UN Principles Under Assault as Never Before – Guterres

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said the body’s principles are facing an unprecedented assault, citing wars, rising hunger, and climate chaos. 

He urged nations to strengthen multilateralism to tackle today’s global challenges. 

Guterres made the remarks during a meeting to mark the UN’s 80th anniversary.

“At this moment, the principles of the United Nations are under assault as never before,” he said.

“As we meet, civilians are targeted and international law trampled in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan and beyond. As we meet, poverty and hunger are on the rise as progress on the Sustainable Development Goals falters. As we meet, the planet burns with fires, floods and record heat raging through climate chaos.

“And at the same time, we are moving towards a multipolar world, but without strong multilateral institutions, multi polarity has its risks, as Europe learned in the First World War. To meet these challenges, we must not only defend the United Nations, we must strengthen it,” he added.

Reuters