Secretary-General Urges Greater Action to Tackle Rampant Conflicts, Inequalities, Climate Crisis, Outlining United Nations 2025 Priorities to General Assembly

Runaway conflicts, widening inequalities, the intensifying climate crisis and the unchecked rise of technology were among the pressing global challenges highlighted by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres as he presented the Organization's priorities for 2025 to the General Assembly today.

"Conflicts are multiplying, becoming messier and deadlier," he said, also warning: "Deepening geopolitical divisions and mistrust are adding fuel to the fire. The nuclear threat is at its highest in decades."

On Gaza, he said that nothing can justify the terror attacks by Hamas on 7 October 2023 just like nothing can justify the dramatic levels of death and destruction inflicted on the Palestinian people. "For months, there has been no ceiling to the suffering and no bottom to the horrors," he stressed.

In Ukraine, the war is on the verge of its fourth year, the UN Chief went on to say, calling for a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in line with the UN Charter.

He outlined various work in different hot zones. For example, in Sudan, the UN is engaging all parties to protect civilians, de-escalate the conflict and find a path to peace. In the Sahel, the Organization is working to address common threats including violent extremism and terror, and in Haiti, it aims to ensure that the Multinational Security Support Mission receives sustainable funds.

Despite the overall grim global snapshot, there is still room for hope, the Secretary-General told Member States. The year 2025 begins on the heels of major commitments made in the Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations.

Still, vast inequalities are an "unmistakable signal that something is deeply wrong with our social, economic, political and financial systems", he stated. On the Sustainable Development Goals, he expressed deep concern that less than one fifth of the targets are on course. The Pact for the Future includes clear guidance on how to close the financing gap. "Developing countries must be represented fairly in the governance of the very institutions they depend on," he emphasized.

Turning to women and girls' rights, he called for targeted and accelerated action to end all forms of violence and harassment against them, including sexual and gender-based violence.

On the climate issue, he said that the Los Angeles fires in the United States have turned "the home of disaster movies to a scene of disaster." The most vulnerable - often those who have done the least to unleash this devastation - pay the price.

Ten years on from the Paris agreement on climate change, 90 per cent of the world has committed to net zero greenhouse-gas emissions. "But, we must work even harder," he emphasized, also adding that the battle cannot be won without a fast, fair and funded fossil-fuel phase-out worldwide. This year, developed countries must make good on their promise to double adaptation finance to at least $40 billion annually.

On artificial intelligence (AI), the Secretary-General said that everyone must have equal access to the latest knowledge and insights and urged the General Assembly to establish the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI.

Member States Highlight Perils of Terrorism, Protracted Conflict, Nuclear Weapons and Climate Change

In the ensuing discussion, Member States echoed the concerns of the Secretary-General as they highlighted various issues from terrorism and protracted conflict to nuclear weapons and climate change. Many speakers emphasized the critical role of the United Nations in uniting efforts to tackle myriad emerging global challenges including growing inequality among Member States.

Call for Comprehensive Debt Relief and Restructuring for Least Developed Countries

Nepal's delegate, who spoke for the Group of Least Developed Countries, said those States need comprehensive debt relief and restructuring. Highlighting the importance of implementing "duty-free quotas and free-market access" for products from those countries, she emphasized the urgent need to reform the global financial architecture and implement the stimulus for least developed countries. "While we contribute the least to global emissions, we suffer the most," she added, calling for robust emissions cuts and scaled-up climate finance, and operationalization of the loss and damage fund with dedicated windows for countries such as hers. It is also vital to bridge the digital divide and ensure universal affordable Internet access, she said. Noting that 14 least developed countries are on the path to graduation and will need "smooth transition support", she said that "with the right support and policy frameworks, [least developed countries] can be engines of global growth and sustainability".

"No country is immune from challenges, and no model should be put as an example above all of the others," Cuba's delegate said, urging all countries to deliver on financial assistance. The inalienable right to sustainable development is being denied to Cuba. The United States continues its "cruel" policies towards Cuba which cause severe damage to the Cuban people. "Developing countries cannot make progress if we continue to be to suffer from debt," he also added.

Pact for the Future Provides Broad, Comprehensive Road Map

Pakistan's delegate said that the adoption of the Pact of the Future provides the international community with a broad and comprehensive road map for collective actions that could enable them to preserve the multilateral order and respond to the multi-dimensional challenges of our times. Preventive diplomacy should be activated to avoid new conflicts and resolve festering and prolong conflicts and disputes. "Nuclear war must not be fought, nor should it be provoked by aggression with conventional weapons," he said. All States must be assured of equal security.

