‘World badly needs Ukrainian food and Russian food’ – UN Sec-General Guterres at UN General Assembly’s 78th session in New York

« United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres emphasized the significance of initiatives like the Black Sea Initiative to ensure food security and market stability, stating, « The world badly needs Ukrainian food and Russian food and fertilizers to stabilize markets and guarantee food security, and I will not give up on my efforts to make it happen, » at the UN General Assembly’s 78th session in New York on Tuesday.
He also highlighted the importance of international cooperation in the face of mounting global challenges, and ​went on to express concerns about the current state of global affairs.
« Our world is becoming unhinged. Geopolitical tensions are rising. Global challenges are mounting, and we seem incapable of coming together to respond, » he remarked.
​He acknowledged the changing landscape of international relations, shifting from the Cold War’s superpower dominance to today’s multipolar world. However, he cautioned that multipolarity alone cannot guarantee peace, urging for a united effort to address existential threats like the climate crisis and disruptive technologies.
​ »Our world has changed, our institutions have not. We cannot effectively address problems as they are if institutions do not reflect the world as it is, » he stressed, highlighting the need for institutional reform.
He warned against institutions becoming part of the problem rather than solving it, calling for adaptability and responsiveness to the evolving global landscape.
In a separate statement, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil, drew attention to global spending priorities.
​ »A lot is invested in weapons and very little in development, » Lula da Silva stated.
He raised concerns about the staggering military expenditures of over two trillion dollars, with 83 billion dollars allocated to nuclear weapons, twenty times higher than the regular UN budget. President Lula emphasized that true stability and security could not be achieved in a world marked by social exclusion and inequality.
He underscored the detrimental impact of unilateral sanctions on affected populations, emphasizing the UN’s role as a forum for understanding and dialogue.
« Unilateral sanctions cause great harm to the population of affected countries, » he said.
President Lula called upon the international community to make a choice between perpetuating conflicts, deepening inequalities, and eroding the rule of law or renewing multilateral institutions dedicated to promoting peace. »



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