Amid the dark clouds of conflicts, dangers from technology and climate change, and “deepening geo-political divisions”, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sees the year 2025 dawning with signs of hope.
“It is understandable to get overwhelmed by the turmoil of our world. But as we look to the year ahead, we must never lose sight of progress and potential,” he said on Wednesday.
“And there are signs of hope,” he said.
In his annual address to the General Assembly on his priorities for the year, Guterres included warnings about the dangers the world is facing and calls for urgent action required to face them.
On the plus side of the ledger, he listed the movement towards a ceasefire and hostage exchange in Gaza, the Lebanon ceasefire, the increasing investments in clean energy, the improvement in the status of girls, and commitments to the global future and digital technology.
“Through thick and thin, the world has come together through the United Nations to tackle some of the most intractable problems,” he said.
“In a world seemingly hellbent on destruction, our organisation has been a force of construction,” he said.
“But”, he cautioned, “let’s have no illusions: this is very much a world in turmoil. Our actions — or inactions — have unleashed a modern-day Pandora’s box of ills”.
He listed “runaway conflicts, rampant inequalities, the raging climate crisis, out-of-control technology”, and growing inequalities, as the dangers facing the world.
“Deepening geo-political divisions and mistrust are adding fuel to the fire,” he said.
Speaking of hate and intolerance, he omitted – as he has consistently — references to non-Abrahamic religions like Hinduism and Buddhism whose members also face violence, persecution, and bigotry.
“We must work to foster communities of belonging and end the spread of hatred and intolerance – including antisemitism, anti-Muslim bigotry, and discrimination against minority Christian communities,” he said.
The Secretary-General called for “reforming and modernising the institutions of global finance to represent today’s economy — not that of 1945” by ensuring that developing countries are “represented fairly in the governance” of these institutions including the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
One of his priorities was ensuring that technology in its latest iteration, Artificial Intelligence, does not overwhelm the world.
“Humanity’s hand must be firmly in control of technology,” he said. “As AI reshapes our world, every nation must help shape AI. Together, let’s ensure Artificial Intelligence serves its highest purpose.”
He emphasised the imperative for action on containing global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
As President-elect Donald Trump, a global warming sceptic who has vowed to ditch the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, prepares to take office next week, Guterres spoke of the California fires.
“Look no further than the hills of Los Angeles. It has gone from the home of disaster movies to a scene of disaster,” he said.
