The representatives of small island developing States and low-lying countries today urged immediate international action to combat sea-level rise — a global crisis threatening the lives and livelihoods of 1 billion people worldwide — during the General Assembly’s inaugural high-level meeting on the issue.
Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the opening of the high-level meeting of the General Assembly on addressing the existential threats posed by sea level rise, in New York today:
The rising level of impunity in the world is “politically indefensible and morally intolerable”, with many Governments and actors feeling entitled to a “get out of jail free” card, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned in his address to the General Assembly today as its annual high-level debate began, with world leaders raising alarm about the wars in Gaza and Ukraine.
Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ address to the opening of the seventy-ninth session of the General Assembly, in New York today:
Government leaders emphasized the need to rethink global governance and create a fairer, more inclusive multilateral system that will “benefit all countries” rather than “increase the power of a few”, as the Summit of the Future concluded its second and final day.
Current decisions must be made with the participation of youth and women to account for the long-term impact on future generations, speakers emphasized during an interactive dialogue at the Summit of the Future today.
The commitments of the recently inked Global Digital Compact must be carried out through collaborative actions fulfilling the promise of a digital world for all — eliminating digital divides and providing a prosperous, safe and inclusive future — speakers emphasized during an interactive dialogue at the Summit of the Future today.
Today the General Assembly adopted the Pact for the Future, in which Heads of State and Government — representing the peoples of the world — made 56 pledges to action seeking to protect the needs and interests of present and future generations amid the climate change, crisis and conflict currently gripping the globe.
Reform of international institutions, particularly the Security Council, rebuilding of trust and enhanced regional partnerships are critical to making multilateralism work for the peace and security of future generations, speakers underlined during an interactive dialogue at the Summit of the Future today.
The international financial architecture, established in the mid-1940s, has become obsolete and must be reformed to address the challenges of developing countries, speakers emphasized during an interactive dialogue at the Summit of the Future today, calling for more equitable access to affordable financing and the creation of a fair, open global trading system.
