UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for a balanced and fairly representative multilateral system centred on the international organisation, saying such a system was essential to effectively address global challenges. He made the appeal in his speech during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.
A multipolar world, united by a network of interdependencies, can create the conditions for a more balanced and inclusive approach to global challenges. But this requires a multilateral system centred on the United Nations — one characterised by balance and fair representation.
Guterres calls for reform of international institutions
The Secretary-General said the system he was calling for should be based on strong and effective institutions that reflect contemporary realities and the gradual changes in the relative weight of states and economies. He stressed that these institutions should no longer be governed by the balance of power that prevailed eight decades ago, given the transformations the world has undergone since then.
Guterres said that, despite their capabilities, the powers of major countries remained limited. He argued that military, economic or technological power could not, on its own, guarantee peace, stability and security, reinforcing the need for international cooperation based on multilateral institutions and more balanced representation.
Call for climate justice and accountability for polluters
On the environment, Guterres said the dangers of climate change were becoming increasingly evident, calling on those responsible for polluting the environment and the air to pay the price. He stressed that the world needed climate justice in the face of the growing impacts of climate change.
The Secretary-General also addressed technological development, calling on the United States and China to launch a dialogue on artificial intelligence. He said technological power, including artificial intelligence technologies, was advancing so rapidly that it outpaced humans’ ability to grasp its consequences, arguing that the danger lay not in the technology itself but in the absence of oversight.
Guterres added that the development of artificial intelligence must be ensured within responsible safeguards, while working to ensure that no country was left behind.
He linked this to the need to regulate rapidly advancing technologies and make their benefits more broadly accessible, as part of his vision for an international system capable of addressing security, climate and technological challenges.
