UN Chief Warns Global Leaders: The World Is In ‘Great Peril’

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. chief has warned the world is in “great danger,” saying leaders meeting in person for the first time in three years must address conflict and climate catastrophe, rising poverty and inequality — and Settling Differences One of the major powers that has made things worse since Russia invaded Ukraine.

In remarks and remarks ahead of the leaders’ meeting on Tuesday, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres referred to the “huge” task of not only saving the planet “on fire” but also of dealing with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic – 19 Epidemic. He also noted that “developing countries lack access to finance to recover – a crisis not seen in a generation” and have lost ground in education, health and women’s rights.

Guterres will deliver his “State of the World” speech at the opening of the annual high-level global gathering on Tuesday. United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric said it would be a “calm, substantive and solution-oriented world” in a world where “geopolitical divisions put us all at risk”. Key Transcripts”.

“There will be no sugar coating in his remarks, but he will outline reasons for hope,” Dujarric told reporters on Monday.

The 77th World Leaders’ Conference is being held in the shadow of Europe’s first major war since World War II, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which has sparked a global food crisis not seen since the Cold War The way opened a rift war between great powers.

However, nearly 150 heads of state and government are on the latest list of speakers. It shows that despite the fragmented state of the planet, the United Nations remains a key venue for presidents, prime ministers, monarchs and ministers not only to speak out, but to meet privately to discuss challenges on the global agenda – and hopefully make some progress.

Top of the agenda for many: Russia’s February 24 invasion of Ukraine, which not only threatened the sovereignty of its smaller neighbor, but sparked fears of a nuclear disaster at Europe’s largest nuclear power plant in the country’s now-Russian-occupied southeast ‘s concerns.

Leaders in many countries are trying to prevent a wider war and restore peace in Europe. However, diplomats do not expect any breakthroughs this week.

The loss of vital grain and fertilizer exports from Ukraine and Russia has triggered a food crisis, especially in developing countries, as well as inflation and rising living costs in many other countries. These issues are high on the agenda.

At a meeting on Monday aimed at advancing the United Nations’ 2030 goals, including ending extreme poverty, ensuring quality education for all children and achieving gender equality, Guterres said the world’s many pressing dangers make it “easy to put our long-term development priorities aside.”

But the UN secretary-general said some things cannot wait – among them education, dignified work, full equality for women and girls, comprehensive health care and action on the climate crisis. He called for public and private finance and investment, especially peace.

Many world leaders attended the death of Queen Elizabeth II and her funeral in London on Monday, giving the high-level meeting a last-minute headache. Diplomats and UN staff scrambled to deal with changes in travel plans, the timing of events and the logistically intricate schedule of speeches by world leaders.

The global gathering, known as the general debate, will be entirely virtual in 2020, while 2021 will be mixed. This year, the 193-member assembly has resumed only in-person speeches, with one exception — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Amid opposition from Russia and some allies, parliament voted on Friday to allow the Ukrainian leader to pre-record his speech because he has no control — “continued foreign incursions” and military hostilities require him to carry out “defense and security duties” .”

Traditionally, Brazil was the first to speak for over seven years, because in the early sessions of the General Assembly it volunteered to start when no other country had done so.

The President of the United States, representing the United Nations host country, has traditionally been the second speaker. But Joe Biden was attending the Queen’s funeral and his speech was delayed until Wednesday morning. Senegalese President McKee Sall is expected to succeed Biden.

Edith M. Lederer is the chief United Nations correspondent for the Associated Press, covering international affairs for more than half a century. For more AP coverage of the UN General Assembly, visit https://apnews.com/hub/united-nations-general-assembly.