Guterres urges Security Council to overcome divisions for peace

  United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called on members of the UN Security Council to overcome divisions that hinder effective action for achieving peace.

Speaking at the UN Security Council open debate on the maintenance of international peace and security: practicing multilateralism, reforming and improving global governance, Guterres urged council members, particularly permanent members, to build on the work of the UN General Assembly and the momentum provided by the "Pact for the Future" to move the intergovernmental negotiations forward. 

"The world looks to the Security Council to act in meaningful ways to end conflicts and ease the suffering these wars inflict on innocent people," he stated. 

Guterres called for adopting the same spirit of cooperation and compromise that has previously enabled the Council to bridge differences and build the necessary consensus to fulfil its peacekeeping mandate.

He emphasised that, eight decades after its establishment, the United Nations remains the essential, one-of-a-kind meeting ground to advance peace, sustainable development and human rights. 

Highlighting the critical need for solidarity and global solutions, Guterres stressed that today's world faces multiple crises requiring multilateral responses.

He pointed to the UN General Assembly's adoption of the "Pact for the Future" last September, which is aimed at strengthening global governance for the twenty-first century and rebuilding trust — trust in multilateralism, trust in the United Nations, and trust in this Council. 

At its core, Guterres noted, the Pact represents a commitment to peace in all its dimensions. It underscores the necessity of addressing the root causes of conflicts and tensions while recognising sustainable development as a cornerstone for lasting peace. 

He further highlighted that "the Pact also recognises that the Security Council must reflect the world of today, not the world of 80 years ago, and sets out important principles to guide this long-awaited reform.

This Council should be enlarged and made more representative of today's geopolitical realities. And we must continue improving the working methods of this Council to make it more inclusive, transparent, efficient, democratic and accountable." 

Guterres concluded, "Multilateral cooperation is the beating heart of the United Nations. Guided by the solutions in the Pact for the Future, multilateralism can also become an even more powerful instrument of peace. But multilateralism is only as strong as each and every country's commitment to it.

"As we look to the challenges around us, I urge all Member States to continue strengthening and updating our global problem-solving mechanisms. Let's make them fit for purpose — fit for people — and fit for peace."