UN Secretary-General António Guterres speaks at the summit of the League of Arab States in Bahrain.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres reiterated his call for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages held in Gaza and the unimpeded flow of aid at the summit of the League of Arab States in Bahrain today.
"The war in Gaza is an open wound that threatens to infect the entire region," he said. In terms of its speed and scale, it is the deadliest conflict of my tenure as Secretary-General — for civilians, aid workers, journalists and our colleagues at the United Nations. ”
He stressed that there was no justification for the heinous terrorist attack perpetrated by Hamas against Israel on 7 October, and similarly, there was no justification for the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.
Attack on Rafah 'unacceptable'
"Any attack on Rafah at a time when we need a lot of life-saving assistance is unacceptable, because it will bring new pain and suffering to us," Guterres said. ”
He also expressed concern about tensions in the occupied West Bank, including the proliferation of illegal Israeli settlements, settler violence, excessive use of force by the Israel Defense Forces and demolitions and evictions.
"The only permanent way to end the cycle of violence and instability is a two-State solution, in which Israel and Palestine live side by side in peace and security, with Jerusalem as the capital of both countries," he said. "
Guterres said that the demographic and historical identity of Jerusalem must be preserved, and the status quo of the Holy Land must be maintained.
The peace process in the Sudan
Turning to Sudan, Guterres urged the international community to step up efforts to achieve peace and called on the warring parties to reach a lasting ceasefire.
More than a year of fighting between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has triggered a humanitarian crisis. Thousands of civilians have lost their lives, and 18 million face imminent famine.
Guterres also called for the protection of "fragile political processes in Libya and Yemen" and encouraged the Syrian people to come together in a spirit of reconciliation, respecting each other's diversity and respecting the human rights of all.
Reform of the multilateral system
Guterres also singled out other serious global crises, including the climate emergency, rising inequality, poverty and hunger, crippling debt, and the potential and dangers of new technologies such as artificial intelligence.
"From the Security Council to the international financial architecture, we need to undergo a deep reform of the global multilateral system to make it truly universal and reflective of today's realities," he said. ”
He noted that the Summit of the Future, held at UN Headquarters in September this year, is "a key opportunity to create a more networked and inclusive momentum for multilateralism."
A call for unity
Guterres noted that the Arab region has great potential. Solidarity is essential to succeed in today's world. Divisiveness only allows external forces to exploit it, triggering conflicts, exacerbating sectarian tensions, and inadvertently fueling terrorism.
"Overcoming the obstacles will require breaking the vicious circle of division and external manipulation and moving forward together to build a more peaceful and prosperous future for the people of the Arab world and beyond," he told leaders. ”
