What People Want Most Is Peace with Security, Dignity, Secretary-General Tells General Assembly, Outlining Organization’s Priorities for 2024
Although peace is the “raison d’être” of the United Nations, it is the one thing missing most dramatically from the world, Secretary-General António Guterres warned the General Assembly today as he laid out his critical priorities for 2024 amid a global landscape roiled by conflict, inequity and intensifying interlocking crises.
Presenting his Report on the work of the Organization (document A/78/1), the Secretary-General stressed that people want peace with security and dignity, “and frankly, they want peace and quiet” — from anger, hate and war. However, for millions of people caught up in conflict around the world, “life is a deadly, daily, hungry hell”. The situation in Gaza is “a festering wound on our collective conscience”, he stated. Nothing justifies the horrific terror attacks launched by Hamas against Israel on 7 October, nor is there any justification for the collective punishment of the Palestinian people. The situation urgently requires an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and the unconditional release of all hostages, rapidly leading to irreversible actions towards a two-State solution.
In Ukraine, he repeated the call for a just and sustainable peace, further voicing support for the people of the Sahel, the Horn of Africa, Libya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Yemen, Myanmar and Haiti, all facing various degrees of terrorism, lawlessness, conflict and acute food insecurity. Next, he warned that the Security Council is deadlocked by its worst-ever geopolitical divisions. Countries are “creating new ways to kill each other — and for humanity to annihilate itself”, he warned. It further remains totally unacceptable that the African continent is still waiting for a permanent Council seat.
Noting that antisemitism, anti-Muslim bigotry, persecution of Christian minorities and white supremacist ideology are on the rise, he called for renewal of the social contract, based on trust, justice and inclusion. Addressing the global economic outlook, he noted that the world’s poorest countries owe more in debt service in 2024 than their public spending on health, education and infrastructure combined. He called for a Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Stimulus of $500 billion annually in affordable long-term finance for developing countries, and a new Bretton Woods moment. Today’s financial architecture is outdated, dysfunctional and unfair, favouring “the rich countries that designed it nearly 80 years ago”, and the Summit of the Future will consider the need for deep reforms.
On harnessing the power of technology, he noted that generative AI is the most important potential tool to build inclusive, green, sustainable economies and societies — but is already creating risks around disinformation, privacy and bias, and is concentrated in very few companies — and even fewer countries. Calling on the international community to ensure adequate guardrails and ethical standards, he stressed that artificial intelligence (AI) “was created by humans and must always be under human control”.
Turning to climate change, he warned: “Humanity has waged a war we can only lose: our war with nature.” Limiting global temperature rise to 1.5ºC degrees demands cutting emissions by 45 per cent by 2030, compared to 2010 levels, with emissions peaking by 2025. “The fossil fuel era is on its last legs,” he affirmed, requiring tripling the global renewable energy capacity and doubling energy efficiency by 2030. A just transition further requires urgent action to unlock the finance developing countries need to leapfrog fossil fuel dependence.
He affirmed that every element of the agenda “connects to the most essential of all human endeavours: the pursuit of peace”. However, while “in today’s troubled world, building peace is a conscious, bold and even radical act”, he affirmed: it is humanity’s greatest responsibility. “In this difficult and divided moment, let’s meet that obligation for today and future generations,” he stressed. “Starting here. Starting now.”
In the ensuing debate, delegates welcomed the Secretary-General’s multifaceted report while echoing his alarm over conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine and global security in general, the threat of climate change and interlocking crises and inequities in development, financing and the prospects for AI.
The representative of Tunisia, speaking on behalf of the Arab Group, welcomed the Secretary-General’s position on the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, and repeated calls for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, delivery of humanitarian aid and prevention of forced displacement. He categorically rejected the policy of collective punishment undertaken by the occupying authorities against the people in the Gaza Strip and the remaining occupied Palestinian territories and any forced displacement.
Using a wider lens, the representative of Venezuela, speaking for the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations, warned of the deterioration of the global security architecture. Approaches that are based on a zero-sum game negatively impact multilateral disarmament, non-proliferation and arms-control regimes, requiring a revitalized architecture based on non-intervention in internal affairs and the prohibition against the use or threat of force.
The representative of Guatemala, speaking for the Group of Friends of the Responsibility to Protect, welcomed that preventing and addressing the risks of atrocity crimes are recognized as key objectives in the Secretary-General’s report. She underlined the need for the Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect to be able to operate at full strength.
