- 6 weeks ago
Statements by UN Secretary-General António Guterres at the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA). teleSUR
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Let's listen.
00:46Excellencies, power is being reshaped in three fundamental ways.
00:51First, among states, new centers of economic, political and technological influence have emerged.
00:58Second, we are witnessing an extraordinary transfer of power away from governments to
01:06a handful of private corporations and individuals.
01:10Their reach now extends across politics, economies, information flows, technological development
01:17and the civic space on which societies depend.
01:21And third, humans are increasingly handing power to machines, with artificial agents going
01:29rogue and little autonomous weapons going from science fiction to military reality.
01:37Yet, our institutions and systems of governance continue to reflect the power realities and
01:44interests of a largely bygone era.
01:48That is the defining challenge before us.
01:52At the very moment when humanity faces an unprecedented convergence of threats, our mechanisms for collective
02:00action are in the growing strain.
02:03Excellencies, we are clearly moving towards a multipolar world.
02:09And that movement is irreversible.
02:13But there are different ways that multipolarity can take shape.
02:17One possibility is a world of fragmentation and transactionalism.
02:22A world of rising tensions and deepening mistrust, of fractured markets and weakened institutions, of shrinking cooperation and zero-sum
02:32calculations.
02:33And in many respects, that is the trajectory we are on today.
02:40But there is another path, a path towards networked multipolarity.
02:45A world built on interdependence and sustained by a dense web of economic, political, social and technological connections.
02:55A world in which multiple centers of influence coexist with a common framework of international law and shared rules.
03:04And such a world can help us avoid hegemonic tendencies and also what I have called the great fracture.
03:12The division of the world into two rival blocs which separate economic, technological and security systems.
03:21We must avoid them.
03:25A networked world recognizes that no power can solve today's challenges alone.
03:31Of course, competition will remain a permanent feature of international relations.
03:36But competition does not have to mean confrontation.
03:39LC competition can drive innovation, strengthen resilience and expand opportunity.
03:47But only when it operates within the frameworks that preserve stability and enable cooperation where cooperation is indispensable.
03:57Building a networked future begins with a recognition, especially by superpowers, that their power isn't so super, that their power
04:09has limits.
04:10And the events of recent years have made that unmistakably clear.
04:16Military power alone cannot secure peace.
04:21Economic power alone cannot command stability.
04:25And technological power alone cannot guarantee security.
04:29A networked multipolar world can create the conditions for more balanced and representative global problem solving.
04:38But it requires a multilateral system centered in the UN that is balanced and representative.
04:47Strong, effective institutions that reflect the realities and progressively changing relative weight of countries and economies in today's world, not
04:59the power arrangements of 80 years ago.
05:02So, fortunately, we are not starting from scratch.
05:06We already have a binding foundation, the Charter of the United Nations, and the principles that give it life.
05:14The primacy of international law, upholding human dignity, and the pursuit of justice in all its dimensions.
05:24These are the backbone for the effective, legitimate, and responsible exercise of power in the 21st century.
05:34Excellencies, it comes down to this.
05:38Will we act to ensure that power is governed by law or by force?
05:43By cooperation or coercion?
05:46By responsibility to young people and future generations or indifference to their fate?
05:53Because the defining challenges of our age are not separate from the question of power.
05:59They are expressions of it.
06:01And they will determine whether we dive deeper into division and instability or move toward cooperation, justice and collective security.
06:13Looking ahead, our future will be shaped by how we address four great tests of power.
06:20The power over war and peace.
06:24The power that concentrates wealth and drives inequality.
06:28The power fueling climate chaos and war on nature.
06:32And the power unleashed by artificial intelligence.
06:37Excellencies, the first great power test in the 21st century is peace and security.
06:46Peace is far more than the absence of conflict.
06:49It is the presence of restraint of power by law.
06:53It is the recognition, as enshrined in the UN Charter, that force cannot be the final arbiter of whose lives,
07:01rights and future matter.
07:02Today, that principle is under profound strain.
07:07Across the Middle East, conflicts are cascading.
07:11So-called ceasefires have amounted to little more than lesser fires, with civilians continuing to pay the price.
07:20Enough is enough.
07:22I appeal to the leaders in this chamber to maximize this high-level week for de-escalation and dialogue.
07:31And together, let's send a clear message from this all.
07:35The fighting must stop.
07:39Humanitarian aid must flow.
07:42And navigational rights and freedoms must be fully restored in accordance with international law.
07:49Amid the turmoil engulfing the region, we must not lose sight of the devastating situation in the occupied Palestinian territory.
08:00It is nearly three years since the abhorrent terror attacks by Hamas on 7 October.
08:07But what followed was an onslaught on Palestinians in Gaza, with a scale of killing and destruction, unlike anything I've
08:17witnessed in my years as Secretary-General.
