UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday laid out key priorities for 2025 at a UN General Assembly plenary meeting, calling for collective action to tackle intertwined and unprecedented challenges amid the turmoil of the world.
In his speech, Guterres highlighted runaway conflicts, rampant inequalities, the raging climate crisis, and out-of-control technology as four major challenges the world is facing, as well as his key priorities for this year.
The UN chief stressed that from the Gaza Strip, Ukraine, Sudan, to Yemen, conflicts are multiplying, becoming messier and deadlier, and "deepening geopolitical divisions and mistrust are adding fuel to the fire", with the nuclear threat at its highest in decades.
Guterres called on fighting inequalities by reforming and modernizing the institutions of global finance to truly represent today's economy, adding that developing countries must be represented fairly in these institutions.
The UN chief urged governments to work harder in the fight against the climate crisis and shift collective efforts into overdrive and deliver on the goals of the Paris Agreement.
Furthermore, the secretary-general said the technology revolution offers "unprecedented opportunities" but also demands careful stewardship, urging the General Assembly to establish the Independent International Scientific Panel on artificial intelligence (AI) and initiate the process for the Global Dialogue on AI Governance this year.
With the United Nations embracing its 80th anniversary this year, Guterres called on the international community to work together to build the more peaceful, just and prosperous world.
UN chief lays out key priorities for 2025 at General Assembly
UN chief lays out key priorities for 2025 at General Assembly
