UN Secretary-General António Guterres told BRICS leaders in New Delhi that institutions created after the Second World War no longer reflected current economic, demographic and geopolitical conditions. “Today’s economic, demographic and geopolitical realities are not those of 1945,” Guterres said. “Our institutional structures must reflect it.”
BRICS brings together Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa and several other emerging economies seeking a greater role in global decision-making.
Guterres said BRICS members illustrated the shift towards a multipolar world.
“Countries represented at this summit speak to that changing reality,” Guterres said. “We are increasingly moving towards a multipolar world.”
“Multipolarity helps bring balance and equity to global systems and institutions.”
However, Guterres said achieving greater balance required reform of the UN Security Council and Bretton Woods institutions to “reflect the world of today”.
Guteress identified financing, technology, climate justice and peace as four priorities for inclusive global growth.
Developing countries require “massive international support” to meet the Sustainable Development Goals, while multilateral development banks should become “bigger, better and bolder”, Guterres said.
Guterres also warned that the benefits and control of artificial intelligence remained concentrated in a small number of companies and countries. “Unchecked, the AI divide will widen every other divide, in income, in opportunity, in security and in sovereignty,” Guterres said.
Climate change presented another immediate threat, with extreme heat, melting glaciers, wildfires and flooding providing “a preview” of worsening conditions. “A supersized El Niño will only make matters worse,” Guterres said.
Guterres called on wealthy countries to honour commitments totalling $300 billion annually, triple adaptation finance and increase support for loss and damage.
Critical mineral development should also deliver greater benefits to producer countries rather than continue patterns of extraction without local value creation. “Enough plundering,” Guterres said.
On global security, Guterres called for adherence to the UN Charter, including sovereign equality, territorial integrity and peaceful resolution of disputes.
“As we move irreversibly to a multipolar world, all countries must work to strengthen and safeguard a multilateral system that delivers for all, with the United Nations at its centre,” Guterres said.
–UN/ChannelAfrica–