Turning to the SDGs, the representative of Pakistan quoted the Secretary-General that they are “on life-support” — noting that over 100 developing countries confront food, fuel and financial insecurity and over 60 developing States are trapped by unsustainable debt. In that light, there is a need for a binding international convention on the right to development.
The Assembly further paid tribute to the recent passing of President Hage Gottfried Geingob of Namibia, with the Secretary-General stating: “It is no exaggeration to say that President Geingob dedicated his life to his country.” Recalling the President’s early years of activism during Namibia’s struggle for independence and against apartheid, to his years of service as Prime Minister and then as President, he observed that “Namibia shaped him, and he shaped Namibia”.
Dennis Francis (Trinidad and Tobago), President of the General Assembly, expressed profound sadness over the death of a “towering figure” in Namibian history and politics, and a beacon of leadership on the African continent. As the third President of independent Namibia, he noted, his legacy is indelibly etched in the history of his nation’s liberation struggle and the ensuing journey of freedom, democracy, and prosperity. “His remarkable life journey epitomized true resilience, dedication and unwavering commitment to the ideals of justice and equality.”
Also paying tribute were the representatives of Botswana (for the African Group), United Arab Emirates (for the Asia-Pacific Group), El Salvador (for the Group of Latin America and the Caribbean), Türkiye (for Western European and Other States Group), United States and Namibia.
In other business, the General Assembly adopted, without a vote, two decisions: one titled “Authorization for the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction regarding the hosting of the secretariat of the Santiago network for averting, minimizing and addressing loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change” (document A/78/L.36/Rev.1); and another titled “Participation of non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, academic institutions and the private sector in the third United Nations Conference on the Landlocked Developing Countries” (document A/78/L.40).
Report of Secretary-General on Work of Organization
ANTÓNIO GUTERRES, Secretary-General of the United Nations, outlined his 2024 agenda, stating that while “peace is our raison d’être, it is the one thing missing most dramatically from the landscape of today’s world”. People want peace with security and dignity, “and frankly, they want peace and quiet”, he stressed — from anger, hate and war. However, despite the turbulence of the times, he recalled “there are reasons for hope”, citing advancements including: the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Summit, where world leaders endorsed an SDG Stimulus; the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Treaty (High Seas Treaty); and the loss and damage fund.
He further cited the Security Council’s agreement to a years-long call to back peace enforcement and counter-terrorism operations led by regional partners, notably the African Union, with mandates from the Council and supported by assessed contributions. Further, the new High-Level Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence (AI) launched a global conversation on “how this all-pervading technology can benefit us all”, while September’s Summit of the Future offers “a chance to shape multilateralism for years to come”, he stated.
However, for millions of people caught up in conflict around the world, he warned: “life is a deadly, daily, hungry hell”. The situation in Gaza is “a festering wound on our collective conscience”, he stated. Nothing justifies the horrific terror attacks launched by Hamas against Israel on 7 October, nor is there any justification for the collective punishment of the Palestinian people. Yet, he stressed, Israeli military operations have resulted in destruction and death in Gaza “at a scale and speed without parallel since I became Secretary-General”. The situation urgently requires an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and the unconditional release of all hostages, rapidly leading to irreversible actions towards a two-State solution. In Ukraine, he repeated the call for a just and sustainable peace, in line with the Charter of the United Nations and international law. He further voiced support for the people of the Sahel, the Horn of Africa, Libya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Yemen, Myanmar and Haiti, all facing various degrees of terrorism, lawlessness, conflict and acute food insecurity.
Next, he warned that the Security Council — the primary platform for questions of global peace — is deadlocked by geopolitical fissures — not the first time it has been divided, “but it is the worst”. New potential domains of conflict, and weapons of war, are being developed without guardrails, “creating new ways to kill each other — and for humanity to annihilate itself”, he warned. The Council must become more representative, as it is totally unacceptable that the African continent is still waiting for a permanent seat, while its working methods must be updated so that it can make progress — even when Members are sharply divided.
Noting that antisemitism, anti-Muslim bigotry, persecution of Christian minorities and white supremacist ideology are on the rise, and that six out of seven people fear for their future, he called for renewal of the social contract, based on trust, justice and inclusion, anchored in human rights. The UN is advancing his Call to Action for Human Rights and “working for women’s full, equal participation and leadership in all sectors of society — and urgently”, he stated. The Organization is also putting pressure on technology companies to take responsibility by stopping amplifying and profiting from the spread of toxic misinformation. The upcoming Code of Conduct for Information Integrity, to be released ahead of the Summit of the Future, will help decision makers make the digital space inclusive and safer for all, while upholding the right to freedom of speech.
