United Nations, Sep 13 – The UN General Assembly today opened its 77th session with warnings about the danger of the war in Ukraine, food insecurity, the strong international division and the urgent need to take more measures against climate change.
The event took place a week before the international leaders disembark in New York who, like every September, will participate in the Assembly’s high-level debates.
The new president of this body, the Hungarian Csaba Körösi, and the Secretary General of the UN, António Guterres, outlined with their speeches the issues that a priori will mark the agenda of these meetings at the highest level.
Among them, they highlighted the Russian invasion of Ukraine and its impact on the energy and food markets, the strong fracture between the powers of the UN Security Council and the climate crisis.
Korösi warned that the world is facing problems not seen since World War II, calling the conflict in Ukraine “a turning point for all”.
“This war must stop,” insisted the Hungarian diplomat, who warned of the many consequences of the Russian invasion.
Among them, the greatest risk of nuclear weapons being used in 40 years and the food crisis that has worsened since the outbreak of the conflict.
Both Körösi and Guterres called for international cooperation to respond to all these problems.
“It is our mission to unite when there are disagreements and build bridges when there are deep divisions,” stressed the president of the Assembly.
“The world expects the members of the Assembly to use all the tools at their disposal to negotiate and forge consensus and solutions. Debate, deliberation, diplomacy. These eternal tools represent the best path to a better and more peaceful world,” Guterres added.