Activities of Secretary-General in Belgium, 18-21 March
On Tuesday evening, 18 March, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres arrived in Brussels to meet with European Union leaders.
On Wednesday, the Secretary-General had meetings with Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, as well as with Roberta Metsola, the President of the European Parliament.
In the evening, he attended a dinner organized by Antonio Costa, the President of the European Council, along with Ms. Von der Leyen and Kaja Kallas, the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission.
On Thursday, 20 March, at the invitation of the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, the Secretary-General took part in a working lunch with the Heads of State and Government of the European Union at the opening of the European Council.
The Secretary-General and Mr. Costa spoke to the press as they entered the European Union building. Mr. Guterres expressed his appreciation for the UN’s partnership with the European Union, reiterating that it is a fundamental pillar of the multilateral response to the challenges we face in peace and security, climate, sustainable development and human rights.
Turning to the situation in Ukraine, the Secretary-General said any ceasefire is welcome because it saves lives, but he added that it is essential that a ceasefire paves the way for a just peace in Ukraine — a peace that respects the Charter of the United Nations, international law and Security Council resolutions, namely about the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
The Secretary-General renewed his appeal for respect of the ceasefire in Gaza, for unimpeded humanitarian access to all areas of Gaza, and for the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages.
Immediately after the working lunch, Mr. Guterres had a pull-aside meeting with the President of France, Emmanuel Macron.
Later that afternoon, the Secretary-General sat down for a background briefing with a group of journalists assembled by the United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe.
On Friday morning, the universities KU Leuven and UC Louvain jointly awarded an honorary doctorate to the United Nations. The Secretary-General received the honorary doctorate on behalf of the organization and, in his remarks, he said that by bestowing this honour, the universities are sending a message of support for the mission of the United Nations — a message of solidarity to all those working to make it real — and a message of inspiration for us to keep up the fight. (See Press Release SG/SM/22596.)
He said the Universities’ 600th anniversary coincides with a moment of reflection for the United Nations, which marks its own eightieth anniversary as an organization at the epicentre of multilateralism.
Standing here in Europe, the Secretary-General added, we know this same commitment to multilateralism is the beating heart of the European Union — a powerful reminder of our shared responsibility to the world’s most vulnerable people and proof that isolationism is an illusion, never a solution.
Turning to the situation in Gaza, the Secretary-General renewed his appeal for the ceasefire to be restored, for unimpeded humanitarian assistance to be reestablished and for the remaining hostages to be released immediately and unconditionally.
Following the ceremony, the Secretary-General visited the university library and had an exchange with students.
Upon returning to Brussels that afternoon, the Secretary-General had a meeting with the Prime Minister of Belgium, Bart De Wever.
He left Brussels early in the evening.