Guterres: “Peace in Ukraine with territorial integrity. Gaza needs the United Nations”

Bari - UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, you are in Italy to participate in the G7 meeting and visit the UNGSC in Brindisi, and recently hosted the Italian President Sergio Mattarella at the United Nations. What are your priorities for the G7 and for the UN relationship with Italy, in view also of the Summit of the Future the UN will host in September?

"Italy has a long history as a bridge-builder and a principled member of the international community. I very much look forward to attending the G7 Summit in Apulia under the leadership of Prime Minister Georgia Meloni. The G7 Summit is an important opportunity to achieve progress on key issues from the climate crisis to advancing efforts towards safe, orderly and regular migration, creating momentum for reform to global institutions, and agreeing on principles to govern the development of Artificial Intelligence. On climate, the window for action is rapidly closing and the biggest emitters - the G7 and G20 countries - have a responsibility to go furthest, fastest. They need to set ambitious goals to cut emissions; phase out the use of fossil fuels; and step up finance for adaptation and for the Loss and Damage fund. They should also contribute technical expertise to developing countries to support their transition to renewable energy. Underpinning this, we need fundamental change to the international financial architecture, which is outdated, dysfunctional and unfair. International organizations, including the United Nations Security Council, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, reflect the world of 1945, when many developing countries were still under colonial rule. As a result, Africa in particular is badly under-represented on the global stage. I will be calling for changes so these institutions better represent developing countries and respond to their needs.Another area that I will highlight at the G7 is artificial intelligence - which is fast becoming a central question of governance today. AI technologies are racing ahead of regulation.They are being rolled out with virtually no regard for consequences. And they are inflaming existing tensions by concentrating wealth and contributing to the digital divide. AI must support human rights and sustainable development, and benefit all humanity.The G7 Summit will be an important milestone in the lead up to the Summit of the Future in New York in September. The Summit of the Future is a generational opportunity to address the challenges of today and tomorrow, and to accelerate implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. G7 countries, with their unique place in the global economy and institutions, have a unique responsibility and opportunity to push for change. I count on them to garner political support and action for an ambitious outcome at the Summit of the Future.I will also be visiting Brindisi to mark the 30th anniversary of the UN Global Service Centre, which supports our peacekeeping and humanitarian work around the world. We are very grateful for Italy’s continued generosity as host of the United Nations presence in Brindisi, Rome and elsewhere."

You welcomed US president Biden's Gaza cease-fire proposal. Could the United Nations play a role after the conflict, both for peacekeeping and reconstruction purposes, notwithstandingthe ongoing discussions about UNRWA’s role, and how?

"I welcome the cease-fire put forward by President Biden and I also welcome the resolution adopted by the Security Council on Monday. I have consistently called for a ceasefire, the unconditional release of hostages, and unfettered humanitarian access to people in need across Gaza. The appalling, heartbreaking devastation of the past eight months has reinforced the urgent need for Israelis, Palestinians, the States of the region and the broader international community to re-engage on the political path to sustained peace. We cannot contemplate the continuation of this horror, much less an escalation or a repeat a few years down the line. We must break the cycle. The United Nations is ready and willing to do whatever we can to resolve the situation between Israel and Palestine, in support of the two-State solution, in which Israel and Palestine can live side by side in peace and security. We are in continuous discussions with all the relevant parties, not just on dealing with the catastrophic humanitarian situation on the ground, but in considering what needs to be done after the fighting ends"

Several Nato countries recently gave the green light to use their weapons to hit the Russian territory across the Ukrainian border, in order to help Kyiv in defending itself from the current offensive in the Kharkiv region. Do you agree with this decision, should the G7 authorize the use of Russian frozen assets to finance Ukraine, and what could be the UN role to facilitate the end of the invasion?

"More than two years in, the cost in human lives and suffering of the Russian invasion of Ukraine has been appalling, and the impact on the global economy devastating. The war continues to inflict a heavy toll, particularly on the people of Ukraine. Any escalation is a direct threat to regional stability and international security. Our focus - what we want to see - is peace. We desperately need a just and sustainable peace, in line with the United Nations Charter, international law and resolutions of the General Assembly, including the principle of territorial integrity. That is the path to peace and security - in Ukraine and worldwide".