Multilingualism in United Nations Must Be Priority

The representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, speaking on behalf of the Group of Francophone Ambassadors, stressed the importance of strengthening multilingualism in all aspects of the Secretariat's work. Calling on the Secretary-General to clarify the administrative and operational directives that will enable the implementation of the United Nations Strategic Framework on Multilingualism, he said that "linguistic and cultural diversity" must also become a fundamental principle of digital governance and artificial intelligence, as well as peace efforts. Further, he said: "We must protect [multilingual] functions from the current liquidity crisis caused by the failure of certain Member States to pay their contributions."

Delegates Adopt Resolutions on Africa's Development

The Assembly also adopted two resolutions on Africa with Iraq's delegate, on behalf of the "Group of 77" and China introducing the first text on "New Partnership for Africa's Development: progress in implementation and international support" (document A/79/L.45), emphasizing that it reflects a collective commitment for fostering sustainable development and resilience across Africa. Acknowledging a minor editorial error in the presented text, he proposed an oral revision replacing the word "recalls" in operative paragraphs 25 and 27 with "notes".

The Assembly Secretary, noting that the requests referred to in operative paragraphs 18 and 57 would entail new activities for 2025 with resource implications, said detailed cost estimates will be developed after internal consultations within the Secretariat.

By its terms, the Assembly emphasized the need for the UN development system to further cooperate with the African Union and the regional economic communities and stressed the importance of taking targeted measures to eradicate poverty in all its forms and dimensions. It encouraged African countries to expedite food security and nutrition aims as well as the right to adequate food in Africa.

The 193-member body also recognized that Africa is one of the regions that contribute the least to climate change, yet is extremely vulnerable and exposed to its adverse impacts, and expressed deep concern about the increasing challenges posed by drought, land degradation, desertification, the loss of biodiversity and floods. The text called upon the international community, including developed countries, to continue to support Africa to address its adaptation needs.

The text reiterated deep concern about the growing illicit financial flows and also emphasized that debt sustainability is essential for underpinning growth internationally and domestically. Further, it urged multilateral development banks to bring forward actions to mobilize and provide additional financing within their mandates to support developing countries and underlined the importance of debt sustainability, debt transparency and effective debt management. It also reiterated that the fulfilment of all official development assistance (ODA) commitments remains crucial.

During explanations of position after the text's adoption, the representative of the Russian Federation, highlighting the "rich and multifaceted" relationship between his country and Africa, dissociated from references in the text that welcomed the Pact for the Future. That document contains a number of ambiguous provisions that reflect the priorities of developed countries, he said.

The speaker for the United States, reaffirming commitment to various institutions outside the UN system that promote international monetary and financial stability, said the current text will not have any bearing on those institutions. He also disassociated from the reference to the work of the ad hoc committee to draft terms of reference for a UN framework convention on international tax cooperation. Further, he regretted that the text does not acknowledge that the $100 billion goal for climate finance for developing countries was met and exceeded in 2022.

Mexico's delegate expressed support for the text and asked for the oral amendment to be read before the Assembly.

Iraq's delegate, on behalf of the "Group of 77" and introducing the text "Promotion of durable peace through sustainable development in Africa" (document A/79/L.47), commended the constructive contributions of delegations and urged others who have not done so to express support for the draft.

By the terms of "L.47", the Assembly welcomed the progress made by African countries, the African Union and subregional organizations in conflict prevention, peacemaking, peacekeeping, peacebuilding and development. It expressed grave concern about the growing threat posed by terrorism and violent extremism and called upon the Office of Counter-Terrorism, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and its Terrorism Prevention Branch, and relevant Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact entities to intensify cooperation, assistance and capacity-building for African Member States, the African Union and African subregional organizations.

Other terms stressed the critical importance of a regional approach to conflict prevention, in particular with respect to cross-border issues such as transnational organized crime, drug trafficking, disarmament, demobilization, repatriation, resettlement and reintegration programmes, among others. The Assembly also called upon the UN system, Member States, and bilateral and multilateral partners to deliver expeditiously on their commitments and to support the full, speedy implementation of the provisions of the political declaration on Africa's development needs, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union Agenda 2063.

Hungary's delegate said that Africa is a vital partner of Budapest, with whom close cooperation is essential. Nevertheless, she said her delegation wished to disassociate from references in the text to the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. Hungary did not adopt the Compact and does not participate in its implementation, she said, stressing the need to ensure that people could stay in their home country in a safe, prosperous way.

Application of Article 19 of UN Charter for Member States in Arrears of Financial Contributions

The Assembly also took note of a letter from the Secretary-General (document A/79/720) informing Member States in arrears in the payment of their financial contributions to the UN within the terms of Article 19 of the Charter.