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Guterres Calls for Trust in the UN to Be Rebuilt: “More Crucial Than Ever”

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Newswire From a news agency Ongoing story
  • António Guterres called for renewed trust in the United Nations and multilateral cooperation during the opening of the General Assembly's 81st session.
  • He cited conflicts, poverty, inequality, climate change, artificial intelligence risks and the threat of nuclear escalation as pressures facing the international system.
  • Guterres, who will leave office in early 2027 after nine years, urged diplomacy, dialogue and collaboration as the UN begins choosing his successor.

António Guterres opened the United Nations General Assembly's 81st session with a warning that the world's problem-solving system is needed most when confidence in it is weakest. In what will be his final period of sessions as secretary-general, he called rebuilding trust in multilateralism “the defining challenge of our time.”

In these turbulent times, the global system for solving problems is more crucial than ever.

· António GuterresThe UN secretary-general used the opening of the General Assembly to argue for restoring confidence in multilateral institutions.

Guterres offered to work with incoming General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman of Bangladesh on that task. Rahman took over for a one-year term from Germany's Annalena Baerbock, whom Guterres thanked for her service and leadership.

The secretary-general said international law and human rights, which he described as “the core of the organization,” are violated too often and with impunity. That failure, he argued, fuels distrust and suspicion of the international system and obstructs effective solutions.

The defining challenge of our time.

· António GuterresGuterres described rebuilding trust in the multilateral system in these terms.

He pointed to a turbulent landscape of conflicts and confrontations, the risk of nuclear escalation, persistent poverty and inequality, and an increasingly threatening climate crisis. Artificial intelligence, he added, carries major dangers without good governance and transparency. Human suffering is intensifying, while displacement is approaching record levels.

The core of the organization.

· António GuterresHe used this phrase to describe international law and human rights.

Guterres said the UN must use diplomacy, dialogue and cooperation to restore “the trust and good faith that geopolitics lacks.” The session, titled “Restoring trust, managing transformation: a United Nations that delivers for all,” opened as the organization faces financial and reputational crises and begins the process of selecting a new secretary-general. Guterres is due to hand over the post in early 2027.

This Assembly can ensure that the peoples of the world inherit a better, healthier and more peaceful future.

· António GuterresGuterres urged delegates to use diplomacy, dialogue and cooperation to rebuild trust.
About this summary

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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