(United Nations) UN The secretary-general warned at the start of the annual General Assembly on Tuesday that a “winter of discontent looms on the horizon”, despite mounting crises from war and global warming in Ukraine in a world “paralysed” by divisions.
Posted at 9:31 am.
Updated at 12:30 p.m.
“A purchasing power crisis has been unleashed, confidence is eroding, inequalities are exploding, our planet is burning”, and above all, “we are held back by a massive global shutdown,” lamented Antonio Guterres at the opening of this week’s United summit. General Assembly of Nations.
“These crises threaten the future of humanity and the fate of the planet,” he said. “Let us not deceive ourselves […] A winter of global discontent looms on the horizon.
After the secretary-general, over several days, dozens of heads of state and government from around the world will address the annual diplomatic summit, which is resuming in person after two years disrupted by COVID-19.
Among the dangers threatening the world mentioned by the Secretary-General is Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, the focus of this high-level diplomatic week. In particular, the intervention of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday – thanks to the special authorization voted by member states last week via video – and the Security Council on Thursday at the level of foreign ministers.
North-South “Breaking”
In the latest development in the conflict, Moscow-installed authorities in four of Ukraine’s regions announced on Tuesday that they would urgently hold “referendums” on joining Russia on September 23 and 27.
“Fake referendums” are unacceptable, German Chancellor Olaf Scholes condemned on the sidelines of the General Assembly.
“We will continue to intensify our efforts to end the war […] “On the basis of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and independence,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on stage, calling for a “dignified” exit from the conflict by all sides.
Americans and Europeans are organizing a ministerial meeting on Tuesday on food security, as countries in the South grow increasingly irritated that Westerners are focusing their attention on Ukraine, a war that has affected the entire planet.
And French President Emmanuel Macron, who will be on stage in the middle of Tuesday, will stress the need to prevent a “rupture” between the countries of the North and the South, we say at the Élysée.
“I came to say that Africa has suffered enough from the burden of history that it does not want to be home to a new Cold War,” said Senegalese President Macky Sall, the current head of the African Union.
Tensions fueled by the war in Ukraine echo north-south animosity in the fight against climate change.
Poor countries, which they do not hold responsible for the devastating impacts of global warming, are particularly struggling to ensure that rich countries fulfill their financial aid promises.
A “Suicide War”
“It is time to move beyond these endless debates,” said Antonio Guterres.
He attacked the big fossil fuel producers who were “rejoicing” in the increased profits from the war in Ukraine and called on rich countries to tax these profits. Devastating implications for people experiencing climate change and inflation.
Two months before the UN COP27 climate conference in Egypt, “climate action has taken a back seat” to other crises, he condemned, calling for an end to “our suicidal war against nature”.
Due to Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral on Monday, the schedule for the week has been disrupted. This prompted US President Joe Biden to postpone his speech until Wednesday, when the US, the host country of the United Nations headquarters, traditionally speaks first.
Another matter of concern to the international community is Iran’s nuclear program, whose president Ibrahim Raisi is in New York for his first General Assembly.
In particular, he met at length on Tuesday with Emmanuel Macron, who during phone interviews in recent months has encouraged Tehran to accept conditions proposed by the Europeans to renew the 2015 nuclear deal that barred it from buying nuclear weapons. Lifting sanctions cripples its economy.
However, there were some notable absentees from this high-profile week, notably Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