08:21The International Court of Justice has issued legally binding provisional measures in the case entitled, and I quote,
08:30Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip. End of
08:38quote.
08:39In advisory opinion last year, the Court was clear that the United Nations need to be allowed to perform our
08:46mandates in Gaza,
08:48and for our staff and humanitarian personnel to be protected.
08:52All parties must comply with international law and the Court's orders.
08:59Meanwhile, violence, displacement and settlement expansion by Israel in the occupied West Bank are bulldozing the path to peace and
09:10raising the specter of ethnic cleansing.
09:12We cannot allow the two-state solution to disappear before our eyes.
09:32In Ukraine, Russia's full-scale invasion has subjected the sovereign country to a brutal war in blatant violation of the
09:41Charter.
09:42Civilians continue to be killed far from the front lines.
09:46Mainly in Ukraine, but also more recently in parts of Russia, homes, energy and water systems and transport have come
09:55under repeated attack,
09:57threatening food and energy supply chains globally.
10:02In Sudan, a war for raw power fed by outside actors has become a war on civilians.
10:12Millions displaced, anger spreading, drones striking hospitals and homes, sexual violence and ethically driven attacks escalating, and the country being
10:26torn apart as the world looks away.
10:29And in Myanmar, another crisis at risk of slipping from global attention with escalating violence, mass displacement and expanding transnational
10:41crime.
10:42Excellencies, these and so many other conflicts show what happens when power gets out of control, force outpaces diplomacy, military
10:54budgets soar and accountability goes out the window.
10:59The test before us is whether power will be exercised with the law or beyond it.
11:05And we must pass that test.
11:07We must defend the Charter without double standards, protect civilians without exception, ensure humanitarian access without obstruction, shield humanitarian personnel
11:19without fail, advance nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament without delay, and demand accountability without fear or favour.
11:29And we must also reform the Security Council, so that it reflects today's world with the legitimacy and effectiveness that
11:39today's challenges demand.
11:42The Security Council was designed in the aftermath of World War II, but the world has fundamentally changed since then,
11:50a change that is far from reflected in the Security Council.
11:54The most stunning example is Africa.
11:59When the UN was founded, most of Africa was still under colonial rule.
12:05Today Africa still has no permanent representation on the Council.
12:09A 21st Century Security Council, a 21st Century Security Council without permanent African seats, is unjust and indefensible.
12:29This must change.
12:38Excellences.
12:39The second test of power is inequality.
12:45Inequality is often framed as an economic problem, but it is a power problem.
12:51Power over opportunity, and who has it?
12:54Access to resources, voice.
12:56Never has humanity possessed so much wealth, knowledge, and technological capability.
13:03Yet, for billions of human beings, progress remains out of reach.
13:09They see prosperity around them, but not for themselves in their own lives.
13:16They are told that globalization expands horizons, but they only experience exclusion.
13:22They are promised that technology will unlock new possibilities, yet many fear it will take away their livelihoods.
13:31Meanwhile, billions of people still live today without the essentials embedded in the Sustainable Development Goals that should be guaranteed
13:41for everyone.
13:42Food, clean water, education, decent work, healthcare, dignity.
13:49Excellences.
13:51No country should be denied a sustainable future because it is on the wrong side of a deeply unequal financial
14:02system.
14:04And yet, so many throughout the developing world are being crushed by unsustainable debt, battered by disasters they did little
14:14to cause, and locked out of affordable finance.
14:21This is why we have created political spaces to bring forward a reform of the international financial architecture.
14:31This is not a technical debate.
14:34It is a question of representation, of fairness, and of sharing of power.
14:40For debt relief that is timely, effective, and just for multilateral development banks that are bigger, bolder, and better equipped
14:50to provide affordable, long-term finance at scale, and massively leverage private finance.
14:59For special drawing rights for special drawing rights for special drawing rights to benefit countries that need them most.
15:05No discussion of inequality can ignore its most universal form, the inequality between women and men.
15:14Everywhere.
15:17Everywhere.
15:22Everywhere, women and girls continue to face discrimination, violence, exclusion, and abuse.
15:30Around the world, their rights are being rolled back, their voices silenced, their bodies turned into battlegrounds, and their freedoms
15:39treated as bargaining chips.
15:42This is an outrage and a profound waste for humanity.
15:47Peace is more durable when women are at the table.
15:51Economies are more dynamic when women have equal opportunity.
15:56Societies are more resilient when girls can learn, live, and live free from fear.
16:02And the institutions are more effective when power is shared equally.
16:12Over the last decade, we achieved an enormous milestone.
16:16I am proud to report to you today that the United Nations achieved gender parity for the first time in
16:25history across all senior leadership, all headquarters, and all professional staff.
