Maseru, Jan. 30 — The United Nations (UN) Secretary General (SG), Dr. Antonio Guterres has warned that every action that heats the planet triggers a ferocious reaction, that leads to storms, wildfires, hurricanes, droughts and rising seas.
He was speaking at a press conference where he was tabling his goals for the year 2026.
Guterres said, “We are living in a world where actions, especially reckless ones, are provoking dangerous reactions and unlike in physics, these reactions are not symmetrical or predictable. They are being multiplied by geopolitical divisions and magnified by an epidemic of impunity.”
He said the law of power is prevailing over the power of law, pointing out that international law is trampled while cooperation is eroding and multilateral institutions are under assault on many fronts.
The UN SG said when perilous actions do not meet the adequate reaction, the system destabilizes, and impunity is driving today’s conflicts, fueling escalation, widening mistrust, and kicking the doors open for powerful spoilers to enter from every direction.
He noted that meanwhile, the slashing of humanitarian aid is generating its own chain reactions of despair, displacement, and death while at the same time, inequalities are deepening and roiling societies.
He further said climate change is the most literal and devastating illustration of Newton’s principle and then there is technology.
‘’We are witnessing perhaps the greatest transfer of power of our times, not from governments to people, but from governments to private technology companies. When technologies that shape behavior, elections, markets, and even conflicts operate without guardrails, the reaction is not innovation, it is instability. As I look across the spectrum of global challenges, one truth becomes unmistakably clear, our systems of global problem-solving face a reckoning. ‘’
He added, those systems are out of time, they still reflect the economic and power structures of 80 years ago, but the world is moving on.
Guterres noted that every day, the share of global economic activity by the traditional group of developed economies recedes, quietly, gradually, but undeniably, every day, emerging economies expand in scale, in influence, and in confidence, every day, the dynamism of South-South trade further outpaces traditional North-North flows.
He however pointed that yet structures, institutions, assumptions, habits of cooperation, remain tethered to another time and this must change.
‘’Our structures and institutions must reflect the complexity, and the opportunity of these new times and realities. Global problems will not be solved by one power calling the shots. Nor will they be solved by two powers carving the world into rival spheres of influence.’’
He also said it is important to accelerate, deliberately and with determination, multi-polarity, one that is networked, inclusive by design, and capable of creating balance through partnerships in trade, in technology and in international cooperation.
He however indicated that multi-polarity, by itself, does not guarantee stability or peace.
The SG noted that Europe before the first World War was multipolar. But in the absence of effective multilateral institutions, the result was confrontation and war and for multi-polarity to generate equilibrium, prosperity and peace, there is need for strong multilateral institutions where legitimacy is rooted in shared responsibility and shared values.
He stressed a need for accelerated progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and insisting on reform of the global financial architecture.
That includes ending the crushing cycle of debt, tripling the lending capacity of multilateral development banks, and ensuring developing countries just participation and real influence in global financial institutions.
The SG said he is calling for the creation of a Global Fund on Artificial Intelligence (AI) Capacity Development for developing countries, with a target of $3 billion.
Ends/MP/tl
