NEW YORK, Sept 23 — United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that the organisation’s founding principles face unprecedented threats as it marks its 80th anniversary.
“At this moment, the principles of the UN are under assault as never before,” he told the General Assembly during anniversary remarks on Monday, Anadolu Ajansi reported.
Guterres cited ongoing crises where “civilians are targeted, and international law trampled in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, and beyond” while poverty and hunger continue to rise.
On climate challenges, he said, “The planet burns, with fires, floods, and record heat raging through climate chaos.”
Guterres recalled the UN’s achievements, including the eradication of smallpox, healing the ozone layer, and preventing a third world war. He cautioned that the world is moving towards multipolarity without strong multilateral institutions, creating risks similar to those that Europe faced during World War I.
“To meet these challenges, we must not only defend the UN, but strengthen it,” Guterres said.
UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock reflected on the Charter’s signing on June 26, 1945, describing it as “a pledge not to deliver us to heaven, but to never again be dragged into hell by the forces of hatred and unchecked ambition.”
She acknowledged the current crises, mentioning “children without parents searching for food in the ruins of Gaza, the ongoing war in Ukraine, sexual violence in Sudan”, and other global conflicts.
“We cannot take the easy path and simply give up,” Baerbock said, urging courage to confront problems “better together.”
The UN General Assembly’s high-level week, which brings together heads of state and government for the annual General Debate and a series of summits, will continue until September 29.
