United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Wednesday that the world was in deep trouble, calling for an immediate end to what he called “futile” wars.
This came at the opening of the political forum currently being held at the United Nations Economic and Social Council in New York.
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To discuss “ways to put the world back on track to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”.
“Our world is in deep trouble, as are the Sustainable Development Goals, and time is running out,” Guterres said in his address to the meeting participants.
“But we still have hope because we know what needs to be done. Put an end to the catastrophic, absurd wars now.”
Unleash the renewable energy revolution, let’s invest in people and build a new social contract – now.”
And Guterres added: “Food in Ukraine, food and fertilizer produced by Russia must be brought back to world markets, despite the war (between the two sides).”
He continued, “We have worked hard on a plan aimed at the safe export of food produced in Ukraine through the Black Sea.
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and Russian food and fertilizers to world markets, and I thank the governments concerned for their continued cooperation.
On Wednesday, Istanbul will host military delegations from Russia and Ukraine, in the presence of representatives of the United Nations, to discuss ways to secure shipping for grain stuck in Ukrainian ports.
The Secretary-General called on participants in the forum from representatives of United Nations Member States to “work with ambition, determination and solidarity to save the sustainable development goals before it is too late.”
Guterres warned that “the successive crises currently facing the world will bear the seeds of dangerous inequality, instability and climate chaos in the future.”
“The ripple effects of the Russian invasion of Ukraine have hit us amid a fragile and erratic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic while the climate emergency is on the rise,” he said.
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Guterres noted that about 94 countries with 1.6 billion people are facing a perfect storm of massive increases in food and energy prices.
There is also a lack of access to finance, so there is a real risk of multiple famines this year.”
And he warned that “next year could be worse as 60 percent of developing economies are in debt distress.”
Guterres added: “60 percent of workers today have real incomes lower than they did before the Corona epidemic, and developing countries lose $1.2 trillion annually to closing the social protection gap.”
And he added: “The number of people forced to leave their homes has risen to 100 million, the highest number since the establishment of the United Nations.”
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To meet such challenges, the Secretary-General identified 4 areas for immediate action, including “recovery from the Corona epidemic in all countries.
Finding a solution to the food, energy and financing crisis, investing in people through education and building a new social contract.
reforming social support systems and accelerating the implementation of climate action plans.
During the 3-day political forum, participants will discuss ways to put the world back on the right track to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Balancing short-term crisis mitigation and long-term analysis, planning and thinking.
