“The core goal of our multilateral system must be peace – a prerequisite for sustainable development and the enjoyment of human rights,” he told the heads of state attend the meeting of the world’s largest regional organization in the capital of Kazakhstan.
António Guterres listed many conflicts in need of ceasefires and lasting peace, from the Middle East to Ukraine and from Sudan to the Sahel, in addition to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Myanmar and Haiti.
“We need peace in Afghanistan and an inclusive government that respects human rights and integrates into the international community. All countries should unite to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a hotbed of terrorism again,” he told the SCO Council, the world’s largest regional security body comprising Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
With such wide representation, Shanghai Cooperation Organization have the power and responsibility to promote peace, the head of the global organization stressed.
Existential threat
The UN secretary-general stressed that the meeting in Astana took place against a backdrop of raging wars, geopolitical divisions, a “lawless pandemic” and a retreat from sustainable development – a key global goal – causing skepticism and a crisis of confidence.
“These global challenges cannot be solved on a country-by-country basis. This is a moment to reaffirm our shared commitment to multilateralism, with the United Nations at its centre, bound by the principles set forth in unchartedinternational law and Universal Declaration of Human Rights“The UN chief said, warning that people are losing faith in multilateralism as they point to broken promises, double standards and growing inequality.
The UN Secretary-General also stressed the urgent need for collective action to address two existential threats: the climate emergency and the unchecked rise of digital technology, especially AI.
The climate is broken
UN climate experts have confirmed that although 2023 was the hottest year on record, it could soon be ranked as one of the coolest in a rapidly warming future. The Secretary-General warned that the devastating impacts of climate change are already being felt in melting glaciers, deadly floods, storms, droughts and extreme heatwaves that are ravaging countries around the world.
“Our climate is broken,” he said, highlighting the dire consequences for water and food security, development and global stability. He stressed that the call for action must be clear, calling for ambitious measures to cut greenhouse gas emissions and achieve climate justice, with the greatest responsibility falling on the world’s largest emitters.
Outlining solutions to the global climate crisis, Mr. Guterres called on all governments to submit new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) next year, fully aligned with the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
These NDCs must include absolute emissions reduction targets for 2030 and 2035 and outline plans for major global transitions, with key actions such as ending deforestation, tripling renewable energy capacity and reducing fossil fuel production and consumption by at least 30% by 2030. In addition, the UN chief said countries must commit to completely phasing out coal power by 2040.
Mobilizing finance for climate change action
Highlighting the crucial role of finance in supporting climate action, the Secretary-General called for strong financial outcomes from COP29, the global climate conference to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, in November. He stressed the need to strengthen the lending capacity of Multilateral Development Banks and attract more private capital to climate initiatives. Developed countries should also double their financing for climate adaptation and meet their commitments, including through significant contributions to the new Loss and Damage Fund, the UN chief said.
To support these efforts, the Secretary-General has advocated innovative financing mechanisms, including carbon pricing and taxes on windfall profits of fossil fuel companies. He called on early adopters to implement solidarity taxes on sectors such as shipping, aviation and fossil fuel extraction at COP29.
AI: balancing potential and risk
Turning to AI – the second existential threat facing the planet – the Secretary-General highlighted the technology’s transformative potential in promoting sustainable development. However, he warned that AI is advancing faster than regulatory frameworks can keep up, exacerbating power imbalances, concentrating wealth in the hands of a few, undermining human rights and increasing global tensions.
To address these challenges, the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Body on AI has outlined five priorities: establishing an international scientific council on AI, initiating regular policy dialogues to develop common standards and ethics for AI, ensuring governance of data used to train AI algorithms, and supporting capacity building in developing countries through a global fund. Mr. Guterres also proposed the creation of a small, dynamic, and flexible UN AI Office to oversee these efforts.
Summit of the Future
The Secretary-General expressed hope that in the near future Summit of the Future will be a turning point in renewing global unity and addressing the existential threats facing humanity. “I look forward to welcoming you to New York in September,” he said, before urging regional leaders to seize this important opportunity for collective action.
The UN Secretary-General attended the SCO summit during a tour of Central Asian countries including Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan to discuss issues ranging from peace, nuclear non-proliferation to sustainable development.