16:39It happened because we removed barriers, we challenged assumptions, and refused to accept that power must look as it always
16:48was.
16:49At every step, we have never compromised on quality and competence.
16:54Equality is not a dream, it is a decision.
16:59If the United Nations can change, so can governments, so can parliaments, so can businesses, so can peace processes, and
17:09so can this General Assembly.
17:12Excellencies, the third great power test is the climate crisis.
17:17In many ways, it is the most profound intergenerational power imbalance of all.
17:23One generation consuming the future of the next.
17:27One group profiting, while those least responsible suffer first and worst.
17:33Three years ago, in the mountains of Nepal, I sounded the alarm on accelerating glacier melt, warning that the rooftops
17:41of the world are caving in.
17:44Some dismissed it all as overstating dangers.
17:48But as tragic events have shown, impacts are arriving sooner, eating harder, and spreading further than many anticipated.
17:58Now we face a near certain bridge of the 1.5 degree limit, with a supersized Del Nino speeding straight
18:06for humanity.
18:08The dangers are real.
18:10But so is the hope.
18:13The last decade has fueled one of the most promising shifts in power of our time.
18:18The rise of clean energy.
18:20The sun belongs to no one.
18:23The wind cannot be embargoed.
18:26Innovation can come from everywhere.
18:28And this is a profound rebalancing of power relations.
18:33Renewables are now the cheapest source of new electricity in most of the world.
18:38And the most viable path to energy security, independence, and sustainable growth.
18:45Excellencies, a future beyond fossil fuels is in sight.
18:50The question is how?
18:53Will it be a just and orderly transition, built on international cooperation, or chaotic and costly, leaving people and countries
19:02behind?
19:02Today I call on every government to adopt a national plan to transition away from fossil fuels aligned with 1
19:11.5 degrees, with clear timelines and protection for affected workers and communities.
19:18We know that fossil fuel interests won't step aside on their own.
19:23For decades, big oil has treated the atmosphere as an open sewer and cashed in on the consequences.
19:33Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, five major Western oil companies have pocketed nearly half a trillion dollars in profits.
19:42Compare that with just 34 billion dollars in international public adaptation finance for developing countries in the latest year reported.
19:53Meanwhile, everyday people are paying more for energy, food, and insurance.
19:59And we have seen this kind of abuse of power before.
20:03When the arms of big tobacco became undeniable, governments acted.
20:08And the climate crisis demands the same determination.
20:12Those who polluted the most and profited the most must do far more to repair the damage they caused.
20:20Polluters must pay.
20:28And to the leaders, cities, civil society and citizens working to hold them accountable, I say you are on the
20:37right side of history, keep going, and governments must keep going on all fronts.
20:42To end deforestation, invest in grids and storage, cut to maintain emissions.
20:49But these actions are not enough.
20:52We need climate justice with a focus on adaptation and finance.
20:57Developed countries must respect their commitments.
21:00They must triple adaptation finance and make the loss and damage fund work at scale.
21:08The present funds available in the loss and damage fund are ridiculously small.
21:14We must also ensure that the mining of critical minerals does not dig deeper into the inequalities of the past.
21:22Producing countries and affected communities must retain a far greater share of the value created from their resources.
21:32No more plundering.
21:34No more exploitation.
21:37Excellencies, the first power test is technology and above all artificial intelligence.
21:44For centuries, power came from territory, then industry, then finance.
21:51Today, power increasingly comes from data, computing capacity and algorithms.
21:58And this new power is highly concentrated and it's advancing at extraordinary speed and racing ahead of our ability to
22:06understand its full consequences.
22:10In 2017, AI was barely on the world's radar.
22:15Yet, in my first address to the opening of the General Assembly, I warned and I quote,
22:21Artificial intelligence is a game changer that can boost development and transform lives in spectacular fashion,
22:28but it may also have a dramatic impact on labor markets and indeed on global security and the very fabric
22:35of societies.
22:36End of quote.
22:38Here we are almost a decade later, and it is indeed a game changer.
22:45With enormous promise to advance medicine, accelerate scientific discovery, expand opportunity and improve lives.
22:53But make no mistake, the danger is not technology.
22:59The danger is technology without accountability, capability without oversight, decision-making without transparency.
23:08And that danger can be minimized.
23:11The very developers building these systems are now pulling the alarm.
23:16Excellencies, the first duty of governments is to protect their people.
23:22Governments must assume their responsibilities.
23:25And governments with the greatest AI capabilities have the greatest responsibilities to humanity.
23:32To establish channels for dialogue, transparency, trust and cooperation.
23:37Not despite geopolitical rivalry, but precisely because of it.
23:43At a pivotal moment during the Cold War, strategic rivals came to recognize the need to manage shared existential risks.
