UN General Assembly: Guterres Calls for Peace, African Security Council Seats

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for stronger global commitment to peace, human rights and international law as world leaders gather in New York for the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Guterres said peace, development and human rights are interconnected, stressing that there can be no lasting peace without development and respect for human rights.

He also called for permanent African representation on the UN Security Council, saying Africa remains without a permanent seat despite major changes in the world since the Second World War.

On the Middle East, Guterres warned that the situation in Gaza must not be forgotten, describing the scale of killings and suffering in the Palestinian territory as devastating. He also condemned violence and settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, warning that the two-state solution is at risk.

Addressing the war in Ukraine, Guterres criticised Russia’s full-scale invasion and said civilians continue to be killed both in Ukraine and, more recently, in parts of Russia.

The UN chief also highlighted the climate crisis, saying its effects are being felt sooner and more severely than expected. He criticised major oil companies over their profits and their contribution to climate change.

Guterres further condemned discrimination and violence against women and girls, saying their rights and freedoms continue to face serious setbacks.

As his term approaches its end on December 31, Guterres said he would continue to champion peace, human dignity and the rule of law beyond his time as UN secretary-general.

The UN General Assembly is also expected to focus on the US-Israel war on Iran, the Russia-Ukraine war and the risks associated with artificial intelligence. US President Donald Trump, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and French President Emmanuel Macron are among the leaders scheduled to address the assembly.

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