Interview Transcript
Secretary-General, welcome to this interview with UN News. With world leaders set to gather soon, how would you characterize the current global context for the General Assembly?
Secretary-General: We are confronting a global crisis. Conflicts are growing amid geopolitical divisions that hinder effective resolutions.
There’s a prevailing sense of impunity. Each nation feels it can act independently. On the flip side, developing countries face huge challenges, many overwhelmed by debt and lacking needed concessional funding to revive their economies. Inequality is on the rise.
Furthermore, climate change remains uncontrolled. There are indications that achieving our main target of limiting global warming to below 1.5 degrees will be difficult.
Technological advances are progressing largely without restrictions, presenting vast potential alongside risks. Some risks are evident today, such as societal polarization, increasing divisions, and the rise of hate speech.
We need leaders to come and reverse these trends, to reaffirm multilateralism – acknowledging that we cannot tackle these challenges alone.
In this environment, leaders must come forward to change momentum. They need to recognize the critical importance of international cooperation. Their presence should inspire negotiations and mediations that can instill hope for peace in various global issues.
Leaders should make firm commitments to emission reduction to combat climate change. They should also concur on reforming the international financial architecture to enhance fairness and equality in global relations.
It’s crucial to accept some governance over artificial intelligence and new technologies to ensure they are beneficial and preserve human agency.
Ultimately, leaders must champion multilateralism, as we cannot solve these problems in isolation.
That’s my hope. We’ll strive to make this summit successful, urging world leaders to fulfill their responsibilities amidst this global crisis.
Several summits on peace and security, including a two-State solution conference and meetings aimed at ending ongoing wars, will be held during the General Assembly. What are your expectations from these meetings?
Secretary-General: Primarily, I hope for a strong affirmation of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and the establishment of a Palestinian state, as recognized during Monday’s meeting.
Simultaneously, we must send a clear message that the ongoing violence in Gaza must cease, requiring an immediate ceasefire, the swift release of all hostages, and effective humanitarian aid for Gaza, which is experiencing unprecedented devastation.
Moreover, we need to affirm the necessity of a two-State solution. The concept of a one-State solution that denies the Palestinian people their rights is entirely unacceptable in the 21st century.
To foster hope for future peace and combat extremism, it’s vital to uphold the two-State solution and oppose annexations.
Promoting the two-State solution is essential for hope and peace, and to fight extremism globally. Blocking annexations and stopping Gaza’s destruction is crucial to allowing both the Jewish and Palestinian peoples to coexist peacefully and securely.
This platform will also address other conflicts, including the so-called “forgotten” war in Sudan.
What outcomes do you anticipate from world leaders focusing on these “forgotten” conflicts?
Secretary-General: Numerous actors are complicating Sudan’s situation. It’s a chance for major powers to intervene decisively. The Security Council, with unanimous key power agreement, must impose stringent measures to make Sudanese parties realize their actions severely harm their own people.
Could you elaborate on the general impact of war on people and its global repercussions?
Secretary-General: High divisions and lack of accountability tools foster a world of impunity, inspiring countries to pursue ambitions or resolve issues through war, as seen with Ukraine. This emerging pattern must be resisted by the international community.
A more unified and efficient Security Council is essential to address this.
A reformed,
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