The United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, has signalled that the world is losing faith in the idea of multilateralism.
In a message posted on LinkedIn, ahead of the upcoming “Summit of the Future”, he wrote that critics of multilateralism had pointed to the concept’s unmet commitments, double standards and vast inequalities.
And he warned that the inability of countries to come together, in order to find solutions for common challenges, was indicative of “a deeper dysfunction in our world.” As a result, multilateralism was “falling behind.”
Mr Guterres said that the September Summit in New York was “a pivotal opportunity for renewal.”
He stressed that the event would help get multilateralism back on track, by considering reforms to the global financial architecture. This would ensure the system properly represented the modern day world, capable of responding to today’s challenges.
Guterres’ view was that the Security Council, together with a proposed New Agenda for Peace, would use the Summit as an opportunity to “help to prevent and resolve conflict, rebalance geopolitical relations, and give developing countries a proportionate voice on the global stage.”
Furthermore, a Global Digital Compact, which included proposals on AI governance, could “turbocharge the #GlobalGoals” and also help to bridge the existing gap in digital connectivity. “This is the moment for the world to move forward together,” Guterres implored.
In July 2022, Mr Guterres told G20 foreign ministers that the only way to a peaceful world was by strengthening multilateralism. This was a necessity, not a choice, he said at the time.
Strengthening multilateralism ‘only way’ to peaceful world for all: Guterres | UN News
