United Nations (UN) secretary general Antonio Guterres on Tuesday urged world leaders, including the representative of His Highness the Amir, Kuwaiti Prime Minister His Highness Sheikh Ahmad Al-Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, to come together for the "common good." Citing the contents of the UN charter, he told the UN General Assembly that efforts to "modernize the multilateral system," to address current global issues have now become a necessity, lamenting the recent floods in Libya triggered by a massive Mediterranean storm, which left thousands of people either dead or missing.
At a time where the world is rife with human suffering, ranging from armed conflicts to natural disasters, he said the UN's humanitarian operations were forced to make "massive cuts" as a result of inadequate funding, urging countries to do their part in a bid to keep the UN's Humanitarian Appeal afloat.
He went on to address the issue of climate change as among the world's most pressing matters, calling for immediate and effective steps including carbon pricing and the fulfillment of "climate financing promises," the UN chief underlined.
On existential challenges facing the world today, he listed the civil war in Sudan and the mounting humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Afghanistan as cases in point, in addition to ongoing Russia-Ukraine war that has jeopardized global food security.
In the face of these challenges, a "spirit of determination can guide the world forward," he emphasized, urging world leaders to remain committed to world peace, human rights and sustainable development goals.
Source: Kuwait News Agency
