Doha: Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that powerful forces are lining up to undermine global cooperation, but affirmed that 'humanity is strongest when we stand as one.'
According to Qatar News Agency, on the event commemorating the 80th anniversary of the UN, Guterres emphasised that the General Assembly, the UN's chief deliberative, policymaking and representative body, is 'the parliament of the family of nations. It is a forum for every voice to be heard, a crucible for consensus, and a beacon for cooperation.'
Whilst he acknowledged that the General Assembly's work 'may not always be straightforward or seamless,' he described it as 'a mirror of our world, its divisions and its hopes. And it is the stage on which our shared story plays out.'
Reflecting on the last decade, Guterres spoke of how 'the conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan have been vicious and cruel beyond measure; artificial intelligence has become ubiquitous almost overnight; and the pandemic poured accelerant on the fires of nationalism, stalling progress on development and climate action.'
Guterres emphasised how 2025 was a 'profoundly challenging' year for international cooperation and the UN's values. 'Aid was slashed. Inequalities widened. Climate chaos accelerated. International law was trampled. Crackdowns on civil society intensified. Journalists were killed with impunity. And United Nations staff were repeatedly threatened - or killed - in the line of duty.'
A 'robust, responsive and well-resourced multilateral' system is needed to address the world's interconnected challenges, Guterres urged, but the 'values of multilateralism are being chipped away.'
Looking towards the future, the Secretary-General called for an international system that reflects the modern world, including reforming international financial systems and the Security Council. 'As global centres of power shift, we have the potential to build a future that is either more fair or more unstable,' Guterres said.