Guterres: The world is now worse due to COVID-19, climate crisis and geopolitical tensions

International

21-01-2022, 15:39

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Baghdad-INA

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said today's world is worse than it was 5 years ago due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the climate crisis and geopolitical tensions that have fueled conflicts in many places.

Guterres added: "Coinciding with the beginning of his second term as Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Appeal for Peace, which he issued on his first day in the highest office of the United Nations on January 1, 2017, and his priorities in his first term, to try to prevent conflicts and address global inequality, the crisis COVID-19, global warming, has not changed.

"The Secretary-General of the United Nations has no authority," Guterres said. "I may have influence. I can persuade. I can mediate, but I have no authority."

Before becoming head of the United Nations, Guterres said he envisioned the position as "an organizer, mediator, bridge-builder and honest party to help find solutions that benefit all concerned".

The Secretary-General noted that he spoke (for example) this week to the African Union envoy, Olusegun Obasanjo, twice with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, and once with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, in his attempt to stop hostilities in Ethiopia between the government and the forces In the besieged region of Tigray.

"I hope that we will be in a situation where it will soon be possible to stop hostilities, and that is where I focus most of my efforts," Guterres added.

Source: Russia Today