U.N. leaders warn of escalating global conflicts

World leaders convened at the United Nations amid alarming warnings of a potential Middle East conflict and deteriorating global relations. The annual U.N. General Assembly meeting saw presidents, premiers, and other leaders departing with the threat of a broader war looming, not just in the Mideast but elsewhere.

There were no expectations of significant breakthroughs in the public and private meetings. However, this year’s atmosphere was particularly bleak, with no resolution in sight for the major conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan, and escalating Israeli military action in Lebanon. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized the urgent need to revive multilateralism, as speech after speech highlighted the failures to address climate change, growing inequality, and the dangers of unchecked artificial intelligence and autonomous weapons.

General Assembly President Philémon Yang described the weeklong meeting as “particularly tumultuous,” pointing to the ongoing “violent conflicts.” He noted the many crises and conflicts affecting U.N. member states.

UN Chief António Guterres warns the world has entered an “age of impunity” amid escalating Israeli aggression. UN experts caution that global order is “on the edge of a knife.”https://t.co/D7JM3LAFUF

— Truthout (@truthout) September 24, 2024

Multilateralism, a founding principle of the United Nations established in 1945, is in dire need of revitalization to tackle today’s challenges. An example of this was during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech, where he expressed a desire for peace while Israeli warplanes bombed areas around Beirut. Yang warned of the dramatic escalation between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, risking a broader Middle East war.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric acknowledged the serious and intense nature of this year’s general debate. He stressed that while the focus was on member states’ statements, attention remained on global events outside the U.N. building.

Lebanon: More than 100,000 people have crossed into Syria as devastating airstrikes continue.

Families are fleeing in search of safety, arriving tired and with few possessions.@Refugees is scaling up critical support for people in need.

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— United Nations (@UN) September 30, 2024

A positive development was the adoption of a “Pact for the Future” at a summit preceding the General Assembly. This 42-page blueprint aims to unite the 193 U.N. member nations to address challenges such as climate change, artificial intelligence, escalating conflicts, and increasing inequality. The pact calls for turning promises into actions, and Yang’s office has launched an “awareness-raising campaign” to spur implementation.

Burundi’s foreign minister, Albert Shingiro, decried the selfishness of the international community but noted that the consensus on the Pact for the Future shows that multilateralism is not dead. Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Mottley emphasized the need for global institutions to include developing countries in decision-making processes to restore trust in multilateralism.

Nobel peace laureate Muhammad Yunus, head of Bangladesh’s interim government, called for a shared vision targeting zero poverty, zero unemployment, and zero net carbon emissions. He urged for new attitudes and values across communities and countries.

The assembly heard from representatives of 190 countries, including 71 heads of state, 42 heads of government, and other high-ranking officials. This year, the U.N. Security Council met multiple times due to the numerous global conflicts and crises.

Despite the alarm, many leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden, expressed optimism. Biden, giving his final speech at the annual meeting after over fifty years in public life, reminded the assembly of humanity’s progress in resolving past conflicts and injustices, encouraging hope for a better future.