AI, climate and conflicts top Guterres’s agenda ahead of General Assembly

Ahead of the UN General Assembly’s high-level week, Secretary-General António Guterres said the world had entered “an era of deep uncertainty” and urged governments to embrace international cooperation to address global threats.Speaking to reporters six days before world leaders gather in New York, Mr. Guterres identified “three existential threats”: runaway artificial intelligence (AI), the climate crisis and deepening inequalities.He also reiterated calls for a two-State solution in the Middle East and for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.While he acknowledged the need to reform global institutions, including the UN itself, the Secretary-General stressed that the UN’s promises to maintain peace and protect human rights remain the same.“Updating our structures can never mean abandoning our principles – it must mean applying those principles with even greater determination,” Mr. Guterres said.Need for peaceNow more than ever, Mr. Guterres called for Member States to uphold the UN Charter, defend international law, protect human rights, invest in sustainable development and push for peace everywhere.He highlighted the decimation of Gaza and the Russia-Ukraine war as areas of p...