Guterres commends Qatari mediation efforts in Gaza

The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday appreciated the State of Qatar's mediation efforts to reach a humanitarian pause in the Gaza Strip, enabling the entry of more humanitarian aid, and the release of a number of hostages.
Addressing the Doha Forum 2023 opening session, Guterres thanked His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and the government of Qatar for their mediation efforts to reach a humanitarian pause in the Gaza Strip, noting that the UN Security Council, which serves as the principle forum for international conflict resolution, has become paralysed by geostrategic divisions, which has hindered reaching solutions on a number of issues, including those of the Middle East.
The UN Secretary-General said that the violent Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip was met with silence by the Security Council, and after more than a month a Council resolution was issued that was not implemented, and this delay had a heavy price, which exposed the SC's credibility to great damage.
Guterres referred to the letter he addressed last week to the UNSC President, in which he used Article 99 of the UN Founding Charter for the first time since taking office, which allowed him to draw the Security Councils attention to the fact that there is no effective protection for civilians in the Gaza Strip, in light of the number of civilian casualties reached an unprecedented number, in addition to the collapse of the health care system and thus the collapse of the humanitarian system.
He added that the humanitarian situation may deteriorate into a catastrophe with undesirable implications and consequences, highlighting his calls for the UN Security Council to reach a humanitarian agreement for a ceasefire to avoid this catastrophe.
The UN Secretary-General stressed that building a shared future is ideal for the current stage, and therefore it is necessary to build bridges and find common solutions to global challenges, through partnership and solidarity, which was demonstrated in its best form at the Doha Forum to push ambitious agendas forward in order to build a shared future towards a better world.
Guterres stressed the need for solidarity to save the planet, which is being exposed to a comprehensive storm, from geopolitical divisions to inequality, high levels of poverty, climate chaos, massive debts, and high prices, in addition to new technology that knows no restrictions or boundaries.
He pointed out the weakness of the current institutions, with the economic, social and political relations having changed radically, stressing the need for serious efforts to advance social structures based on solidarity, the UN charter and international law.
Lamenting the world's inability to deal with existential threats of climate and technology, His Excellency called for reducing carbon emissions and achieving climate justice, with emissions having reached an unprecedented level due to fossil fuels. He also urged fossil fuel companies to use their enormous resources to lead the renewable energy revolution, considering that they are capable of solving many of the problems that are suffocating the world.
The global system must represent the economic reality today, not the economic reality after the end of World War II, HE Guterres said, calling for global development banks to change the business model and provide financing at an acceptable cost to developing countries so that they can invest in climate action and achieve sustainable development goals.
Guterres also warned of the threat of new technology, noting that artificial intelligence can provide solutions to many global challenges, but in the absence of appropriate systems, this may lead to problems with undesirable consequences. He announced that he had selected a multilateral advisory council concerned with artificial intelligence to issue recommendations in this regard by the end of the year.
He hailed the Future Summit expected next September as a historic opportunity to make important decisions and take a serious look at the governance system adopted in the world today.
The UN has presented a series of proposals to member states, and the representatives of countries are called to participate in reaching a new global order that will help control this emerging technology and harness it to serve humanity, HE Guterres said.
Guterres pointed out that in addition, the proposed new agenda for peace must help avoid conflicts and double standards, rebalance political relations, and give all countries a louder voice on the international scene.