UN’s new chief Antonio Guterres in appeal to ‘put peace first’

Alasdair Sandford

 

 

UNITED NATIONS: -- The new Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres has called for peace to be a global priority as he started his first day in office.

 

The former Portuguese prime minister and UN refugee chief begins a five-year term amid conflicts in the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere, as well as threats from terrorism and climate change.

 

“On this New Year’s Day, I ask all of you to join me in making one shared New Year’s resolution: Let us resolve to put peace first. Let us make 2017 a year in which we all – citizens, governments, leaders – strive to overcome our differences. From solidarity and compassion in our daily lives, to dialogue and respect across political divides. From ceasefires on the battlefield, to compromise at the negotiating table to reach political solutions. Peace must be our goal and our guide,” Antonio Guterres said in his New Year’s address.

 

The new chief made the appeal after taking over from Ban Ki-moon, whose term in office ended at midnight on December 31.

 

Guterres was sworn in on December 12 after the UN Security Council unanimously backed him for the top job.

 

One of the first challenges for the secretary general will be to deal with a hostile incoming new US president who has shown scorn for United Nations.

 

Last week Donald Trump questioned the effectiveness of the institution, describing the UN as “just a club for people to get together, talk and have a good time”.

 

-- © Copyright Euronews 2017-01-02

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Last week Donald Trump questioned the effectiveness of the institution, describing the UN as “just a club for people to get together, talk and have a good time”.

 

A totally inappropriate comment.  The UN is far from perfect, but does some really good things.  It's not fair to paint the entire organization with such a broad brush.  Another uneducated comment.

 

http://time.com/4085757/united-nations-achievements/

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5 United Nations Achievements Worth Celebrating on U.N. Day

 

http://www.borgenmagazine.com/10-things-accomplished-united-nations/

7 hours ago, webfact said:

UNITED NATIONS: -- The new Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres has called for peace to be a global priority as he started his first day in office.

Just a repeat of the crap we heard back in the 50's 60's 70's 80's right up to the present. Just another step up the political ladder for this guy much the same as Ban Moon who is now eyeing the South Korean presidency as his next move. His name is his brand and brands like Trump etc. carry a lot of hollow weight these days. They are not pacifist peacemakers they are predators plain and simple. 

Edited January 2, 20179 yr by elgordo38

United Nations Secretary-General-designate António Guterres said he is determined(as was outgoing Ki-moon) to work for the two-state solution.

http://english.wafa.ps/page.aspx?id=4xpcqwa51629744991a4xpcqw

Good luck with President-elect Trump and Ambassador-nominee Freedman.

2 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

 

A totally inappropriate comment.  The UN is far from perfect, but does some really good things.  It's not fair to paint the entire organization with such a broad brush.  Another uneducated comment.

 

http://time.com/4085757/united-nations-achievements/

 

http://www.borgenmagazine.com/10-things-accomplished-united-nations/

 

The latter article reads like a junior high school essay. Fact is, the UN can claim scant achievement in any of those things, and shouldn't even be meddling in some of them - such as the unsustainable propping up of communities in borderline environments, which is only asking for famine and conflict down the road, and the pie-in-the-sky goal of eliminating poverty - bring everybody to affluence and whole new populations of poor people will appear to fill in the cracks, because low life is better than no life.

 

The UN is just a quaint avuncular body periodically making speeches appealing for peace that have as little effect as speeches by the Pope or the Queen. It has no understanding of anthropology.  Humans are competitive and there will always be conflict as long as there are groups competing for resources, and with population exploding in just a few decades, competition is only intensifying. Poor people are now forcibly invading affluent countries en masse - another major issue about which the UN has done nothing.

 

Let them make their speeches, let them carry on with their frail and fatuous belief in the brotherhood of man that is always swept away in the tsunami of realpolitik or else undermined by their own internal structure. Just let's not pretend they are capable of changing human nature or actually solving any of the major problems afflicting the world.

 

I could have done a better job. I announced that I was available for the Secretary-General position. It's their loss, and the world's.

 

17 hours ago, elgordo38 said:

Just a repeat of the crap we heard back in the 50's 60's 70's 80's right up to the present. Just another step up the political ladder for this guy much the same as Ban Moon who is now eyeing the South Korean presidency as his next move. His name is his brand and brands like Trump etc. carry a lot of hollow weight these days. They are not pacifist peacemakers they are predators plain and simple. 

Ban Moon was extremely ineffective.  I've read many articles about this.  But this new guy is getting quite a bit of praise.  I'm no fan of the UN, they've got many problems, spend lots of money and don't solve many of the bigger problems.  But, they do have some effective programs. 

 

Interesting analysis of Buterres:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/01/will-antonio-guterres-be-the-uns-best-ever-secretary-general

 

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Will António Guterres be the UN's best ever secretary general?

Cultured and consensual, the Portuguese politician has had the perfect preparation for the United Nations’ top job

 

 

5 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

Ban Moon was extremely ineffective.  I've read many articles about this.  But this new guy is getting quite a bit of praise.  I'm no fan of the UN, they've got many problems, spend lots of money and don't solve many of the bigger problems.  But, they do have some effective programs. 

 

Interesting analysis of Buterres:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/01/will-antonio-guterres-be-the-uns-best-ever-secretary-general

 

 

I hope your right it would be refreshing. Lets hope he is not just another chip off off the old political block.