In his address to the unprecedented 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday appealed for international solidarity to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, reiterated his call for a global ceasefire and warned against a new Cold War.
Addressing the largely empty General Assembly Hall in New York, the UN chief termed the pandemic from the podium as "not only a wake-up call" but "a dress rehearsal" for challenges to come.
"In an interconnected world, it is high time to recognize a simple truth: solidarity is self-interest. If we fail to grasp that fact, everyone loses," he said.
The secretary-general underscored the need for solidarity at this moment, particularly as countries least capable to address COVID-19 have received far too little assistance. He urged the UN's 193 member states to move forward in humility and unity in the face of the disease.
"And we must be guided by science and tethered to reality," he added. "Populism and nationalism have failed. Those approaches to contain the virus have often made things manifestly worse."
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, world leaders will not attend the annual gathering at UN headquarters, known as the General Debate. Instead, they have pre-recorded their speeches on video, although they have the right to deliver them in person - from their seats in the hall, not from the podium.
Talking about the on-going UNGA session, the UN chief said that "in a world turned upside down, this General Assembly Hall is among the strangest sights of all. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our annual meeting beyond recognition. But it has made it more important than ever."
Guterres said the pandemic has exposed fragilities and inequalities across the globe. It has generated "an epochal health crisis," the biggest economic and job losses since the Great Depression, and dangerous new threats to human rights, among other challenges.
Turning to the call for a global ceasefire that he made in March, urging warring parties to "end the sickness of war and fight the disease that is ravaging our world," the secretary-general said that some 180 member states have endorsed the appeal, as have religious leaders, regional partners and civil society networks. Several armed movements also responded, some of whom announced ceasefires, though they were not sustained.
Guterres said he saw several reasons to be hopeful now, with the peace agreement in Sudan, and peace talks in Afghanistan, as just two examples. However, he feared terrorist and violent extremist groups will exploit the pandemic.
"Now is the time for a collective new push for peace and reconciliation," he said. "I appeal for a stepped-up international effort - led by the Security Council - to achieve a global ceasefire by the end of this year. We have 100 days. The clock is ticking."
The UN chief underscored that efforts must be made to "avert a new Cold War," noting that "we are moving in a very dangerous direction. Our world cannot afford a future where the two largest economies split the globe in a Great Fracture - each with its own trade and financial rules and internet and artificial intelligence capacities."
"A technological and economic divide risks inevitably turning into a geo-strategic and military divide. We must avoid this at all costs," he said.
Referring to gender equality, the UN chief said that the COVID-19 pandemic could also see progress on gender equality pushed back by decades, as women and girls are overwhelmingly affected by the social and economic fallout, including in areas such as employment and education.
"We must also stamp out the horrifying increase in violence against women and girls during the pandemic, from domestic violence to sexual abuse, online harassment and femicide," he said.
"This is a hidden war on women. Preventing and ending it requires the same commitment and resources that we devote to other forms of warfare."
In addition to his vison that recovering from COVID-19 must lead to a better future for all, the UN chief underscored the need for what he called a New Social Contract, at the national level, and a New Global Deal, applicable internationally.
Guterres explained that the New Social Contract has several components, such as ending exclusion, discrimination and racism, and establishing Universal Health Coverage and even a possible Universal Basic Income.
It also entails having fairer tax systems, providing education for all, harnessing digital technology, and ensuring human rights as well as opportunities for women and girls.
Turning to climate action, the UN chief encouraged countries to consider six climate-positive actions, ranging from green jobs and ending fossil fuel subsidies, to aligning any industry bailouts with international goals to limit global warming.
The New Global Deal seeks to make sure power, wealth and opportunities are fairly shared. He said it must be rooted in fair globalization, while sustainable development principles should be integrated into all decision-making.
The pact also must address historical injustices in global power structures.
Talking about multilateralism, Guterres once again noted that the 21st century multilateralism must be "networked" and "inclusive."
On UN's comprehensive response throughout the pandemic, the UN chief said that the UN system, led by the World Health Organization, has assisted governments, particularly in the developing world, including through providing personal protective equipment and other medical supplies to more than 130 countries.
The UN also launched the "verified" campaign to fight the "toxic virus" of misinformation surrounding COVID-19. It is also supporting efforts to develop a fair and equitable vaccine against the actual coronavirus, as well as treatments and therapies.
Speaking about the much expected COVID-19 vaccines, Guterres warned against what he called "vaccinationalism," as countries are reportedly making "side deals" for their own populations.
The secretary-general said that the UN has also pushed for a "massive" rescue package, equivalent to roughly 10 percent of global economic output, to get economies back up and running, he said.
"We need to ensure that the developing world does not fall into financial ruin, escalating poverty and debt crises," he said. "We need a collective commitment to avoid a downward spiral."
