New York - Brussels: Europe and the Arabs

The Secretary-General of the United Nations said that the challenges facing the world today can only be solved through dialogue and cooperation. In his video address to the meeting at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, Antonio Guterres added that this summit is being held amidst increasing global challenges and risks, saying, "While the world needs to work together, divisions are widening and geopolitical tensions are increasing." According to the United Nations news bulletin, a copy of which we received on Wednesday morning
Guterres said that there were several factors that exacerbated these differences, including the different methods of dealing with global crises and conflicting views on non-traditional security threats, as well as "the repercussions of the Covid-19 epidemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine."
Facing the climate crisis
The Secretary-General of the United Nations stressed that there are three areas in which cooperation must be sought in order to find solutions.
Guterres said that the first of these areas is the climate crisis, adding that "if humanity does not come together, we are on the verge of a catastrophe. We must unite and accelerate."
The Secretary-General referred to the "Climate Solidarity Charter" he proposed, which would push the countries that produce the largest amounts of greenhouse gases to make double efforts to reduce emissions, while the developed countries would work to support emerging economies in order to benefit everyone.
Guterres drew attention to the important role that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization can play in the field of climate action, stressing that "climate action is a fight for our lives."
The challenge of new technologies
The second area in which the Secretary-General spoke of the need for cooperation is new technologies.
"Humankind is entering a new technological era and is completely unprepared. Artificial intelligence, autonomous weapons and bioengineering are three areas where governance capabilities have failed to catch up," Guterres said.
That is why, the Secretary-General added, “we have proposed the Global Digital Compact that brings governments, regional organizations, the private sector and civil society together.”
Guterres renewed talk about his upcoming decision to appoint a high-level advisory group specialized in artificial intelligence affairs.
Inequality and the erosion of trust
As for the third area in which cooperation should be undertaken, it is confronting inequality, according to what the Secretary-General stated in his speech to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, which was held virtually via video.
Guterres said that manifestations of inequality within and between countries lead to the erosion of trust, noting that confronting unfair globalization is not done by limiting globalization, but rather by reducing inequality.
The Secretary-General called for deep reforms that would make international frameworks more representative of developing and emerging economies, and more responsive to their needs. He also called for an immediate SDG stimulus package aimed at increasing liquidity, reducing the debt burden on developing economies, and putting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development on track.
The Secretary-General stressed the need for more inclusive institutions at all levels, in which women, youth, civil society voices, business sectors, the media and others are more represented.
Guterres urged SCO members to participate more in preparations for the Sustainable Development Summit, the Climate Ambition Summit in September, and the 2024 Summit on the Future.