The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, warned today that "Sudan is plunging into a full-scale war and faces the risk of division." This statement came during Guterres' speech at the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly that commenced today. Guterres emphasized that "a series of coups across the Sahel region of Africa is destabilizing the area amidst rising terrorism."
Regarding Libya, Guterres stated that "the casualties there were victims of years of conflict and of leaders who failed to find a path to peace," noting that "thousands lost their lives in Libya's Derna due to unprecedented flooding. Derna represents a sad picture of our world, where a flood of inequality, injustice, and inability to face challenges prevails." He pointed out that "our world is filled with challenges, and we seem unable to confront them," indicating that "the multipolar world needs global multilateral institutions."
Guterres also called for "reforming the United Nations Security Council in line with today's world and redesigning international financial structures," highlighting that "we won't be able to effectively address problems if international institutions do not reflect the world as it is." He added, "old tensions are exacerbating worldwide while new risks are emerging," and affirmed that "the right to peace will be ensured if every state fulfills its obligations under the UN Charter."
Concerning Ukraine, Guterres noted that the war there has "serious repercussions, and nuclear threats endanger us, while ignoring treaties makes us less secure." He considered that "the war in Ukraine is a violation of the United Nations Charter and international law, causing devastation and violations of human rights," stating: "We must pursue all avenues to alleviate the suffering of civilians in Ukraine and beyond, and the Black Sea Initiative is one of those avenues."
U.S. President Joe Biden remarked that "hostility cannot continue, and enmity cannot last," calling for resolving disputes peacefully to achieve a promising future for all. He asserted that "no nation can face today's challenges alone, and therefore countries must rely on one another," insisting that "we must bring leaders of conflicting and warring nations to the negotiation table, and America seeks a safer, more prosperous, and equitable world for all peoples."
Biden added, "We have a positive vision regarding our relations with China, and we are not disengaging from it. We are ready for direct collaboration with them to achieve mutual results, and the time is right for that," further stating, "American partnerships are not aimed at containing any nation, and we seek to manage our competition with China responsibly."
King Abdullah of Jordan stated, "The Kingdom does not have the capacity or resources to host more Syrian refugees and care for them," adding, "The future of Syrian refugees lies in their homeland, not in host countries. However, until they can return home, we must all do what is right by them."
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan highlighted his country's support for Azerbaijan's efforts to maintain its territorial unity and integrity after Baku launched a military operation in the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region. Erdoğan noted in his address to the UN General Assembly that "the region is part of Azerbaijani territory, and any other status for the region is unacceptable," also mentioning that "the world is facing serious challenges and worsening humanitarian crises."
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of Qatar, in his speech at the 78th session of the UN General Assembly, expressed solidarity with the people of Morocco and Libya concerning the victims of the earthquake and floods. He stated regarding the Palestinian cause that "the Palestinian people should not remain captive to the tyranny of the Israeli occupation," stressing that "the occupation takes the form of an apartheid system in the 21st century."
Sheikh Tamim stressed, "We must not forget that there are peoples in the world preoccupied with present tragedies, and it is our duty to work to lift the injustice off them." He called for unified efforts to prevent the misuse of cyberspace, stating that rapid technological advancement and increasing reliance on it open unprecedented horizons for human progress.
The Amir discussed several issues, including: "We cannot accept the injustice faced by the Syrian people as if it were fate. It is sad to witness this year the outbreak of violence in Sudan. We condemn the crimes committed against civilians in Khartoum and Darfur and call for accountability for those responsible. We continue to coordinate international efforts to ensure adherence to the Doha Agreement to prevent Afghanistan from slipping into a difficult crisis. We affirm our ongoing support for the efforts of the Secretary-General's Special Representative in Libya to resolve the crisis." He added, "The danger has become imminent for state institutions in Lebanon, and we affirm the necessity of finding a solution to the presidential vacuum. The path to resolving conflicts peacefully is long and arduous, but it is less costly than wars. We recognize that energy exports impose duties on us as a reliable partner. We affirmed during the events of the 2022 World Cup that sports play a role in connecting peoples and cultures."
Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan spoke on the sidelines of the 78th UN General Assembly during a high-level meeting on the international coalition against synthetic drugs. He stated, "We must confront this threat through multilateral frameworks. The Kingdom affirms its commitment to the ministerial declaration that resulted in the establishment of the international coalition to counter synthetic drug threats. As partners in this coalition, we must work together to eradicate the production and trafficking of drugs. The Kingdom is making efforts to exchange information with more than 30 countries to combat the drug menace."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the leaders of the world gathered at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, stating that Russia is trying to maneuver on the issue of global food shortages to gain international recognition of the territory it has seized from Kyiv. In his first personal appearance at the annual UN General Assembly meetings since Russia's invasion of his country in 2022, Zelensky criticized Moscow for what he described as "an attempt to use the food shortage in the global market as a weapon in exchange for recognition of some, if not all, of the territories seized by Russia."
He accused Russia of committing genocide by abducting Ukrainian children, stating that Kyiv is preparing for a global peace summit. Zelensky said, "Ukraine is doing everything in its power to ensure that no one in the world dares to attack any country after the Russian aggression... the occupier must return to its own territory."