Warning that conflicts are stoking further inequalities and injustice, he spotlighted “the tale of two canals”. Trade via the Suez Canal is down by 42 per cent since the start of Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea more than three months ago. Meanwhile, trade via the Panama Canal is down 36 per cent in the past month, because of low water levels — a by-product of the climate crisis. Whether the cause is conflict or climate, the result is the same: disruption to global supply chains and increased costs, with developing economies being particularly vulnerable to these disruptions.
“Today’s global economic outlook largely ignores the elephant in the room,” he stated: developing countries are experiencing their worst half-decade since the early 1990s, with the world’s poorest countries owing more in debt service in 2024 than their public spending on health, education and infrastructure combined. He called for an SDG Stimulus of $500 billion annually in affordable long-term finance for developing countries, and a new Bretton Woods moment. Today’s financial architecture is outdated, dysfunctional and unfair, favouring “the rich countries that designed it nearly 80 years ago”, and the Summit of the Future will consider the need for deep reforms.
On harnessing the power of technology, he noted that generative AI is the most important potential tool to build inclusive, green, sustainable economies and societies — but is already creating risks around disinformation, privacy and bias, and is concentrated in very few companies — and even fewer countries. He cited the UN Advisory Body on AI, calling on the international community to move fast to ensure adequate guardrails and ethical standards, promote transparency and build capacities in developing countries. AI “was created by humans and must always be under human control”, he affirmed.
Turning to climate change, he warned: “Humanity has waged a war we can only lose: our war with nature.” Limiting global temperature rise to 1.5ºC degrees demands cutting emissions by 45 per cent by 2030, compared to 2010 levels, with emissions peaking by 2025. Highlighting the good news that “we have never been better equipped to prevent climate breakdown”, he affirmed that by 2025, every country must commit to new national climate plans aligned with the 1.5ºC limit. New national plans should map a just transition to clean energy, backed up by robust policies and regulations — from an effective carbon price to ending fossil fuel subsidies. For developing countries, this is a chance to create national climate plans that double as national transition plans and national investment plans: attracting capital and investments and charting a just transition to a net zero future.
“The fossil fuel era is on its last legs,” he affirmed, requiring tripling the global renewable energy capacity and doubling energy efficiency by 2030. This means working to ensure the production and trade of minerals critical to the energy transitions are just, sustainable and provide maximum added value in the countries supplying the raw materials in the first place. A just transition further requires urgent action to unlock the finance developing countries need to leapfrog fossil fuel dependence while bringing clean power to all. He cited the Climate Solidarity Pact, urging big emitters to cut emissions and wealthier countries to support emerging economies to do so. Welcoming Brazil’s commitment to bring climate and finance discussions together as Group of 20 President, he called on developed countries to clarify the delivery of the $100 billion, while at the twenty-ninth UN Climate Change Conference, all countries must agree on an ambitious new climate finance goal.
Acknowledging this is “a full agenda”, he affirmed that “every element connects to the most essential of all human endeavours: the pursuit of peace”. While wars destroy, peace builds. However, while “in today’s troubled world, building peace is a conscious, bold and even radical act”, he affirmed: it is humanity’s greatest responsibility, belonging to all. “In this difficult and divided moment, let’s meet that obligation for today and future generations,” he stressed. “Starting here. Starting now.”
Statements
The representative of Guatemala, speaking for the Group of Friends of the Responsibility to Protect, welcomed that preventing and addressing the risks of atrocity crimes are recognized as key objectives in the Secretary-General’s report. Preventing atrocities and effectively implementing the responsibility-to-protect agenda contribute to fulfilling Our Common Agenda and the “New Agenda for Peace”. The UN, therefore, has an important role to play in preventing conflict and atrocity and peacefully settling disputes, including through the use of preventive diplomacy, fact-finding and reporting, mediation and dialogue facilitation. Emphasizing that the Secretary-General’s annual thematic reports on the responsibility to protect have been “incredibly important” in broadening collective understanding of this concept, she said that the international community would benefit from the receipt of UN information on current trends and risks relating to genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing, as well as their prevention.
