UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated that even the rulings of international courts regarding Gaza have not been respected.
The annual session of the United Nations General Assembly has commenced in New York, where Secretary-General António Guterres delivered the opening address, expressing deep concern over escalating global crises.
According to international news agencies, Guterres said that 80 years ago, dozens of countries came together to form the United Nations in pursuit of global peace. He emphasized that the UN continues to serve as an effective and collective strategy for peace and the survival of humanity.
He warned that the principles upon which the UN was founded are now under siege. The pillars of peace and development are trembling under the weight of apathy, inequality, and impunity.
Guterres added that the world has entered an era marked by reckless disruption and ongoing human suffering. Addressing member states, he posed a critical question: “What kind of world do we want to build?” He urged decisive action, noting that alarms of humanitarian tragedies and environmental threats are ringing constantly.
The UN chief further stated that sovereign nations are being attacked, hunger is being weaponized, truth is being suppressed, and smoke is rising from the rubble of cities.
Specifically addressing the situation in Palestine, Guterres said that atrocities in Gaza continue and the scale of violence has crossed all boundaries. He described the situation in Gaza as catastrophic and lamented the failure to implement international court rulings.
He stressed that there is no justification for collectively punishing innocent civilians in Gaza in response to Hamas’s October 7 attacks. Guterres called for a permanent ceasefire and the immediate release of hostages.
He also warned of systematic efforts to undermine the UN’s capabilities, which pose serious threats to global peace and development goals.
Guterres questioned the current structure of the Security Council, indirectly criticizing the repeated use of veto power by the United States and Russia, which has limited the UN’s role in the wars in Gaza and Ukraine.
It’s worth noting that this session is taking place at a time when the Trump administration has once again cut funding to the United Nations. The U.S., being the largest financial contributor to the UN, has directly impacted the organization’s performance through these reductions.
