"Global Community More Fragmented & Divided Than In Past 75 Yrs": Guterres, UN Chief

Stressing that the global order is not working for anyone, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, on Friday said the global community was more fragmented and divided than in the past 75 years.

Addressing the world leaders at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, Guterres said global governance in its present form is "entrenching divisions and fueling discontent."

"The global order is not working for anyone. Our world is facing existential challenges, but the global community is more fragmented and divided than at any time during the past 75 years," the UN Secretary-General said, adding, "Everyone is fighting for a piece of this pie. We need peace for justice."

"The transition to multipolarity without strong international institutions can create chaos," the UN Chief added.

Guterres stated that if governments honoured their duties under the UN Charter, "every individual on Earth would live in peace and dignity".

However, governments are disregarding these obligations, and millions of people are paying a high price, with unprecedented numbers compelled to escape, he noted during his address.

Meanwhile, weighing in on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Guterres said the suffering and loss of lives have been 'appalling' while its impact on the global economy has been devastating, particularly for developing countries, UN News reported.

"We desperately need a just and sustainable peace for Ukraine, for Russia, and for the world. A peace in line with the UN Charter and international law, which establishes the obligation to respect the territorial integrity of sovereign States," Secretary-General Guterres said.

Guterres also touched on his 'New Agenda for Peace', which was introduced last July and intends to modernise global collective security structures through "a more networked and inclusive multilateralism".

The recommendations include restructuring the UN Security Council, recommitting to the elimination of nuclear weapons, and emphasising the importance of sustainable development and climate action in conflict prevention, the UN News release reported.

The 'New Agenda for Peace' will be considered during the Summit of the Future, which will be held in September at the UN Headquarters in New York.

The UN Secretary-General stated further that the international community should strive for reasonable and equitable solutions.

Addressing the mounting civilian toll and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza in the face of the military offensive that followed the heinous strikes by Hamas in southern Israel on 7 October, he said, "The situation in Gaza is an appalling indictment of the deadlock in global relations."

"The level of death and destruction is shocking in itself. The war is also spilling over borders across the region and affecting global trade," the UN chief added.

Noting that the humanitarian response was "now on life support," he warned that an all-out assault on Rafah, the heart of the humanitarian assistance operation in Gaza, where over half the population in Gaza is currently sheltered, would prove disastrous for civilians already on the verge of survival.

"I have repeatedly called for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, and a humanitarian ceasefire. That is the only way to massively scale up aid delivery in Gaza," the UN News release quoted Guterres as saying.

The 60th Munich Security Conference (MSC) is taking place as an in-person event from February 16-18, 2024, at its traditional venue, the Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich, an official statement said.

This year's conference is being held under the chairmanship of the German Ambassador to the US, Christoph Heusgen.

According to the statement, "the MSC will once again welcome a series of high-ranking international decision-makers and experts, including heads of state and government, ministers, and diverse voices from international organisations, civil society, the private sector and the media."