It is for this reason, she went on to say, the Group along with additional Member States have called for the inclusion of such information, as well as recommendations for responses on the national, regional and global levels, in future reports of the Secretary-General. She also encouraged the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide and the Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect, once appointed, to continue to spotlight, through their joint public statements, situations where atrocity risk is present. Further, she underlined the need for the Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect to be able to operate at full strength, looking forward to the appointment of a Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect as soon as possible. Further, existing resources must be dedicated to that Special Adviser — particularly in the context of administrative support, travel and staffing.
The representative of Brazil, speaking on behalf of the Peacebuilding Commission, noted that the Secretary-General’s report refers to the body’s work, underlining the broadening of its geographical scope and inclusion. On that, he stated that, in 2023, it held meetings on Canada, Honduras, Nepal, Norway and Mozambique at their request, as well as engaged in support of country- and region-specific settings. As well, it tried to improve the timeliness and focus of its advice to the Security Council, while also advising the General Assembly and Economic and Social Council. In addition, the Commission engaged with a wide range of United Nations humanitarian, development and peace actors, especially peacekeeping operations and special political missions, while strengthening ties with regional organizations such as the African Union.
Turning to the issue of sustainable and predictable financing, for which the Commission advocated, he called for the implementation of General Assembly resolution A/RES/78/257, “Investing in prevention and peacebuilding”, which aims to strengthen the work of the Organization on peacebuilding throughout the entire peace continuum. He hoped work will continue to improve the Commission’s advisory, bridging and convening role and strengthening ties with regional organizations and international and regional financial institutions, which, he pointed out, called for stronger ties between the body and the Peacebuilding Fund. In that context, he looked forward to discussing the Commission’s role in the context of the 2025 review of the peacebuilding architecture.
The representative of Costa Rica, aligning herself with the Group of Friends on the Responsibility to Protect, stated that global crises are unfairly hitting the most vulnerable and marginalized, and people of the Global South are among those who pay the harshest price — despite having had no role in triggering them. Unfortunately, she noted, armed conflicts remain a reality, and the principles of relevant international law — which used to be considered written in stone — are being challenged by the daily actions or acquiescence of various actors around the world. The UN has a vital role in guaranteeing respect and application of all norms of international law beyond the contingencies of the moment. “As stated in A New Agenda for Peace, we must all reduce the human costs of weapons,” she stated, which can only happen by strengthening humanitarian disarmament and advocating for the diversion of weapons resources towards human development.
The representative of Indonesia, expressing concern over the ever-growing mistrust and fragmentation in global affairs, said that respect for the Charter of the United Nations continues to erode. The international community is witnessing this in Gaza, he said, stressing that failure to act decisively will only “bring us closer to the final nail in the coffin of the UN”. He therefore echoed calls to restore trust, including by upholding respect for the rule of law; acting on political commitments to reform and strengthen multilateralism; and ensuring that the UN is more effective, transparent, accountable and representative. He also stressed that adequate attention and resources must be given to address conflicts in Gaza, Myanmar and elsewhere, adding that — with six years left to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — the international community now faces a “litmus test” of its ability to safeguard the best interests of present and future generations.
The representative of Armenia observed that diverse and evolving challenges were testing the United Nations resilience and efficiency in responding to situations of conflict and crisis, impacting its ability to mobilize and deliver adequate humanitarian response to those in need, as well as its mechanisms for conflict prevention and resolution. In that context, he noted that the Organization has not been able to deliver protection to vulnerable communities facing existential threats, citing the case of the blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh and the siege of its only transportation lifeline between December 2022 and September 2023, which led to the forced displacement of the entire ethnic Armenian population. Despite early warning signs and calls for intervention, the Organization did not address these egregious violations, departing from the commitment of the responsibility to protect populations from atrocity crimes. On the International Court of Justice’s role in settling disputes, he underscored the need for compliance with its decisions, pointing to eight provisional measures issued against Azerbaijan between 2021 and 2023.
Draft Decisions
The General Assembly then adopted, without a vote, the decision titled “Authorization for the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction regarding the hosting of the secretariat of the Santiago network for averting, minimizing and addressing loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change” (document A/78/L.36/Rev.1). By its terms, the Assembly authorized that Office to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement regarding such hosting.
The General Assembly then resumed its consideration of sub-item (b) of agenda item 20, titled “Follow-up to the second United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries”, adopting a draft decision titled “Participation of non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, academic institutions and the private sector in the third United Nations Conference on the Landlocked Developing Countries” (document A/78/L.40).
