World heading towards catastrophe, warns UN chief at General Assembly

The war in Ukraine is spreading, and there are no clear signs that it will end soon. Civilians are paying the highest price. Guterres emphasized the time has come for a just peace based on the United Nations Charter, international law, and UN resolutions in his speech opening the annual debate of world leaders at the General Assembly. Antonio Guterres called for a deep reform of the UN system, pointing to the growing number of countries that "feel they can trample international law."

They feel they can ignore international human rights conventions or decisions of international tribunals. They believe they can show contempt for international humanitarian law, invade other countries, devastate entire societies, or completely disregard the well-being of their own nation, and nothing will happen to them, said Guterres, quoted by PAP.

As in previous years, Guterres presented a grim picture of the global situation, describing it as a "powder keg".

We are in an era of great transformation, facing challenges like we have never seen before, challenges that require global solutions. And yet geopolitical divisions are deepening. The planet continues to warm. Wars are raging with no end in sight, and nuclear threats and new weapons cast a dark shadow. We are approaching the unimaginable, a powder keg that will engulf the entire world, he warned.

Despite his dramatic words, the UN Secretary-General expressed hope that global problems can be solved with the joint effort of member states. He pointed to the need to reform the UN system, including supporting the inclusion of African states as permanent members of the UN Security Council.

He also emphasized international cooperation as the key to success, referring to the "Pact for the Future" adopted by the General Assembly. This document commits states to strengthen the UN, accelerate the green transformation, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).