New UN Secretary-General makes first speech at UN Security Council

New United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres yesterday (January 10) gave his first official speech before the UN Security Council.

The new UN Secretary-General stressed the need for new, strong efforts to build and maintain peace through a range of activities from conflict prevention and resolution to peacekeeping, peacebuilding and sustainable development.

New United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Photo: Reuters

Speaking at the Security Council debate on conflict prevention and peacekeeping, Mr. Guterres emphasized: “War is not inevitable. It is a matter of choice, the choice to prevent it, to resort to it, to minimize it, or to use it as one of the means to use in case of violence. By restoring trust between governments, people and member states, we can prevent and avoid conflict.

On the other hand, peace is not an unattainable thing. It is the result of difficult decisions, hard work and compromise. We need to prioritize and nurture it everywhere and at all times. Preventing conflict is no longer a priority but a priority. Living responsibly, we can save lives, reduce suffering and bring hope to millions of people.”

During the discussion, he also informed the members of the Security Council about the reform initiatives in the United Nations Secretariat, especially in the decision-making process as well as the process of enhancing coordination between all pillars of the United Nations - peace and security; human rights and development. He urged the Security Council to make greater use of the provisions set out in Chapter 6 of the United Nations Charter to participate in the peaceful settlement of disputes.

At the end of his speech, the new Secretary-General reiterated the call for peace he had made shortly after officially starting work in his new position.

The Security Council discussion session was convened by Sweden, which holds the Security Council presidency in January 2017. The meeting was attended by a number of senior ministers from member states./.

According to VOV