The representative of Tunisia, speaking on behalf of the Arab Group, welcomed the Secretary-General’s report, reaffirming a deep appreciation for his position on the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, and repeated calls for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, delivery of humanitarian aid and prevention of forced displacement. He further noted the Secretary-General’s support for the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to enable it to provide life-saving assistance to 2 million people in light of one of the biggest and most complicated humanitarian crises in the world. The Group backed the firm position calling for an immediate ceasefire, and for the UN to shoulder its responsibility by ending the violations by the occupying authority.
Emphasizing the need for protection of civilians and unhindered delivery of assistance, and ending the catastrophe faced by more than 2.3 million people in Gaza, he called on the international community to provide more uninterrupted, safe humanitarian assistance. He categorically rejected the policy of collective punishment undertaken by the occupying authorities against the people in the Gaza Strip and the remaining occupied Palestinian territories, and any forced displacement. He further reiterated the call to invest in climate financing, sustainable solutions and renewable energies, as well as emphasizing the need for a radical transformation of the existing international financial architecture.
The representative of Venezuela, speaking for the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations, said that a major challenge the world now faces is a deterioration of the global security architecture. Approaches that are based on a zero-sum game negatively impact multilateral disarmament, non-proliferation and arms-control regimes. International efforts are, therefore, required to establish a revitalized, more reliable international security architecture based on respect for the principles enshrined in the Charter, including sovereign equality, non-intervention in internal affairs and the prohibition against the use or threat of force. Further, such architecture should take into account the principle of indivisible security and the interests and concerns of all — particularly developing countries — to, inter alia, advocate for common security and the resolution of conflict through development. He also called on the international community to adopt urgent, effective measures to eliminate the use of unilateral coercive economic measures against developing countries.
He went on to say that, against the backdrop of a trust deficit and rapidly growing confrontation at the regional and global levels, the international community must reject “bloc logic” and provocative actions that infringe on others’ security interests — including attempts to achieve domination by force or economic means. For its part, the United Nations must address the root causes of crises, rather than their symptoms. He also said that it is “unacceptable” to introduce any “universal indicators of conflict”, because these can be used as a pretext for meddling in States’ internal affairs. The path towards an ideal world can hardly be found when there is disunity between States, when the international community faces a crisis of confidence and when there is a growing accumulation of potential confrontations in international relations. Multilateralism, international cooperation and solidarity must be promoted, he stressed, “rather than confrontation and eternal war”.
The representative of Belarus, aligning herself with the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations, underscored that, amid an environment of unprecedented geopolitical confrontation and mistrust, sustainable development could only be achieved if the multilateral system functioned properly. Belarus welcomes swift action taken by the Organization in realms such as health care and socioeconomic development and its mobilizing $500 billion to galvanize action on achieving the SDGs and counter the global financial crisis, amid a debt crisis. However, she stated that the Organization falls short when it comes to countering illegitimate unilateral coercive measures, a pernicious practice that contributes to the widening rift between the Global North and the developing South. She went on to welcome the historic agreement reached at the twenty-seventh UN Climate Change Conference on helping vulnerable countries cope with climate change through a loss and damage fund.
The representative of Pakistan welcomed the Secretary-General’s report, echoing that a volatile global security environment is further exacerbated by growing poverty, climate change, injustice, inequality, hate, intolerance, xenophobia and Islamophobia. He called on the United Nations to actively seek to resolve festering disputes, such as Jammu and Kashmir and Palestine, with several modalities for conflict resolution being available under the Charter of the United Nations. “We must prevent a major conflict, especially in a ‘nuclearized environment’,” he stressed, further noting that it is essential to address the root causes of terrorism and new and emerging forms. Quoting the Secretary-General that the SDGs are “on life-support”, he noted that over 100 developing countries confront food, fuel and financial insecurity, and over 60 developing countries are trapped by unsustainable debt. In that light, there is a need for a binding international convention on the right to development.
