In an era of “nuclear blackmail”, UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged countries to step back from the threat of potential global catastrophe and recommit to peace. The UN chief was speaking at an event to commemorate the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, held as the annual debate in the General Assembly Hall draws to a close. “Nuclear weapons are the most destructive power ever created. They offer no security — just carnage and chaos. Their elimination would be the greatest gift we could bestow on future generations,” he said. 

Senior UN officials, including Secretary-General António Guterres, took part in a High-Level event at UN Headquarters in New York, noting the encouraging progress that has been made towards ending the COVID-19 pandemic, while acknowledging that work still needs to be done to ensure the most vulnerable are protected. Mr. Guterres celebrated rising vaccination coverage worldwide, particularly among high-risk populations, and the fact that, on average, countries have vaccinated around three-quarters of health care workers and older people.

A year after the UN launched an initiative to accelerate green and digital job creation, and expand social protection, the Secretary-General urged world leaders to “put people first” by making massive investments in their future wellbeing. According to António Guterres, the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions aims to rebalance societies by putting decent jobs and social protection at the centre of sustainable development. “The path of inaction leads to economic collapse and climate catastrophe, widening inequalities and escalating social unrest”, which could leave “billions trapped in vicious circles of poverty and destitution”, he warned.

With the war in Ukraine showing no signs of letting up, countries must increase efforts to prevent further escalation and end the fighting, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told Foreign Ministers meeting in the Security Council. The conflict, now in its seventh month, has also sparked a global food, energy and finance crisis that is pushing more people into extreme poverty and hunger, and growing fears of potential nuclear disaster. “As I have said from the start, this senseless war has unlimited potential to do terrible harm – in Ukraine, and around the world,” the UN chief recalled. 

Rising insecurity, including the proliferation of terrorist and other non-State armed groups, coupled with political instability, is creating a crisis in the Sahel that poses a “global threat”, the UN chief warned a high level meeting on the vast African region, which took place behind closed doors at UN Headquarters in New York. “If nothing is done, the effects of terrorism, violent extremism and organized crime will be felt far beyond the region and the African continent”, said Secretary-General António Guterres in his remarks.