U.N. Secretariat

[All-English version; scroll down for all-French and bilingual as delivered versions]

Mr. President, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre,

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, 
 
I thank Norway and Prime Minister for convening this open debate. I am pleased that Mr. Peter Maurer, the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, has been able to join us.
 
Today more than 50 million people are affected by conflict in urban areas. They face a number of distinct dangers.  

Good afternoon. 
 
Today I briefed the General Assembly on what I see as I scan today’s global landscape.
 
I did not pull any punches.  It’s not a pretty picture. 
 
I see a 5-alarm global fire.
 
You heard the speech.  I won’t repeat it. 
 
The essence of my message is simply this:  we don’t have the luxury to just catalogue our challenges. 
 
We must do something about them – and we can do something about them. 
 
So my message was stark – because that is the state of our world. 
 

[All-English version; scroll down for All-French and bilingual as delivered versions]

Excellencies,

We begin another year in the grips of a global pandemic.

COVID-19 continues to upend lives, plans and hopes.

The only certainty is more uncertainty.
 
Meanwhile, inequalities are growing.

Inflation is rising. 

The climate crisis, pollution and biodiversity loss rage on.

We face a cauldron of political unrest and ferocious conflicts. 

Mistrust among world powers is reaching fever pitch.

I am very happy to see all of you joining us today, and I want to thank you for your efforts to advance the implementation of the Youth, Peace and Security Agenda.

I am grateful to the Governments of Qatar, Finland and Colombia for hosting this event, in collaboration with the United Nations and youth organizations.

Our world is facing profound challenges – the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, rising conflicts, discrimination, the digital divide, the erosion of civic space and declining trust.

Dear friends,

This year’s World Economic Forum takes place in the shadow of an enormously difficult period for economies, for people and the planet.

According to the UN’s economic report released last week, the world is emerging from the depths of a paralyzing economic crisis.

But recovery remains fragile and uneven amid the lingering pandemic, persistent labour market challenges, ongoing supply-chain disruptions, rising inflation and looming debt traps, not to mention the geopolitical divide. 

As a result, we see recovery slowing down quite substantially.

Excellencies, distinguished delegates.

It’s an honour to join you today.

I commend Guinea for its leadership throughout last year.

And I congratulate Pakistan as it assumes the Chairmanship for 2022.

Ladies and gentlemen of the media. Good morning. 

Allow me a few words on the nightmare unfolding in Afghanistan.

We are in a race against time to help the Afghan people.

Just two days ago, the United Nations launched our largest-ever humanitarian appeal for a single country. 

The scale of that appeal reflects the scale of the despair.

Babies being sold to feed their siblings. 

Freezing health facilities overflowing with malnourished children.

People burning their possessions to keep warm.

Good afternoon.
 
This is my final opportunity to address you in 2021 – so let me begin by wishing you all happy holidays.  
 
We are coming to the end of a difficult year.  
 
The COVID-19 pandemic raged on.  Inequalities kept rising.   The burden for developing countries grew heavier – with diminishing resources for recovery, rising inflation and mounting debt.
 
To add fuel to the fire, we are still off track in addressing the climate crisis – another amplifier of global injustice and inequality.
 
I am deeply worried.

[All-English; scroll down for bilingual, as delivered version]

Let me begin by strongly condemning the cowardly attacks on Sunday against the G5 Sahel forces in Niger and again yesterday against the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, in which seven Togolese peacekeepers lost their lives. An Egyptian peacekeeper also died after being injured in an attack in Mali last month.

I extend my deepest condolences to the families of the victims of these and many other attacks that have taken the lives of so many innocent people.

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mr. Martin Griffiths
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

Fifteen years ago, the Central Emergency Response Fund was set up to promote swift, coordinated action in humanitarian crises.

Since then, it has more than fulfilled its mission.

CERF is indeed fast and flexible.

I know from personal experience that it is one of the most effective ways to get help to people in crises.