The representative of South Africa observed that the international system and the United Nations are facing a period of unprecedented challenges, amid what the International Court of Justice describes as plausible acts of genocide unfolding in Gaza. South Africa is concerned over the continued inability of the Security Council to act to promote peace and enable aid delivery to those suffering under such a relentless onslaught on their existence. Citing the report, which stated that “nowhere are needs greater than in the midst of emergencies”, he said, “nowhere can the United Nations show its value to society more than in answering the call of these emergencies”. Underscoring the importance of tackling emerging and long-existing threats, he noted that his country would be engaged in the run-up to the Summit of the Future, where it would focus on United Nations and Security Council reform, to address structural challenges that prevent the Organization from acting on its core mandates. On the severe liquidity crises facing the Organization, he underscored that allocated resources must be commensurate with the mandates. South Africa also remains deeply concerned by the slow fulfilment of nuclear disarmament commitments, while welcoming another successful Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which complements the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
The representative of Malaysia noted the Secretary-General’s report’s reaffirmation of the importance of multilateralism in addressing issues that transcended borders, including poverty eradication, and in addressing conflict and climate change. Progress on the SDGs has stalled or even gone in reverse, she stated, commending efforts by the United Nations to help Governments achieve them. On the Middle East, she hoped for renewed efforts to help Palestinians attain their inalienable rights to self-determination in a free and independent State of Palestine, highlighting her country’s participation in the submission of a written statement for the “Advisory Opinion on the legal consequences of Israel’s ongoing violations in the Palestinian territory” at the International Court of Justice. On nuclear disarmament, she called for intensified efforts to ensure the implementation of all obligations and commitments under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, highlighting her country’s work, alongside South Africa, in facilitating the signing and ratification ceremony of the 2022 Treaty Event for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
The representative of Cuba said that, while the meeting takes place, Israel’s genocide in Gaza continues. The way in which the UN responds will, to a large extent, determine the Organization’s legitimacy going forward. He went on to say that maintaining international peace and security requires strict adherence to the Charter and respect for the mandates of UN organs. Additionally, the best strategy for preventing and resolving conflict is addressing its root causes. However, this must not be used as a pretext with which to justify the advancement of geopolitical agendas, including through the interpretation of international law to justify the use of force for supposedly preventive purposes. He also said that no country is free of challenges and, therefore, no country “should set itself as an example for the rest of us”. Detailing areas where the UN could do more, he urged efforts to address unilateral coercive measures’ impact on human rights and to make the “right to development” a reality.
The representative of Angola, aligning with the Group of 77 and China, said the Organization should make efforts to prevent and resolve global conflicts, taking note, in this context, of the number of special political missions and 12 peacekeeping operations around the world. On peace and security, he emphasized the need for the Organization to work closely with the African Union and regional partners, to prevent conflicts and achieve ceasefires, as well as the peaceful settlement of disputes. He went on to encourage the Secretary-General to push for the SDG Stimulus to address the global financing crisis and accelerate the implementation of the SDGs, particularly on health, environment and education. On the Global Digital Compact, he called for the development dimension to be prioritized, and for discriminatory restrictions to be ended. On United Nations reform, including Security Council reform, he called for substantive progress on Africa’s position for a permanent seat, pointing to growing consensus on the issue.
The representative of Myanmar noted that sharpened global divisions, protracted conflicts, an alarming series of military coups and the triple planetary crisis have undermined the work of the UN. In his country, a four-year-old failed coup has left 4,400 people brutally killed by the junta, with 25,000 people arbitrarily arrested, more than 2.6 million people internally displaced, and almost 19 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. Following the coup, human and drug trafficking and transnational organized crimes have exponentially increased across the border, threatening regional peace and security. Stressing that full and equal attention must be paid to all conflicts around the world, including Myanmar, he called for the urgent appointment of the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Myanmar. The international community must take coordinated actions to eradicate the military dictatorship and build a federal democratic union. “The UN must not fail the people of Myanmar,” he stressed.
The representative of Croatia, aligning himself with the European Union [whose statement was delivered during the informal meeting earlier in the day] and the Group of Friends of the Responsibility to Protect, recalled that his country chaired the Peacebuilding Commission at its seventeenth session. Detailing his delegation’s efforts, in that capacity, to strengthen the Commission, he suggested that the body could discuss root causes of conflict and how to improve societies’ resilience. Further, he underlined the need to connect the “universality of peace” to national prevention strategies, which the Commission could periodically review. Additionally, the body could engage in operational prevention through light-footprint missions to facilitate transition from peacekeeping to peacebuilding, or to prevent a lapse or relapse into conflict. In this context, he expressed hope that peacebuilding, sustaining peace and prevention will continue to be at the centre of the peace-and-security agenda, as well as priorities for the Secretary-General.