advocated.
Source: DN
