Guterres: we must act to avoid a new Cold War

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September 22, 2020 "We must do everything to avoid a new Cold War. We are moving in a very dangerous direction, the world cannot afford a future in which the two largest economies divide the globe in a Great Rift, each with their own rules commercial and financial, internet backbone capabilities and artificial intelligence ".

This was stated by the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, at the opening of the virtual debate at the 75th General Assembly, referring, without naming them, to the United States and China.

"A technological and economic gap inevitably risks turning into a geostrategic and military gap. We must avoid it at all costs," he continued.

"For the first time in 30 years, poverty is increasing. Human development indicators are declining. We are going astray in meeting the Sustainable Development Goals. Meanwhile, nuclear non-proliferation efforts are weakening and we are not taking action. in areas of emerging danger, especially cyberspace, "Guterres warned. 

The UN secretary general then launched a "call for a new push from the international community to make the global ceasefire a reality by the end of 2020".

Speaking at the opening of the 75th General Assembly (virtual due to Covid), Guterres stressed that "huge obstacles stand in the way - deep distrust, spoilers, and the weight of fighting that has been going on for years - but we have reasons to be confident".

He mentioned the new peace agreement in Sudan between the government and the armed movements, and the start of peace negotiations in Afghanistan.

In several situations, new ceasefires hold up better than in the past, such as in Syria (in Idlib), in the Middle East (with a lull in Gaza), and in Libya.

"It is time for a new collective push for peace and reconciliation - he said - We need a common international effort, led by the Security Council. We have 100 days". 

"Populism and nationalism have failed", "we must be guided by science and adhere to reality", said the UN secretary general on the coronavirus pandemic.

"We cannot respond to this crisis by returning to how we were before or by closing ourselves in a shell, we need more international cooperation, better global leadership. It has created space for something new", while "in the space of months millions of people have changed their ways of working, moving and interacting. The pandemic has taught us that our choices matter, so we need to make sure we choose well. "