United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres yesterday warned nations that the world is in ‘great peril’ and paralysed at the official opening of 77th session of the UN General Assembly.

He said nations were gridlocked in colossal global dysfunction and were not ready or willing to tackle the major challenges that threaten the future of humanity and the fate of the planet.

Guterres said: “Trust is crumbling, inequalities are exploding, our planet is burning. People are hurting, with the most vulnerable suffering the most.”

However, the UN chief said there is hope, stressing that cooperation and dialogue are the only path forward. He warned that “no power or group alone can call the shots”.

Guterresidentified three areas where he said world leaders should come together and discuss, particularly issues to do with climate change, peace and security and also addressing inequality in developing countries.

The largest annual gathering of global leaders returned for the first in-person session post-Covid-19 to a world divided by multiple crises headed by the war in Ukraine.

After the Covid-19 pandemic restricted in-person attendance the previous two years, more than 150 heads of State and government are in attendance at the annual gathering in New York.

President Lazarus Chakwera is among the 193 world leaders attending the assembly physically. He is expected to address the assembly on Thursday, September 22.

More than 150 heads of State and representatives of governments will also deliver speeches until Sunday on issues of global concern

This year’s theme for the general debate is ‘A Watershed Moment: Transformative Solutions to Interlocking Challenges’.

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