António Guterre opens the 78th United Nations General Assembly
In his opinion, "the world has changed. Our institutions have not kept up. We cannot effectively solve today's challenges if these institutions do not adapt to reflect the world as it is now. Instead of solving problems, they risk becoming become part of the problem."
Today, September 19, the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) opened the 78th session of the General Assembly. The Prime Minister of Cape Verde and Head of Government was present at the opening and will give his speech next Saturday morning.
During his speech, António Guterres addressed critical issues such as global governance, which he considers “trapped in time” and pointed to the Security Council and the Bretton Woods financial institutions as examples of systems that have not evolved to reflect changes in the world since 1945, having pointed out that these institutions still mirror the political and economic realities of 1945, when many of the countries represented at the UN were still under colonial rule. He highlighted that the world has undergone significant changes since then, while these institutions have remained practically unchanged.
In his opinion, “the world has changed. Our institutions have not followed suit. We cannot effectively solve today's challenges if these institutions do not adapt to reflect the world as it is now. Instead of solving problems, they risk becoming part of the problem.”
The UN Secretary General has stood out as a vocal advocate for the need for reforms in international financial institutions and the UN Security Council. In this regard, he made a direct appeal for these institutions to open up to the participation of the African Union.
The UN Secretary-General's scathing critique underscores the urgent importance of assessing and modernizing global governance structures to address contemporary challenges, a message that echoes beyond the walls of the UN General Assembly and resonates on the international stage.
