UNITED NATIONS(National times)- UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called for strengthening multilateralism \u2013 and appealed for peace in Gaza, Ukraine and beyond \u2013 in remarks to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China. The Eurasian bloc, comprising 10 member states, is the world\u2019s largest regional organization by population and geography. The UN chief told leaders that \u201cwe are moving towards a multipolar world\u201d, which is both a reality and an opportunity. He said emerging economies are reshaping trade, diplomacy and development, but at the same time, injustices and divisions are widening. Guterres stressed the need for principled leadership to strengthen multilateralism, uphold the rule of law, and deliver for people everywhere. \u201cThe Shanghai Cooperation Organization is uniquely positioned to help shape a more peaceful, inclusive, and sustainable future,\u201d he said. The UN chief highlighted four priority areas, starting with peace and security. He pointed to the situation in Gaza, where the scale of death and destruction is horrific and famine has taken hold. \u201cWe need an immediate and permanent ceasefire; the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages; and unimpeded, safe and sustained humanitarian access,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd we must advance concrete and irreversible steps toward a two-State solution \u2013 the only path to a just and lasting peace for both Palestinians and Israelis.\u201d Guterres also addressed the war in Ukraine, saying \u201cit is past time for a ceasefire leading to a just, comprehensive and sustainable peace \u2013 in line with the UN Charter, international law, and UN resolutions.\u201d He also called for protection of civilians, fostering dialogue and securing peace in Sudan, Myanmar, the Sahel, Afghanistan and beyond. \u201cYour leadership in diplomacy and de-escalation is essential, as are your efforts against terrorism and transnational threats,\u201d he told leaders. The Secretary-General called for reform of the global financial architecture to ensure fair representation for developing countries. \u201cWe are no longer in 1945 \u2013 and our institutions must reflect today\u2019s realities,\u201d he said. The third area for action concerns confronting climate change. \u201cWe are reaching a tipping point and need meaningful reductions of emissions. G20 countries \u2013 responsible for 80 per cent of global emissions \u2013 must lead,\u201d he said. He urged all governments to submit new climate action plans before the COP30 UN climate conference in Brazil this November. \u201cWe must also set a clear path to delivering $1.3 trillion by 2030. Developed countries must honour their commitments. And we need a breakthrough on adaptation,\u201d he added. He called for doubling adaptation finance, scaling up early warning systems, building resilient infrastructure and phasing out fossil fuels while speeding up the transition to renewable energy. The final area for action is digital cooperation as new technologies bring both opportunities and risks. He said the UN General Assembly has just established two mechanisms \u2013 an Independent Scientific Panel and a Global Dialogue on governance of artificial intelligence (AI) \u2013 to give all countries a voice and prevent fragmentation. \u201cThese mechanisms mark a breakthrough for global AI cooperation \u2013 leveraging the unique convening power of the United Nations,\u201d he said. In conclusion, he said that as the UN marks its 80th anniversary, countries must strengthen international cooperation for the 21st century and always put people first. In this regard, he welcomed China\u2019s Global Governance Initiative, announced that day, which \u201cis anchored in multilateralism and underscores the importance of safeguarding the international system with the UN at its core and the international order underpinned by international law.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
UNITED NATIONS(National times)- UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called for strengthening multilateralism \u2013 and appealed for peace in Gaza, Ukraine and beyond \u2013 in remarks to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China. The Eurasian bloc, comprising 10 member states, is the world\u2019s largest regional organization by population and geography. The UN […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":111291,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-111290","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-international","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n