23:52They built mechanisms to reduce misunderstanding, manage escalation and prevent catastrophe.
24:00At that time, it was the nuclear armament.
24:06Today, artificial intelligence demands the same clarity of purpose and sense of urgency.
24:12Those countries leading this technological revolution must share information on emerging safety risks,
24:20cooperate on testing and evaluation, and work towards common safeguards that protect us all.
24:28But because this affects us all, global coordination is indispensable.
24:33And there is only one place where every country has a voice in shaping our common future.
24:39And that place is the United Nations.
24:42Through the Global Digital Compact, you agreed for the first time on universal principles for AI governance.
24:49Through the Global Dialogue on AI Governance, we created a platform for governments, scientists, industry, leaders and civil society to
24:59work together.
25:00Through the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI, we have brought together global expertise to ensure that policy is guided
25:09by evidence.
25:10Just yesterday, the AI scientific panel released a thematic brief on AI safety and risks from loss of human control.
25:21Building on these efforts, we must take the next steps.
25:24First, to advance the conditions for the responsible pacing of AI and the additional safeguards needed to address risks.
25:34Second, to work towards a multilateral AI risk management framework supported by credible and independent oversight.
25:44In all our efforts, we must ensure no country is left behind.
25:49Artificial intelligence must be shaped by humanity, with humanity and for all humanity.
25:56And as we confront the challenges ahead, let us not retreat from two fundamental principles.
26:02Let's say with one voice, children must never become the test subjects for unregulated systems.
26:19And let us resolve that life and death decisions must never be surrendered to machines.
26:26Killer robots must have no place in our future.
26:36Excellences, peace and security, inequality, climate, artificial intelligence.
26:43These are the four great power tests of the future.
26:48They will define the future and they are interlinked.
26:52War deepens inequality, destroys development and accelerates hunger.
26:58Inequality determines who has the means to face climate change and other shocks and who is left exposed to the
27:06dangers.
27:07The climate crisis fuels instability and displacement.
27:12Artificial intelligence could help solve all these challenges.
27:16Or it could make them worse.
27:19Across all four tests, the decisive issue is power.
27:25Power over force, money, energy, technology, rules and the future.
27:31And that is why the UN Charter and the work of the United Nations matter more than ever.
27:37The United Nations exists because power requires rules and humanity needs a place where power answers to principle.
27:45And the Charter leaves no room for selective reading.
27:49The Charter created an organization rooted in three pillars.
27:54Peace, development and human rights.
27:57And these are not competing agendas.
28:00They are one reality.
28:01There is no peace without development.
28:04No development without peace.
28:06And no peace and development without human rights.
28:10To pretend that peace can be separated from dignity, opportunity and rights is an unacceptable illusion.
28:20But defending these truths does not mean defending the status quo.
28:26The Pact for the Future and the UN8 initiative always respecting the principle of equality of the three pillars of
28:35the United Nations
28:36are about making the UN more responsive, more effective, more coherent, more transparent, more focused on results, more disciplined on
28:46resources and more present where people need us.
28:51The world does not need a weaker United Nations.
28:54It needs a UN strong enough to face the world as it is and determined enough to build the world
29:01as it should be.
29:04Excellencies, after ten years I hold one conviction even more strongly than when I have arrived.
29:11The greatest power is not the power to dominate.
29:15It is the power to build a future that works for everyone.
29:19Our shared future will be forged by whether humanity can govern power wisely.
29:24By upholding the law before impunity becomes normalized.
29:28By ending wars before they consume generations.
29:33By tackling inequality before societies fracture.
29:37By accelerating climate action before tipping points are crossed.
29:41And by governing artificial intelligence before it governs us.
29:46This is the challenge before this General Assembly, the United Nations and humanity itself.
29:53Excellencies, in the face of global catastrophe more than eight years ago, the United Nations was created as an act
30:01of defiance.
30:02The defiance of people who refuse to surrender the future to fear.
30:06The defiance against the self-defeating notion that might makes right.
30:12The defiance of countries that know our futures are bound together.
30:16The defiance of hope.
30:20I will carry that spirit of resolve and determination through each of the 100 days I have left in office.
30:27But commitment to values and principles of the United Nations does not begin with a mandate.
30:33And it does not end with one.
30:36They are greater than an office and they endure beyond any life.
30:41So, on January the 1st, when I am no longer Secretary General, be sure of this.
30:48Wherever I will be, whatever I will be doing, I will keep championing the conviction that peace is possible.
30:56That human dignity is universal.
30:59That the power of law must prevail over the law of power.
31:02And that our common future is worth fighting for.
31:06I will continue to stand up for the values of the United Nations Charter.
31:12And I will never, ever give up.