The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, today called for an end to global conflicts during his speech at the BRICS summit, which is taking place in New Delhi, India. Before the leaders of Russia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and China, Guterres stated that "the world needs peace," specifically referring to the conflicts in Gaza, the broader crisis in the Middle East, Ukraine and Sudan.
The plenary session brought together the Portuguese with Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Khaled bin Mohamed Al Nahyan. His words came after bloc members signed a joint declaration with 140 points, which addressed Gaza, Palestine and Lebanon, but made no reference to Ukraine.
Guterres defended freedom of international navigation, respect for territorial integrity and political independence of States under international law. He emphasized that as the world irreversibly moves toward a multipolar scenario, countries must work to strengthen a multilateral system that meets the needs of all.
The UN leader again demanded a comprehensive reform of the Security Council and international financial institutions, arguing these were created in 1945 and no longer reflect the current reality of the planet. He also referred to the adoption of a new world map in the General Assembly, which corrects distortions of the traditional Mercator map, urging institutions to adapt to the new reality of global powers.