China and Russia are proposing a new multilateral order, based on their alliances with the BRICS, SCO and other countries. What do you think about this initiative, and does it represent a challenge for the UN?

"Member States have created different groupings based on various issues or on geography. We fully support this, as long as these groupings are guided by the universal values of the United Nations Charter. I meet with many regional and thematic groups on a regular basis, and my message to all of them is the same. We face existential challenges - from the worsening climate emergency and escalating conflicts to the global cost-of-living crisis, soaring inequalities and dramatic technological disruptions. This is a time to come together and to work together, in the face of growing divisions. As we move towards a multipolar world, we should heed the lessons of history. Time after time, we have seen that multipolarity on its own, without strong multilateral institutions, does not guarantee stability and may even become a catalyst for geopolitical chaos. Addressing the challenges we face requires effective international institutions, rooted in 21st century realities, and based on the UN Charter and international law".

In your June 5 special address on climate you stressed the urgent need to act. What should the G7 do to accelerate the fight against climate change?

"Domestic pressures and international crises threaten global climate ambition, but the G7 must lead with ambitious targets, standards and policies. We need the G7 to demonstrate leadership by presenting, by early 2025, new and ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions fully aligned with the 1.5-degree limit, covering all sectors and greenhouse gases. The National Determined Goals from G7 members must set the benchmark for ambition, quality and timing for others to follow. The G7 must lead the phaseout of fossil fuels by ending all new exploration for oil and gas, committing to end new coal projects, stop using coal by 2030 and fully decarbonizing their power systems by 2035. The G7 must work in solidarity with emerging economies and developing countries to support these countries to accelerate the pace of their energy transitions.There also needs to be a focus on adaptation, which remains off-track. The G7 and other developed countries must honor their commitment to double adaptation finance to at least $40 billion a year by 2025. Last month, the G7 launched the Adaptation Accelerator Hub, building on the my Adaptation Pipeline Accelerator initiative. This is a step in the right direction. By COP29 - the next climate conference - this initiative must be translated into tangible action to transform investment and implementation in developing countries, backed up by concrete finance commitments.This is also a time to keep promises on climate finance. G7 countries must make significant contributions to the new Loss and Damage Fund and ensure that it is open for business by COP29. The G7 must support all efforts to drastically scale up climate finance for climate vulnerable countries by fulfilling their existing commitments and mobilizing new and innovative sources of financing, as well as agreeing a new climate finance goal at COP29. This will be essential to build trust and ensure the most vulnerable are not isolated and left behind in facing the climate crisis. Financial support for the energy transition will be crucial to keep global temperatures within the limit of 1.5 degrees of warming, and move towards a renewables-based climate resilient global economy".

The history of the world is largely the history of human mobility. Mass migration over centuries created the world of today. Migration did not arise out of nowhere in the past few decades. But it needs to be managed in a way that respects the human rights of refugees, migrants, and host communities and countries. At the same time, it is essential to distinguish between refugees and migrants. Refugees are fleeing persecution and conflict. Under the 1951 Refugee Convention, governments must open their borders to refugees, and protect them. Migrants do not benefit from these specific protections, but their fundamental human rights must be respected - like those of people everywhere.In 2023, 72% of the over 150,000 people who arrived in Italy by sea came from African countries. There are some obvious reasons for this. Many African countries are drowning in debt, and the way that the international financial system is currently organized does not give them a fair chance. Many Africans are migrating in search of economic opportunities.Reform of the international financial architecture would enable African countries to increase their investments in sustainable development, creating jobs and opportunities for their people. Africans should be able to find a future in Africa. Migration should always be a question of choice, not a necessity. It is also important to create organized forms of migration between countries of origin and countries of destination. There are many areas in which developed countries need migrants in their societies. Migration is essential, but it needs to be organized. In this context, the Mattei Plan could be an opportunity not only to combat the root causes that force people to undertake dangerous journeys, but to support African countries that host the majority of people forced to flee from crises. I hope the Mattei plan can help Italy to invest in Africa and organize migration in areas where it makes sense. At the same time, I urge countries of the global North to fight human trafficking and smuggling, and to take action against the criminal networks that are profiting from people’s despair by violating human rights, creating enormous problems for people and governments with total impunity. No single country can achieve this alone, which is why we need global efforts to organize and manage migration and to combat illegal trafficking in people and goods."